Many suppliers of HID Conversion Kits claim to carry the best ballasts on the market. Here at XenonSupply.com, we actually do! The reason our Premium ballasts are superior is because of the chipset we use. Our XenonSupply.com Premium ballasts use a DSP chipset. DSP stands for digital signal processor.

What does a DSP do? A DSP takes a digital signal and processes it to improve the signal. The improvement may be clearer sound, sharper images, or faster data.

DSP chips are used in variety of different products but can be found in guitar effect pedals, calculators, telecommunication systems, audio and video recording and playback, MP3 players, cell phones, sound cards, fax machines, digital TV’s, rockets, missiles, and spacecraft.

Most HID suppliers use ballasts with a MCU chipset. MCU stands for microcontroller. These MCU’s are easy to copy and allow almost any engineer the ability to create ballasts in his living room. The DSP chipset is more complex and a newer technology.

HID Conversion Kit Ballasts do not like variations in power output to the bulb because it changes the running temperature and puts stress on the two electrodes wearing them down faster. DSP chips clean & filter all the fluctuations in power before converting the DC power to AC giving components a better chance of living its true lifespan.

Advantages of using XenonSupply.com Premium Ballasts with a DSP chipset:

(1) Operates at high-speeds. Can complete analog signal processing and implement relevant directives quickly.

(2) Can implement tens of millions of complex instructions in seconds and be able to accurately identify every signal.

(3) The high-speed precision computational capability has realized the power factor compensation function; making sure the light source emits stable, flicker-free, comfortable and bright lighting to ensure the safe driving.

(4) DSP chips high-speed signal processing capability protects hundreds of components in XenonSupply.com Premium ballasts ensuring high efficiency and a long service life of the ballast.

To Purchase Premium Ballasts, HID Bulbs, or a HID Conversion Kit, visit www.xenonsupply.com!

- XS Team

HID Accessory Relay Wiring Harness Explained!

A Wiring Harnesses primary function is to provide power directly from the vehicles battery to the HID system. This allows an HID system to operate independently of the vehicles electrical system and provides a more constant power source.

Whats in an Accessory Wiring Harness?

An Accessory Wiring Harness is also referred to as a Relay Wiring Harness as it utilizes a simple automotive relay in its design. A Wiring Harness utilizes a 30amp fuse protected power wire that directly connects to your positive terminal on the battery. An Automotive Relay is used to pull signal from a source (Headlight connector) that triggers power to be drawn from the battery. There are two sets of cables meant to provide power to an HID ballast. There are also two separate ground wire terminals that need to be connected to the chassis to complete the electrical circuit.

What does a Wiring Harness fix?

An Accessory Wiring Harness is capable of fixing a variety of power related HID lighting issues i.e. intermittent on/off, flickering, delayed start, HID low light output, and uneven brightness.

Problem: Delayed Start
An HID Ballast requires more power to ignite on startup than during normal usage. This initial power surge can sometimes be problematic for vehicles with weaker electrical systems that cannot provide the power needed. The vehicles stock headlight connectors are not capable of providing 7-8 amps per headlight and as a result, only one HID turns on when the switch is turned on. After about 20 seconds when the ballasts power consumption drops to 3.2 amps, you can quickly turn the lights off then back on and voila, both HID lights turn on. This scenario happens all the time and is the direct result of insufficient power.

Solution:

An HID wiring harness with power supplied directly from the battery would eliminate this issue as it would be able to consume up to 30 amps through the batteries positive terminal to ignite both ballasts.

Problem: Flickering
An HID Ballast that is not getting sufficient power from a stock headlight connector will cycle on and off as it tries to ignite and power on. This can also be a result of an inefficient ballast that is not able to convert the available power to properly ignite an HID system.

Solution:
An HID wiring harness will provide the power necessary to ignite even an inefficient ballast for flicker free HID lighting.

Problem: Dim/Dark Light Output:
When a ballast is underperforming, light output can appear more blue and dimmer than it should be. This is a result of the ballast not converting enough power to ignite the bulb at its optimal range. A bulb that is 4300K connected to a ballast with a weak power source, can look like an 8000K blue color with substantially lower light output.

