Hid Headlight Conversion- Single Beam Ok?

[Mybikesacx500]

I have just been doing a lot of interesting googling on HID kits, and have got my head round the various types on offer- single beam, dual beam with a moving bulb, dual beam with a 2nd non- hid element.

Also measured out the interesting way the LS400 powers the dip/main bulb- positive on the common connector and negative switching to power the required element. This I think would upset most dual beam kits, at least the moving bulb type

I am thinking of getting a single beam kit to replace the dip/main bulb and just rely on the separate (next to the grille) headlamps for main beam.

Anyone else do it this way?

Cheers

[steve2006]

I sucessfully used the dual beam HID/non HID method and it works OK.

Just needed to have the headlight aim adjusted for the MOT and since then had no problems with the operation or other drivers flashing me.

Not sure if the single beam system would pass an MOT as there will be no main beam but the main beam on mine ( conventional bulb) is so weak compared with dip beam HID I never use it anyway, if it came to the worst you would have to swap back the old bulbs for the MOT.

If you used the HI/LO single HID setup you would have to reconfigure the switching relay to "Lexus" drive mode because as you have worked out the way Lexus do the supply is to provide a permanant +12 volt supply to the bulb then provide the completed circuit by connecting the earth return via the headlight control switch.

[Mybikesacx500]

Interesting stuff, so there is a "Lexus" drive mode for a relay that comes with the single hi/ lo kit

The LS400 has perhaps different lights from the Celsior, my inner pair are single bulb HI beam, so I'm thinking they can take care of the high beam, which, as you say, I probably won't use, but it would keep the MOT lads happy, and a cheaper single beam HID kit would fit in the HI/LO H4 headlamp

[steve2006]

Good thought as yes mine is an import and the inner lights on mine are fog lights and the outers are dip/main beam units.

So you should be able to use the single HID kit.

Sorry my techical brain jumped a gear I get too excited trying to help!

[Mybikesacx500]

Iv'e just invested £40 on a single (dipped) beam HID kit from a well known auction site. I intend to wire them up to stay on with High Beam selected. I will get back with some pictures

[bazgtr]

I have just been doing a lot of interesting googling on HID kits, and have got my head round the various types on offer- single beam, dual beam with a moving bulb, dual beam with a 2nd non- hid element.

Also measured out the interesting way the LS400 powers the dip/main bulb- positive on the common connector and negative switching to power the required element. This I think would upset most dual beam kits, at least the moving bulb type

I am thinking of getting a single beam kit to replace the dip/main bulb and just rely on the separate (next to the grille) headlamps for main beam.

Anyone else do it this way?

Cheers

I've just done this. Find my thread for the wiring change for them to work correctly.

I had to change the main black and main red wire of the loom of the hid kit in the loom plug and the solder the little red wire onto the main red wire. You'll see why when you connect the hid and also try to change from high to main without the lights going out.

[Mybikesacx500]

Thanks Baz, just read your thread. Have you been for an MOT yet, I'm wondering if dipped HID on with regular main beam will pass

[Mybikesacx500]

I have now fitted the £40 dipped-only kit I got from eBay, and all is well, although I had a few issues. thought I might document it. Main problem was the bad connection I originally had into the old headlight connector, made the light sputter and not come on. The main beam is now only from the inner main-only pair of lights, OK for the MOT my usual tester tells me

Here's the kit-

What you get in the box-

One side hooked up to the harness-

This is the connector you have to change-

This is it with the wires swapped, use a very fine screwdriver to push the tab and the connector slides out

Getting the headlight out, start with removing the small selftapper at the top of the sidelight, then prize the sidelight

out with a screwdriver wrapped in a cloth, in the gap between the headlight and sidelight

Both my sidelights were broken, as the clip is really tight, try to get some WD40 on it first

Then its 3 bolts and a nut to get the whole lamp assembly out

This is where I put one ballast

And the other

One side done

Both done

Makes the sidelight a bit yellow by comparison

[Ruud]

Nicely done :)

You can get super bright sidelights on eBay as well. Makes it less obvious.

