Planning an HID conversion.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,904
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Planning an HID conversion.
I know absolutely nothing about this, which is why I am asking those who have done it.
What does it involve?
I would be replacing both high and low beam lights.
Also, have no idea where to get this kit.
I don't want LED lights because I was told they do not work well in a lens not designed for them, which is what the c5 has.
All I know is two things, and they are, my stock lights are to dim, and I was told having brighter light will cut down on the glare from oncoming headlights, because it will brighten the road before me so glare from others is not nearly as bad as with these stock lights.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Bob.
What does it involve?
I would be replacing both high and low beam lights.
Also, have no idea where to get this kit.
I don't want LED lights because I was told they do not work well in a lens not designed for them, which is what the c5 has.
All I know is two things, and they are, my stock lights are to dim, and I was told having brighter light will cut down on the glare from oncoming headlights, because it will brighten the road before me so glare from others is not nearly as bad as with these stock lights.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Bob.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
IMO the best way to go that doesn't require too much effort is to get ACA projector headlights from FIPerformance or Ebay (the $300+ ones, not the cheap $100 ones), the C5 retrofit bracket from Lightwerkz, and the Morimoto Mini H1 7.0s with 5500k bulbs and the XB50 ballast. Otherwise, get the Radioflyer ACA package, Luminators, or SLC. The cheap but mediocre HID option is JWM ACAs.
Also, whoever told you that doesn't understand things. The Corvette simply sits too low for brighter lights to "reduce" glare. Dump too much light on the ground right in front of the Corvette and you lose your long range vision, which is more important. A taller car can dump the light farther down the road and still have it reflect back to you because of higher angles. It's just the physics of it.
And no, you do not want HIDs in your high beams. The Bi-xenon functions of the Mini H1 7.0, Radioflyer ACA, and SLC are more than sufficient for high beam usage. Keep halogens in there, 9011 HIR bulbs for increased brightness (this is what I did) on the ACAs. Or use LED bulbs.
Also, whoever told you that doesn't understand things. The Corvette simply sits too low for brighter lights to "reduce" glare. Dump too much light on the ground right in front of the Corvette and you lose your long range vision, which is more important. A taller car can dump the light farther down the road and still have it reflect back to you because of higher angles. It's just the physics of it.
And no, you do not want HIDs in your high beams. The Bi-xenon functions of the Mini H1 7.0, Radioflyer ACA, and SLC are more than sufficient for high beam usage. Keep halogens in there, 9011 HIR bulbs for increased brightness (this is what I did) on the ACAs. Or use LED bulbs.
Last edited by Tsumi; Oct 22, 2017 at 03:44 AM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 390
Your posting comes at a perfect time. I, too, am also looking at options to brighten my headlights. It seems that HID is probably the way to go currently. My concern is the overall cost and complexity of the conversion process. I'd like to retain the factory headlight housing, if possible. I'm just wondering how much more of a power drain it would be on the factory electrical and additional heat the HIDs will create vs. the normal bulbs. I think that the normal bulbs are rated at 35 watts. I believe the HID kits draw power at 55 watts per side? Also, can any of the forum vendors confirm if there's warm up required to obtain maximum brightness in the HID systems? If so, what is considered normal warm up time? Will the headlight pop up feature be affected with the HID conversion process?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
Your posting comes at a perfect time. I, too, am also looking at options to brighten my headlights. It seems that HID is probably the way to go currently. My concern is the overall cost and complexity of the conversion process. I'd like to retain the factory headlight housing, if possible. I'm just wondering how much more of a power drain it would be on the factory electrical and additional heat the HIDs will create vs. the normal bulbs. I think that the normal bulbs are rated at 35 watts. I believe the HID kits draw power at 55 watts per side? Also, can any of the forum vendors confirm if there's warm up required to obtain maximum brightness in the HID systems? If so, what is considered normal warm up time? Will the headlight pop up feature be affected with the HID conversion process?
ACA projectors will retain factory housing, you just replace the headlight part.
You will need to mount ballasts for HIDs, but other than that it is straightforward wiring.
You might run into an issue where your headlights do not close. There are four options in this scenario: 1. Push the stalk into highbeam position to lower them after turning off, 2. Run load resistors (not always guaranteed to work), 3. Use a custom made HCM following the guide of another member here, or 4. Splice in a relay setup to control the HCM.