Solution:
An HID Wiring harness will be able to provide more power to the ballast allowing the system to operate at 100%. This however is not a guaranteed solution as a poor quality ballast will not output sufficient power no matter how much is being inputted.

Problem: Uneven Brightness
My passenger side is brighter than my driver side! Power in not always delivered in equal amounts to each headlight, and depending on your vehicles wiring configuration, can have a negative impact on lighting performance when installing HIDs. If one headlight has less resistance to the power source i.e. less bends or curves in the wiring, length of wiring, fuse panels bridging connections etc, it will receive power first leaving less for the second headlight to consume. In this scenario, one headlight will end up brighter than the other.

Solution: An HID wiring harness will provide equal amounts of power to each HID Ballast allowing for even and consistent brightness between both headlights.

To Buy or Not to Buy?
An HID wiring harness for some vehicles is a safety and assurance item to prevent future problems, and for other vehicles is a necessary requirement to a successful HID installation. We here at XenonSupply do our best to bundle packages together based on our research to make sure you have all the components necessary for a issue free installation. Our general recommendation is to always use a harness where possible to help extend the life of your HID system. Not only are you providing your HID ballasts with adequate power, you are protecting both your vehicle and HID system with the inline fuse that separates the systems.

XenonSupply HID Accessory Relay Wiring Harness

As always, if you have additional questions please let us know.

Cheers,
-Phil and XS Team

Projector vs. Reflector - What's the difference?

When upgrading to HIDs and researching how to go about installing your kit, you'll often come across many debates about projector housings and reflector housings and how they affect an HID upgrade.  There are a few dominant opinions about this topic on the internet that are both conflicting and incorrect.  Let's dispel the myths, get the facts straight, and help you determine how best to improve your vehicle lighting experience.

Biggest Myth: "Reflector housings are not made for HIDs"

Unfortunately, for all the naysayers out there, this is not a true statement.  When HIDs were first introduced to the car market in the late 90's, they all came in a reflector housing.  Case in point, the 2001-2003 Acura CL, 2001-2003 Lexus IS, GS, and LS series.  Each of these vehicles used a D1/D2 series HID bulb in a reflector housing that controlled light output.  These housings were designed with HID light output in mind and were designed with "glare caps" placed over the bulbs to control how light was emitted.  Today, many manufacturers have adopted this type of "Glare Cap" for their own halogen housings, making them comparable to the above mentioned vehicles when converted to HID. The basis of the myth that reflector housings were never meant to be used with HIDs stems from the improper installation of HID kits in older vehicles that do not control light well and are not capable of minimizing glare from the additional light to oncoming traffic.  This is not to say that all reflectors work well with HIDs; that would also be a false statement.  Some reflectors work better than others and you just don't know how it will perform until you try.

Traditional Reflector Housing Light Path	Projector Housing Light Path

The light output of an HID system in a reflector based housing is entirely dependent on the design and manufacture as each housing uses different angles and shapes to achieve optimal light output.  This is because the size of the reflector housing typically changes to match the profile of the vehicle.  With new vehicles on the road today, reflector housings actually control light with both halogen bulbs as well as HID bulbs extremely well with the inclusion of what's known as an Anti-Glare Cap, that limits light output and cuts down on stray light patterns.  See the below photo to see an example of the Anti-Glare Cap, and light output of an HID system in a reflector housing + Anti-Glare Cap.

2011 Hyundai Elantra HID Output using a Halogen Based Reflector Headlamp With Stock Anti-Glare Cap
 

Bi-Xenon HID What!?  
A complete guide to Dual Filament Halogen Bulbs and Bi-Xenon HID Conversions

When it comes to converting halogen headlights to Xenon HID systems, nothing is more confusing than the Bi-Xenon HID Conversion.  The idea is not difficult to understand, but there is a lack of information available on the net explaining the bulb information in detail.