[bazgtr]

I have now fitted the £40 dipped-only kit I got from Ebay, and all is well, although I had a few issues. thought I might document it. Main problem was the bad connection I originally had into the old headlight connector, made the light sputter and not come on. The main beam is now only from the inner main-only pair of lights, OK for the MOT my usual tester tells me

Here's the kit-

What you get in the box-

One side hooked up to the harness-

This is the connector you have to change-

This is it with the wires swapped, use a very fine screwdriver to push the tab and the connector slides out

Getting the headlight out, start with removing the small selftapper at the top of the sidelight, then prize the sidelight

out with a screwdriver wrapped in a cloth, in the gap between the headlight and sidelight

Both my sidelights were broken, as the clip is really tight, try to get some WD40 on it first

Then its 3 bolts and a nut to get the whole lamp assembly out

This is where I put one ballast

And the other

One side done

Both done

Makes the sidelight a bit yellow by comparison

All good but you haven't connected the little red wire into the main red.

This will stop the lights going out when you ingage the flash of your main lights, When you release the switch the hid lights go out and you have to turn off the main light switch and then back on to get them to work unless you connect the two red wires together.

[Mybikesacx500]

Different kit, no little red wire for me, the (dipped) HID's go off when I select main beam, and come on again when I select dipped. I have the el cheapo "dipped only" kit, works fine with the separate inner main beam light.

[sd1v8driver]

Sorry to revive an old thread (bit of a newbie thing to do I know),I really should have read this post before attempting this today....Not that I've done anything wrong but I did try to take a sidelight off by hand and damn near lost a fingernail in the process :tsktsk: . After plenty of blood and swearing work continued and as you say the sidelights really do look yellow soI took a trip to the local accessories shop (without sidelights in) and got myself a cheap set of 501 L.E.D.s Really finish it off in my mind what do you think?

Sorry about picture quality I had to use my Iphone as it was all I had on me.

[bazgtr]

Sorry to revive an old thread (bit of a newbie thing to do I know),I really should have read this post before attempting this today....Not that I've done anything wrong but I did try to take a sidelight off by hand and damn near lost a fingernail in the process :tsktsk: . After plenty of blood and swearing work continued and as you say the sidelights really do look yellow soI took a trip to the local accessories shop (without sidelights in) and got myself a cheap set of 501 L.E.D.s Really finish it off in my mind what do you think?

Sorry about picture quality I had to use my iPhone as it was all I had on me.

Here's an update on the hid wiring.

For those who bought a kit with three wires you need a kit with two wires on the lights. I just ordered some new lights only from eBay china for £15 with postage and swapped them with the current ballast. This then makes the light fully blue looking without the old little blub lighten up on on the hid kit.

For the sie lights I have bought around five diffent types and have yet to find a proper looking one.

I have just order a multi LED side light style to see if that improves the all round light in the holder.

[markva4]

Sorry to revive an old thread (bit of a newbie thing to do I know),I really should have read this post before attempting this today....Not that I've done anything wrong but I did try to take a sidelight off by hand and damn near lost a fingernail in the process :tsktsk: . After plenty of blood and swearing work continued and as you say the sidelights really do look yellow soI took a trip to the local accessories shop (without sidelights in) and got myself a cheap set of 501 L.E.D.s Really finish it off in my mind what do you think?

Sorry about picture quality I had to use my iPhone as it was all I had on me.

Here's an update on the hid wiring.

For those who bought a kit with three wires you need a kit with two wires on the lights. I just ordered some new lights only from eBay china for £15 with postage and swapped them with the current ballast. This then makes the light fully blue looking without the old little blub lighten up on on the hid kit.

For the sie lights I have bought around five diffent types and have yet to find a proper looking one.

I have just order a multi LED side light style to see if that improves the all round light in the holder.

Just fitted a set of HiD lights to my ls400 1995 series 111, bought the kit from fleabay, i bought the dearer kit which is the hi/lo kit with 100% error free and they were quite easy to fit and what a difference,amazing.

[Mybikesacx500]

Yep, had my HID lights for a few months now, and its definately a mod worth doing, quite apart from making the car look cool,

they are better lights to be driving with

[sd1v8driver]

Yep, had my HID lights for a few months now, and its definately a mod worth doing, quite apart from making the car look cool,

they are better lights to be driving with

I have to agree with you there, given the snow recently I left the LS in my street and took my Galant out to work....it was like trying to find my way in the dark with a candle by comparison!

[steveskeggy]

Ok I know that this is going to be a stupid question, and I am going to look a complete numpty for asking it, but here goes..

The dip beam on the LS with the built in HID system is excelent, could not want better. Which is why when you switch on main beam, it is such a dissapointment because after the HID the normal bulb in the mains look like candles.

So why dont you get an HID system on the mains as well??

[Mybikesacx500]

Ok I know that this is going to be a stupid question, and I am going to look a complete numpty for asking it, but here goes..