Warmup time for HIDs is typically 3 to 10 seconds, depending on bulb and ballast.
Cost. About $350 for JWM ACA for mediocre projectors with no bi-xenon function. $650 plus shipping for Radioflyer ACA, good projectors with bi-xenon. $750+ (can be around $600 during sales) for the regular ACA + Lightwerkz bracket + Morimoto Mini H1 7.0, one of the best aftermarket projectors currently available, requires some work to change out the projectors.
Last edited by Tsumi; Oct 22, 2017 at 04:20 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 235
From: North Carolina
I installed Radioflyers non bi-xenon ACA HID setup in my 98 back in late 2013. The kit uses 55 watt ballasts that eliminates the problem with the headlights not retracting when turned off. Warm up time on the low beam HID's is minimal. My set up uses halogen high beam 9005 bulbs so no issue with warm up changing to high beam. I also use the 4 way high harness. In all honesty I rarely even put the high beams on anymore. Installation difficulty I'd rate as 6 on a 10 scale. Pay attention to how the stock lights are installed (mechanical and wiring) take some "before" pictures prior to starting and take your time. I spent about 4-5 totals hours on the headlight upgrade. Take time planning your ballast mounting and harness routing. Do one side at a time. There are several kits and vendors out there, and several levels of quality between the kits. I started out with Radioflyers stuff years ago, and can say George sells and supports the best lighting upgrades out there if your looking for an all inclusive kit that has been proven to work on our cars. Good luck with your purchase and lighting mod's.
Last edited by MAC5; Oct 22, 2017 at 08:33 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: The Sunshine State
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I installed Radioflyers non bi-xenon ACA HID setup in my 98 back in late 2013. The kit uses 55 watt ballasts that eliminates the problem with the headlights not retracting when turned off. Warm up time on the low beam HID's is minimal. My set up uses halogen high beam 9005 bulbs so no issue with warm up changing to high beam. I also use the 4 way high harness. In all honesty I rarely even put the high beams on anymore. Installation difficulty I'd rate as 6 on a 10 scale. Pay attention to how the stock lights are installed (mechanical and wiring) take some "before" pictures prior to starting and take your time. I spent about 4-5 totals hours on the headlight upgrade. Take time planning your ballast mounting and harness routing. Do one side at a time. There are several kits and vendors out there, and several levels of quality between the kits. I started out with Radioflyers stuff years ago, and can say George sells and supports the best lighting upgrades out there if your looking for an all inclusive kit that has been proven to work on our cars. Good luck with your purchase and lighting mod's.
I also added LED Halo rear tail lights, rear corner lights, and LED switchbacks for the front. It really modernized the C5 design.
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Drifting
Joined: May 2010
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Thanks for the replies. In order to retain the original housings, HID projectors, special wiring harness, and 55 watt ballasts should do the trick and will retain the pop up feature. Should be all plug and play, correct? Will the 55 watt ballasts then be connected inline to the headlight wiring or draw separate power directly from the battery?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
Thanks for the replies. In order to retain the original housings, HID projectors, special wiring harness, and 55 watt ballasts should do the trick and will retain the pop up feature. Should be all plug and play, correct? Will the 55 watt ballasts then be connected inline to the headlight wiring or draw separate power directly from the battery?
You can wire the ballasts directly into the headlight wiring, but you will probably need to reverse the polarity.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 17,767
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From: The Sunshine State
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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Thanks for the replies. In order to retain the original housings, HID projectors, special wiring harness, and 55 watt ballasts should do the trick and will retain the pop up feature. Should be all plug and play, correct? Will the 55 watt ballasts then be connected inline to the headlight wiring or draw separate power directly from the battery?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
There are several step by step posts on installing ACA headlights here on CF.
The best one, IMO, is by member Patches.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...otsa-pics.html
another,
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-of-pics.html
and many more,
https://www.google.com/search?safe=a....0.j9Arsako_7s
Most of the current versions of the ACA housing no longer use the Phillips lamps and ballasts. But the instructions will still apply to current models.