A Dual Filament bulb is nothing but a halogen bulb with two lighting filaments side by side (see fig 1.1).  When your low beam light is turned on, the light produced by the top filament reflects at a specific angle only illuminating the lower light path.  The high beam filament, because of its alternate position, reflects at a higher angle producing the high beam light path.  This allows the vehicle manufacturer to reduce the cost of making a headlight, by combining both low beam and high beam, traditionally in separate housings, into one with a single bulb (dual filament bulb that is). In order to convert this type of halogen bulb to HID, you must first understand Dual Filament Halogen Bulbs.  This should be simple considering there are only three types...right?

If your vehicle uses these types of bulbs, this information applies to you.

H4 (Also known as 9003,HB2)
9007 (Also known as 9004)
H13 (Also known as 9008)

Why so many names?
H4, 9007, and H13 are the most up-to-date versions of these bulb types, whereas the other bulb names are their previous generations.  Generational differences include changes in manufacturing standards, different materials used to produce the bulbs, improvements in optics/design, etc.

Each of these bulb types have four potential HID conversion bulb types.  Let's take the H4 bulb type, for example, and explain the four options.

H4-1 (Xenon Single Beam H4) This is the most simple of HID conversions, and also the most limiting.  This will upgrade only your low beam light to HID, leaving the high beam disabled.  This is also the cheapest and most common replacement HID bulb for an H4 Dual Filament bulb and also the worst one to select.  Not only do you lose high beam, you will likely have high beam warning lights on your dash as there are no wires running to your high beam circuit.

H4-2 (Xenon Low Beam, Halogen High Beam) This bulb should only be used in specific situations once you understand how it works.  This bulb adds a halogen bulb off center of the xenon low beam bulb in order to satisfy the high beam requirement.  High Beam light output of this smaller bulb is severely inadequate and should only be used to satisfy state and local vehicle safety inspections.  This is not a true Bi-Xenon HID system.

H4-3 (Switching High/Low) This is a true Bi-Xenon HID system.  The -3 variant uses an electromagnet to change the physical position of the HID bulb for the low beam as well as high beam.  This moving bulb adjusts the focal length and adjusts light output to a wide angle for high beam, and a tighter more focused light for low beam.  XenonSupply highly recommends the use of this type of Bi-Xenon bulb wherever possible and is the only Bi-Xenon bulb type sold and guaranteed to work.

H4-4 (Xenon High Xenon Low) This is the most expensive of HID Bi-Xenon bulb types and has largely been phased out due to its extremely high costs and unpopularity among users.  Two independent HID bulbs are placed side by side to produce the low beam and high beam light.  The problem with this design is that each bulb needs its own independent ballast.  In order to fully convert your low beam and high beam to HID with this type of kit, you need four HID ballasts, and wiring harnesses to ensure proper ignition to the HID system.

XenonSupply has always recommended and supported the -3 Bi-Xenon bulb type and uses an industry leading reconfigurable wiring harness for easy installation as well as troubleshooting with these systems.  Each HID kit or Pair of Bi-Xenon Bulbs sold come with an included reconfigurable wiring harness with quick disconnect connections. The reason for its reconfigurability is because not all vehicles are wired the same and each bulb type has its own wiring schematic.  With a XenonSupply made harness, you will be able to easily troubleshoot HID issues if any.

To check out what Bi-Xenon HID kits XenonSupply has to offer, hit the links below for more info.

H4-3 Bi-Xenon HID Conversion Kits	9007-3 BiXenon HID Conversion Kits	H13-3 Bi-Xenon HID Conversion Kits

If you purchased an HID kit from somewhere else and now you need a reconfigurable wiring harness for your -3 style HID bulbs, don't panic!  Our harness can be used with other HID kits as long as the connectors are compatible. Check out the link for more details on our selection of Bi-Xenon Wiring Harnesses

H13-3 Bi-Xenon Reconfigurable Wiring Harness
9007-3 Bi-Xenon Reconfigurable Wiring Harness
H4-3 Bi-Xenon Reconfigurable Wiring Harness

As always, if you have questions regarding this article, or need help finding the right HID kit for your vehicle, let us know at Help@XenonSupply.com, or give us a call toll free at 1-800-840-3240.

