Help with HID/ headlights

[Iceroyal]

I know people are gonna say read the sticky and i have i have read it twice i have also done at least three days worth of searches and reading...i really don't want to post yet another thread on this but i am just spent at this point i really need some help. I am debating between the spyder ccfls, 97-03 Pontiac Grand Prix Halo LED Projector Headlights – Black, and retrofit. I understand retrofit has the highest output and it seem like most people on here love them ,but have the spyder autos/dashz improved at all? are there any positives to them cause i really like the look of them and i have read that they do have great light output... also if i was to purchase one of these where would could i get my HID kits(because it seems like on dashz's website there kits is a lot more expensive then some the kits that had been linked in the sticky) and is it easy to install like are the bulbs and stuff universal or are the different adapters you have to buy for different headlights. Also i noticed a lot of people have put HID in their fogs and most people from what i read use 35w and basically whatever color you wanted and had no problem with melting in stock housing what kits did you use for these and where can you get them?

Thank you for any help

How hard is it to do a retrofit on 01 Grandprix gt?

[chamilton89]

You posed a ton of questions, lets see how many i can intelligently answer. From what I understand completing a retrofit is going to be the most rewarding, but this process is very expensive and fairly difficult when compared to other options. The other projector beam halos and CCFL's seem to still be made to a price, with some people falling in love with them and others getting so frustrated, they put the stock lights back in. Now for some hard information, I got my HID Kits from DDM tuning and I couldn't be more satisfied with them. The price was unreal. to the point where I was extremely worried they were going to be super cheap. As it turns out I've had both a 6000k 35w with harness for my headlights and yes, a 600k 35w kit for my fogs light as well. Could not be more happy with the results. Keep in mind this I do still have stock headlights and just installed HID bulbs in them, but the light output, especially in the fogs, is very much improved. So, in conclusion. Rerofits are pricy, other projectors are still pretty iffy and DDM HID kits seems to be great in both price and use. Best of luck and merry christmas! Let me know if you have any questions.

[Iceroyal]

Thank you for the help what bulb did you end up putting in the fogs? and where do people hide the ballasts for the HID kits? also if i order from ddmtuning do i need the HID harness, Error eliminator, and adapter cable? this question goes for both the headlights and fogs i am using the stock fog light housing and also i am getting a set of dashzracing headlights(Headlight link) thank you for any input

[chamilton89]

Thank you for the help what bulb did you end up putting in the fogs? and where do people hide the ballasts for the HID kits? also if i order from ddmtuning do i need the HID harness, Error eliminator, and adapter cable? this question goes for both the headlights and fogs i am using the stock fog light housing and also i am getting a set of dashzracing headlights(Headlight link) thank you for any input

The fog light gets replaced with an HID 880 bulb. I hid my ballasts in the fenders after doing a bit of elongating of some of the wires on the harness it came with. I have the harness for the headlights and not the fog lamps. Nothing else is needed at all, I recommend getting the harness, just to make sure your not putting any added strain on the GP's stock wiring, although I'm sure you would be fine without it. As for which bulb to get for the headlights i am NOT positive for those headlamps but i believe it is the H1 bulb. Installation is really self explanatory once you lay everything out. I can take a few pictures of where my ballasts are mounted but it won't be for about a week. Let me know if you have any more questions! Oh, and here is a link to a few of my pictures with the HID's installed. Pictures by chamilton89 - Photobucket

[chamilton89]

As it seems, I am an idiot. After looking at the link you left me for your projector headlights, it says right in there the low beams have an H3 bulb, not H1 as I said before. Hope that helps.

[Iceroyal]

Thank you for the help again. So I definitely don't need that error eliminator ? Sorry first time doing them so wanna get it right.

[chamilton89]

Nope. Don't have any issues at all without the error elemonator. I have the dogs running of the factory harness just plugged right in and my headlights are on a harness. Also, wanted to make sure you remove your drl relay before you install your HIDs. The drls will play havoc with your HIDs if you don't!

[dbextreme]

I searched and searched for days trying to find someone with a GP that used DDM HID's and finally posted in the Ultimate HID thread then POW I found this.. LOL Go figure.. I am looking at getting the DDM HID's for my headlights and fog. Debating on 35 vs 55 watt.. For sure getting the 8000K (just prefer the more blue look) and was wondering about the harness.. I was thinking the same thing, harness for headlights and not one for the fogs. One question though, do the fogs go through the same relay as the headlights and do you run your fog lights every now and then or do you run them the same time as your heads?

[Iceroyal]

Why does the relay play so much havoc with your HIDs?

[dbextreme]

From what I understand, and please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the relay regulates the power though the wires. The upgraded harness with the relay lets you wire directly to the battery and the relay regulates the power going through the new wires. The only part of the existing wireing that is used is one original headlight plug and it is ONLY used as an on/off signal. All current is pulled directly from the battery through the new wires to the relay then to the HID kit.