The dip beam on the LS with the built in HID system is excelent, could not want better. Which is why when you switch on main beam, it is such a dissapointment because after the HID the normal bulb in the mains look like candles.

So why dont you get an HID system on the mains as well??

Good question,

99.5 % of my driving is in town, on dipped beams. even on a motorway, how often do you get the chance to use full beam? If I used full beam, I would certainly think about fitting another set

[steveskeggy]

I wondered if anything legal came into it.

Where we live is about a quarter of a mile from the beach, but its also about 500 yards from farm land.

Going anywhere inland can involve going down country roads that are not lit at night, so I do use main beam,.

Good question,

99.5 % of my driving is in town, on dipped beams. even on a motorway, how often do you get the chance to use full beam? If I used full beam, I would certainly think about fitting another set

[Mybikesacx500]

I wondered if anything legal came into it.

Where we live is about a quarter of a mile from the beach, but its also about 500 yards from farm land.

Going anywhere inland can involve going down country roads that are not lit at night, so I do use main beam,.

My MOT guy was fine with the dipped being HID and the mains being original. he was only interested in the beam pattern, which was fine. I'm hardly ever on country roads at night, but even then. I think the dipped HID are almost better than main halogen, especially if you use that load adjuster to turn then up a bit....

[steveskeggy]

My MOT guy was fine with the dipped being HID and the mains being original. he was only interested in the beam pattern, which was fine. I'm hardly ever on country roads at night, but even then. I think the dipped HID are almost better than main halogen, especially if you use that load adjuster to turn then up a bit....

After having a look around the net, I found this:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

Which explains the situation about fitment of fitted and after market fitting.

ANYONE THINKING ABOUT DOING A HID CONVERSION ON AN EARLY LEXUS SHOULD READ THIS FIRST!!

Also looking at the after market kits, they do dip/main kits but it looks like the favourite design involves some sort of solonoid operated mechanism so that only one bulb is used for both dip and main.

I looked at a Honda Civic forum as well, which correctly said that the HID bulb is a bit slow to illuminate. So if a manufacturer made a headlamp fitting where the dip beam turned off when the main beam was switched on, there would be a short time when the car would be travelling in darkness. The headlamp flasher would be next to useless as well.

It looks like the manufacturers dont fit HID mains because its

a: a legal grey area, we are talking about different laws for the US, the EU, Japan and any other country that lexus are sold in.

and

b: more expensive.

So it looks like we have a choice of breaking the law, sticking with the existing lamps, or fitting 4 Cibie Oscars on the front like a 1970`s Ford Escort.

PS. the 430`s have automatic load adjusters, and knowing Lexus, if you mess with them the car would probably end up looking like Ben Turpin

[nelly400]

hi guys and galls ive just purchased a set from eBay with 2 wires is this kit going to be ok i wont have to modify my wiring many thanks neil

[Mybikesacx500]

hi guys and galls ive just purchased a set from ebay with 2 wires is this kit going to be ok i wont have to modify my wiring many thanks neil

You will need to swop the red and black wires, as Lexus do their own thing - they have 12 volts on all three headlamp connectors, then switch to a negative when the lights are turned on.

Unless the kit is specifically for a Lexus, and wired for it- mine wasn't.

Check out the photos earlier in this thread

[nelly400]

hi guys and galls ive just purchased a set from ebay with 2 wires is this kit going to be ok i wont have to modify my wiring many thanks neil

You will need to swop the red and black wires, as Lexus do their own thing - they have 12 volts on all three headlamp connectors, then switch to a negative when the lights are turned on.

Unless the kit is specifically for a Lexus, and wired for it- mine wasn't.

Check out the photos earlier in this thread

hi mate thank you for your reply the handy thing is is the two wires are seprate and not in a plug so ill look at the pic that was post earlyer in this thread hope these will match my LED side lights regards neil

[nelly400]

hi guys and galls ive just purchased a set from ebay with 2 wires is this kit going to be ok i wont have to modify my wiring many thanks neil

You will need to swop the red and black wires, as Lexus do their own thing - they have 12 volts on all three headlamp connectors, then switch to a negative when the lights are turned on.

Unless the kit is specifically for a Lexus, and wired for it- mine wasn't.

Check out the photos earlier in this thread

hi mate thank you for your reply the handy thing is is the two wires are seprate and not in a plug so ill look at the pic that was post earlyer in this thread hope these will match my LED side lights regards neil

i fitted my hid kit today but the headlights will not come back on arfter using main beam as i mentioned in my last post mine is a two wire kit thanks in advance neil