Cheers,

Phil @ XS

The difference between AC and DC Ballasts, and why it matters!
Very often we get asked if our XenonSuply Ballasts are AC or DC and what exactly makes them different.  To get a few things straight, XenonSupply only sells AC (Alternating Current) ballasts, period.  To give a short explanation, AC ballasts are more efficient, extend the life of an HID system up to two times that of a DC ballast and are more reliable.  Lets find out how!

So what's the difference?  
AC (Alternating Current) sends power through a circuit alternating between positive and negative voltages.  The number of times the signal alternates between positive and negative voltage in a given second is its hertz (Hz) value.  DC or Direct Current uses a constant steady positive voltage in a circuit.  An HID bulb requires power to flow from one metal electrode to another creating a spark inside your bulb.  The AC Ballast alternates the power sent to the electrodes because of its alternating current so the wear and tear on the bulbs' electrodes are even, because both sides are used for positive and negative voltage.  DC on the other hand, maintains positive voltage on one electrode throughout and wears down one electrode more than the other.  This increases the overall temperature since one side is always hotter and, due to this additional heat, erodes the electrode and the life of the bulb significantly.

Smoothed Direct Current (DC) Voltage Waveform	Triangular Alternating Current (AC) Voltage Waveform

But I thought a car battery was 12v DC?

Correct, a vehicle's power is supplied from the 12 volt battery which happens to be a DC power supply.  So why bother using an AC ballast that has to convert DC power into AC and then send AC power to the HID bulb?  Simply put, AC Ballasts, due to its alternating current flow, puts less strain on the HID bulb's inner components while producing the same/better light output. AC systems also benefit from lower operating temperatures as well as better long term color accuracy due to its decrease in bulb wear and tear.  The additional cost of converting DC to AC is well worth the price as you will save from an extended bulb life as well as an increase in lighting performance.

A quick tip on price!
An important point to note with AC vs. DC ballasts is the price point.  DC ballasts are very simple to manufacture because they do not need to convert DC to AC and thus, they are cheaper to manufacturer and sell for very low prices.  The downfall to the DC ballast is that oftentimes they burn out faster and you end up spending more time and more money under the hood replacing parts.  AC components on the other hand, require a DC to AC conversion inductor coil and a voltage regulator which is more expensive to manufacture.  You will often find eBay kits for around $35 dollars that are usually low quality DC kits. High-end Digital 35W AC Ballasts cannot even be produced at that dollar value, let alone sold for anything close to that price.

XenonSupply Premium CANBus 35W AC Digital Ballast

Generic 35W DC Analog HID Ballast

As you can see from the internal components shown in the DC vs. AC ballasts, AC ballasts use almost twice as many integrated circuits and electronic components to monitor, regulate, and power the HID system.  The additional capacitors are used to prevent flickering and smooth power output which helps stabilize a bulb and prolong its bulb life.  The internal relay prevents users from damaging the kit as they can sometimes be installed in reverse polarity shorting out the system and permanently damaging the kit.  The increased amount of Mosfet/voltage regulators allows for accurate power output which, in turn, provides optimal control over color output.  

*Green Circuit boards indicate an epoxy-glass compound used to protect the copper layer from corrosion and provides superior insulation unlike the DC ballasts' Bakelite circuit board. Bakelite is more brittle and prone to corrosion as well as cheaper to manufacture over Epoxy-Glass PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards).
 
*Our AC ballast units are shown prior to the standard Epoxy filling injected to stabilize components and reduce impact damage.

So now you know!
AC Ballasts are more reliable, less prone to overheating, cause less wear and tear on an HID bulb, and provide better long term color accuracy over a DC based HID system.  We can't tell you how many times customers call in asking for replacement parts on ballasts, bulbs, or both due to the short lifespan of other companies selling DC HID systems.  When you order your next HID kit (from XenonSupply of course!), make sure you select an AC based HID system (the only kind we sell), and know that you are purchasing a reliable and superior technology that will last.

Cheers,
Phil and XS Team

How CANBus Decoders affect your HID installation, and what you need to know to prevent dash warning lights.

What is a CANBus decoder?