[chamilton89]

I searched and searched for days trying to find someone with a GP that used DDM HID's and finally posted in the Ultimate HID thread then POW I found this.. LOL Go figure.. I am looking at getting the DDM HID's for my headlights and fog. Debating on 35 vs 55 watt.. For sure getting the 8000K (just prefer the more blue look) and was wondering about the harness.. I was thinking the same thing, harness for headlights and not one for the fogs. One question though, do the fogs go through the same relay as the headlights and do you run your fog lights every now and then or do you run them the same time as your heads?

So for your first question. I run both 35W kits for my headlights and my fog lights. I would NOT run a 55W kit in your fogs and I would recommend not running one in your headlights as well because I have heard they run too hot and may melt your housings. SO here is the thing. I believe you guys are taking about two different "relays" Iceroyal, the DRL "relay" that I think you are referring too and I mistakenly quoted is actually a voltage reducing diode the reduces the voltage to the headlights thus producing less output and our Daytime running lights. dbextreme, you are pretty much all right with your application of the really harness. It isolates the cars wiring from the harness and HID's wiring, using only the car to switch the relay on and off. This pulls voltage directly from your battery, thus not pulling power from the stock wiring, which may not be completely adequate for the HID's power needs. It isn't anything more than a safety precaution. I ran a harness on my HID headlights because I have a hi/low switching bulb, but would also recommend running one on your headlights because they may be on for long durations, something that is normally not true for your fog lights, thus I do not run a separate relay harness.

[Iceroyal]

Ok so let me make sure I'm understanding this correctly I need to pull my DRL relay cause I don't want it trying to turn on my hids with the lower power? Also is there away to make the halos run as DRLs or whats the best way to hook these up? Thanks for all your help.

[chamilton89]

So the DRL voltage reducing diode is located in the drivers side panel facing the door. It reduces the voltage to the headlights giving us our daytime running lights and giving us the full voltage at night. So, when you install HID's they only run at one voltage, so its either on or off, no reduced voltage or brightness. In order for the ballasts to work properly, they need full voltage, not only that, but you don't want your headlights on full time. Long story short is, we basically need to disable to DRL's completely, and the easiest way to do this is just to pull this diode out! and to get the halos to run as DRL's is very tricky, so much so that I haunt figured out a good way to do it. basically, all you need to do is to hook them up to a 12V switched wire, or something thats only on when the car is, so your halos rant on all the time. I use a wire that runs to my cruise control to control my lights. Im not at home right now and I can't look at which one it is, but I can when I get home if you would like!

[dbextreme]

Great info and I appreciate the help and additional questions!!! I pulled my fuse for my DLR a while back and never replaced it. This should be fine as well, or do you suggest replacing the fuse and pulling the diode instead? I will order a harness with my headlights so I am thinking it won't really matter as long as the DLR's are not coming on, but want to make sure. Reason I wonder about the fuse vs the diode is my factory alarm. I assume that when the alarm "arms" it's the DLR's that are triggered and not the headlights (I only say this because when I pulled my fuse the alarm does not notify me that's it's armed anymore with a honk or lights flashing) I don't want to put any additional strain on HID's with blinking of the lights for the alarm that's not needed...

Hope this makes sense and I'm not off topic..

[chamilton89]

Great info and I appreciate the help and additional questions!!! I pulled my fuse for my DLR a while back and never replaced it. This should be fine as well, or do you suggest replacing the fuse and pulling the diode instead? I will order a harness with my headlights so I am thinking it won't really matter as long as the DLR's are not coming on, but want to make sure. Reason I wonder about the fuse vs the diode is my factory alarm. I assume that when the alarm "arms" it's the DLR's that are triggered and not the headlights (I only say this because when I pulled my fuse the alarm does not notify me that's it's armed anymore with a honk or lights flashing) I don't want to put any additional strain on HID's with blinking of the lights for the alarm that's not needed...

Hope this makes sense and I'm not off topic..

You are welcome, glad I can help. So, Im not completely firmiliar with what the car does when you pull the del fuse. I originally did it but soon replaced it because I wanted the factory light sensing headlights and when you pull the fuse, you have to turn them on. From what I believe, everything will function just as it should except for the DRLs when you pull the diode. That being said, you can also change what the alarm does when you arm it. This is all done within the car and I just simply turned mine off, so no honk or blink. Refer to your owners manual for instructions on how to change that. So, I would put the fuse back in and remove the diode, but thats just me, no flashes at all with what I did, and good call with saying something about the flashes, they can be hard on the ballasts.

[coolone]

Try here... there's some really good info for tricking out the lighting.

BACKINBLACK's Grand Prix electrical modifications

[Iceroyal]

Just got done installing the lights and HIDs thank you for the help! Where is the Drl diode? I know its on the driver side but what is it that i have to unplug? What do i have to do i do not have a car manual so i do not want to take the wrong thing out.

[coolone]

Open the drivers door and look at the side of the dashboard, there's a panel cover there, remove it and the diode should be behind it, just unplug...

[coolone]

And oh... don't forget to supply us all with pic's so we can see the finished product

[dbextreme]

Cool, and yes pls post pics!!! Also, did you go with the DDMTuning kit? If so which ones? Earlier in the thread you said if I get these, wasn't sure if you did or not..