I always use and recommend battery based relay wiring harnesses. They are reasonably priced and ensure that the proper voltage reaches your HID ballasts. Your stock headlight wiring is then only used as the switch source.
https://www.google.com/search?safe=a....0.sFEoSsb0ER4
Jim
The best one, IMO, is by member Patches.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...otsa-pics.html
another,
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-of-pics.html
and many more,
https://www.google.com/search?safe=a....0.j9Arsako_7s
Most of the current versions of the ACA housing no longer use the Phillips lamps and ballasts. But the instructions will still apply to current models.
I always use and recommend battery based relay wiring harnesses. They are reasonably priced and ensure that the proper voltage reaches your HID ballasts. Your stock headlight wiring is then only used as the switch source.
https://www.google.com/search?safe=a....0.sFEoSsb0ER4
Jim
Last edited by jrprich; Oct 22, 2017 at 04:58 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 345
Likes: 86
From: Goodlettsville Tennessee
Please guys, Do not install HID's into headlights not designed for HID's.(factory headlight housings) This will be brighter, but will cause light to scatter everywhere, and possibly blind other drivers.
Pay the money for proper projector headlights to do it right.
I upgraded my headlights to the ACA's and it was really easy to do. Hardest part was the getting loose the bracket bolt with locktight.
Pay the money for proper projector headlights to do it right.
I upgraded my headlights to the ACA's and it was really easy to do. Hardest part was the getting loose the bracket bolt with locktight.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 2,521
Likes: 219
From: Los Angeles CA
I have the JWM ACA Projectors, and I am not impressed with the light output as I have been lead to believe from reading here, nor am I impressed with the cleanliness of cutoff.
If I had to do it all over again, which is half of what I did... Eventually i'll do the rest
Buy an innovited HID kit, the kit is quality and the color ranges are exactly as described.
Buy the cheap $100 housings, take the projectors the come in them and throw them away.
Spend another ~$100 on decent Morimoto projectors that will bolt right in. There are tons with the exact same bolt pattern that drop right in.
If I had to do it all over again, which is half of what I did... Eventually i'll do the rest
Buy an innovited HID kit, the kit is quality and the color ranges are exactly as described.
Buy the cheap $100 housings, take the projectors the come in them and throw them away.
Spend another ~$100 on decent Morimoto projectors that will bolt right in. There are tons with the exact same bolt pattern that drop right in.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
I have the JWM ACA Projectors, and I am not impressed with the light output as I have been lead to believe from reading here, nor am I impressed with the cleanliness of cutoff.
If I had to do it all over again, which is half of what I did... Eventually i'll do the rest
Buy an innovited HID kit, the kit is quality and the color ranges are exactly as described.
Buy the cheap $100 housings, take the projectors the come in them and throw them away.
Spend another ~$100 on decent Morimoto projectors that will bolt right in. There are tons with the exact same bolt pattern that drop right in.
If I had to do it all over again, which is half of what I did... Eventually i'll do the rest
Buy an innovited HID kit, the kit is quality and the color ranges are exactly as described.
Buy the cheap $100 housings, take the projectors the come in them and throw them away.
Spend another ~$100 on decent Morimoto projectors that will bolt right in. There are tons with the exact same bolt pattern that drop right in.
I don't think there are any projectors that will bolt right in. This bracket will allow you to use the Morimoto Mini H1 7.0s, which aren't exactly cheap at around $250 for a full kit. http://www.lightwerkz.net/index.php/...1-bracket.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 2,521
Likes: 219
From: Los Angeles CA
That's because JWM just uses the cheap halogen projectors the ACAs come with and rebased HID bulbs.
I don't think there are any projectors that will bolt right in. This bracket will allow you to use the Morimoto Mini H1 7.0s, which aren't exactly cheap at around $250 for a full kit. http://www.lightwerkz.net/index.php/...1-bracket.html
I don't think there are any projectors that will bolt right in. This bracket will allow you to use the Morimoto Mini H1 7.0s, which aren't exactly cheap at around $250 for a full kit. http://www.lightwerkz.net/index.php/...1-bracket.html
I have the exact one saved on my laptop but it was RS or RX 3.0
*edit*
I was thinking they were the FX-R 3.0 but those don't seem to match the ACA's, I didn't think there was a difference in the ones with a standard chrome ring(JWM/Radioflyer) and the Ebay sets with the angel eyes but guess I was wrong.
Last edited by Shaolin Crane; Oct 25, 2017 at 02:21 AM.