A CANBus decoder in simple terms, is a device that tells the vehicle's diagnostics controller (ECU unit) that the lights are on and running; as well as, avoid pulsating lights and bulb-out warnings on your dash. A common problem is that the vehicle will attempt to "restart" a headlight as a check to see if they are working correctly which results in a rhythmic pulsation (on/off) of your lights.

To truly understand the functions of a CANBus decoder, we must first understand the role of the CANBus network in an automotive electrical system and how it operates. CANBus, or Controller Area Network (Bus meaning pathway or data transfer channel) is a communication standard created by Bosch for automotive, industrial, and medical devices. CANBus networks are utilized where devices (CANBus nodes) can all use the same pathway/channel to speak to one central CANBus controller. CAN is one of the five supported standards of vehicle diagnostics in today's OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics).

In today's vehicles, there are several ECU (Electronic Control Units) for the many subsystems in a vehicle today. Your headlights (if CANBus sensor equipped), engine, A/C system, airbags, door locks, TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System), etc. all are either independently operated with an ECU, or work together to operate your vehicle. Each ECU node needs to communicate with other devices or the vehicle as a whole to properly perform the functions you request. How do all these systems communicate with one another to determine what needs to be done? You guessed it, the CAN-Bus network.

Who cares, why would I need it for my HID upgrade?

Some vehicles use sensors on their headlight power wires which connect to the CANBus network to monitor headlight functionality and report bulb-out situations. Typically, if the output voltage and/or output wattage on the wire is less than 12.8V and 55W, this triggers the ECU that is monitoring those power wires to send a signal to the CANBus controller letting it know the bulbs are out/defective. This in turn will trigger the dash warning light notifying you a bulb is out. An HID system consumes less power than a halogen system, so when converting to HID, the ECU will report only 35W power consumption which often times is less than the minimum threshold of the sensor's controllers acceptable limit, and triggers the bulb-out warning.

I want to install HIDs on my vehicle, do I need a Premium CANBus decoder equipped XenonSupply ballast?

Typically, luxury vehicles with more complex electrical systems will require the use of the CANBus decoder equipped ballasts. Many of our German imports (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi) use sensors on the headlights that report to the CANBus network. Other manufacturers such as Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus/Scion do not and use a simple on/off sensor to determine whether the lights are operating correctly, separate of the CANBus network. As our knowledge base continually updates for vehicles that require CANBus or vehicles that do not require CANBus, you will need to contact our support team if you are not confident which type of ballast you need. One of our support technicians will be able to give you the best recommendation based on your vehicle year, make, and model.

XenonSupply Premium CANBus Equipped 35W Digital AC Ballast	XenonSupply Premium Slim CANBus Equipped 35W Digital AC Ballast

When in doubt, use CANBus decoder equipped ballasts!

Having a CANBus decoder equipped ballast can only help you when installing HIDs. A CANBus decoder equipped ballast will operate with a non-CANBus lighting system perfectly so having the additional feature and not using it is better than needing it and not having it. The CANBus ballasts are also manufactured with higher quality components to perform more efficiently than standard non-CANBus ballasts. To put it in a long-term perspective, if you ever switch to a newer vehicle you can transfer the ballasts to that vehicle because chances are it will have a CANBus equipped headlight sensor. Newer vehicles are more likely to use CANBus sensors on the headlights as the technology becomes cheaper to manufacture and implement.

What if you bought a CANBus equipped ballast and still have errors on your dash?

Are you using a kit with a relay harness or Bi-Xenon bulb? Bi-Xenon kits use a wiring harness that pulls power directly from the battery which means the stock connector is not using anywhere close to the 55W it normally puts out. The Relay in this harness uses a fraction of the power to activate a switch that, in turn, pulls power directly from the battery. Safer for the vehicle, not so good for your CANBus issues. In addition, these types of harnesses usually leave the passenger side, or the opposite side of the battery with an empty headlight connector which also is not good for CANBus sensors. You will require a pigtail, shown to the right, to connect in the empty factory connector to add resistors to the relay side socket to boost power consumption up to 55W. This type of installation will require direct communication with a XenonSupply technical support representative as parts are determined on a case-by-case basis.

If you have any additional questions regarding CANBus decoders and their application with your vehicle please email or call us at help@xenonsupply.com or toll-free at 1-800-840-3240.

Cheers,
Phil and XS Team

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Daytime Running Lights, HIDs explained, and then some...
We get a lot of questions here about Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and how they can affect an HID installation. In order to address these questions, a blog posting seemed the best way to enlighten the HID DIY community and dispel as much myth and mystery as possible!

First, a few pictures for reference...

What is a Daytime Running Light?
Daylight Running Light (DRL) is an automotive light that automatically turns on when a vehicle is in motion (not in park). Typical DRLs emit an amber or yellow light to increase the vehicles visibility during daylight/dusk conditions. More commonly enforced in Northern regions with extended hours of dusk/dim lighting conditions. Canada, Scandinavia, and most European countries by law require the use of DRL lighting on all production vehicles as of 2011.

Why do U.S. vehicles have DRLs if they are not required by law?
Although US manufacturers are not required to build vehicles with DRLs, in an effort to lower overall production costs, most manufacturers have decided to use DRLs across the board to keep things simple and avoid production changes when shipping vehicles to overseas markets. Toyota/Lexus changed all vehicle production in 2006 to include DRL, and General Motors has used DRLs as early as 1995.

How do DRLs work/ are they implemented?
Daytime Running lights can be implemented in many ways. The most common method is to use the high beam light at half or quarter power consumption (8-25watts). Other common implementation includes using the low beam light at half or quarter power, as well as using the turn signal bulbs in the full on position. The newest implementation of DRL lighting is the use of LED lighting strips most commonly seen on late model Audi's, as well as other new model vehicles (i.e. Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus, Ford, etc).

Here’s the money question...

How does a DRL System affect my HID installation?
So it boils down to this. Why should I care, and is there a risk to installing HIDs in a vehicle equipped with DRLs? It Depends. Depends on where you plan to install the HIDs and how your DRL system is integrated into your vehicle.

Here are some scenarios:

I have DRLs on my high beam and want to install HIDs on my Low beams.
Go Ahead! DRLs on the high beam WILL NOT affect an aftermarket HID installation on your low beams, period. No questions asked, no need to worry. The high beam uses a separate electrical circuit and is independent of the low beam.

*Vehicles with Dual Filament lighting systems, H4, 9003, 9004, 9007, 9008 and H13 bulb types will require specific HID Harnesses to work properly... see below for more details.

I have low beam DRLs and want to install HIDs on my Low Beams
In order to install HIDs on a vehicle with low beam DRLs (i.e. 2008+ Mitsubishi lancers, 2000-2008 Toyota Corollas) you will require a specialized wiring harness to prevent HID flickering. This harness uses an capacitor to boost the DRL signal on the low beam during the day, to one usable by an automotive relay, that pulls power directly from the battery to your HID system. In this manner, your low beams become your DRLs during the day, as well as your low beam at night. This method allows you to safely install HIDs without breaking some country DRL mandates, as well as prevents warning lights from occurring on your dash related to DRLs. For more information on these types of harnesses and if you require them, visit the product page linked below or email us at help@xenonsupply.com.

XenonSupply DRL Bypass Wiring Harnesses Diagram

I have DRLs on my Dual Filament/Bi-Xenon HID system
Never fear; we can help you figure this one out! Dual Filament bulbs use one reflector housing, with a bulb that has two separate filaments in it to achieve the low beam light as well as the high beam light. When converting to HID, you normally use a Bi-Xenon HID bulb that performs the same low beam and high beam function in one bulb. If your DRL is on the low beam, it's no problem; you can convert safely to HID with a XenonSupply wiring harness and use HIDs without worries. If you are purchasing a XenonSupply HID kit, make sure to select the "DRL Capacitor (Canadian Spec)" and your unit will come preassembled for easy plug and play installation.

*If you have an existing Bi-Xenon installation that is having issues, you will need to purchase the DRL Bypass harness separately and replace your current Bi-Xenon harness to achieve the same results.

XenonSupply DRL Bypass Wiring Harnesses

As always, questions and comments can be left below or emailed to us at help@xenonsupply.com.

Cheers,
Phil and XS Team