ok got the HID’s installed last night and now here are the pics…
Here is a short video sorry about the quality…
i will post some pics of the mod to the light housing later …these thing are bright…:cool2::cool2:
Wow Nosgsxr!
That is cool 
:thumb: I will be waiting to see the housings. This is a mod that is in my future.
Hi LuvMyTJ
This mod certainly makes for a very cool machine
Mark
are you going to need a dimmer?
Thanks Yall…it was a very easy install…i had to mod the back of the plastic housing but that was easy…i have pics but my ATT.com email is all jacked up (att sucks)…but i will get them up and running tonite…i could do the mod in about 1 hour if i had to do it again…thats both lights…i only spent 30.00 for the HID’s…in the pics i only have one done to show the difference of the color…
[QUOTE=eS GEM Colo;15431]are you going to need a dimmer?[/QUOTE]
im not sure about that but they are super bright…lol
I’d also suggest adding a dome light with some velcro using one of those AA powered LED puck lights that can be purchased for $5 at WalMart. The one time I really needed a light was when I lost all 12V power. Nice to have a source of light with an independent power source.
What HID color temp did you order? 4300K or 5000K? What about the beam shape with the new lamps installed?
I’ve thought about using one of these retrofit kits, but I’ve avoided them due to the likely creation of glare for oncoming traffic. I’m getting to the point where I may try them anyway, as the stock headlights are like driving with a flashlight beam ahead of me, on pitch-black rural roads.
The ideal solution is to totally replace the light housing with HID projectors. This would give automobile-like headlight beam shape, and no glare to oncoming drivers. Only problem is this would probably require shaving of the fiberglass to make the deep “wells” that the headlights now sit in much shallower. This is needed to allow the depth needed for the projector housings.
You do not necessarily need projector housings if you use a cutoff. Many people think OEM HID headlights are all projectors when they are not. For example, my Escalade has factory HID’s and it does not use projectors. If you go for projector style housings be sure to get a quality orb (German) or the cutoff will not be as clean. All that being said, non-HID light housings are not designed to be used with HID bulbs. I have experimented with several setups in non-HID housings and sometimes it works out well and other times it is unacceptable due to glare. On an NEV I wouldn’t worry to much about glare as it makes other drivers take notice of you.
ok here is the only thing i had to do to get the HID’s installed
the little tab on the top of the hole where the bulb goes in, i bent it up just a bit. i also drilled two small holes in the back of the reflector so it would let out the heat that the HID’s give off…im not worred about any water getting in due to the fact i have other vehicles to drive whan it rains…and i will be careful when washing it…
on the plastic housing i took a uni-bit or step bit and drilled in the center of the housing …two reasons …one was so the plug on the lights would fit through the housing and the second was…the back of the HID bulb was longer than the stock bulb…the other housing is alot cleaner then this one …this was the first try at it and i went alittle over board with the step bit…
[QUOTE=bgeery;15437]I’d also suggest adding a dome light with some velcro using one of those AA powered LED puck lights that can be purchased for $5 at WalMart. The one time I really needed a light was when I lost all 12V power. Nice to have a source of light with an independent power source.
What HID color temp did you order? 4300K or 5000K? What about the beam shape with the new lamps installed?
I’ve thought about using one of these retrofit kits, but I’ve avoided them due to the likely creation of glare for oncoming traffic. I’m getting to the point where I may try them anyway, as the stock headlights are like driving with a flashlight beam ahead of me, on pitch-black rural roads.
The ideal solution is to totally replace the light housing with HID projectors. This would give automobile-like headlight beam shape, and no glare to oncoming drivers. Only problem is this would probably require shaving of the fiberglass to make the deep “wells” that the headlights now sit in much shallower. This is needed to allow the depth needed for the projector housings.[/QUOTE]
the HID’s i ordered are 6000k…they say the most light out put is from around 4200k but i like the look of the 6000k…i have them in all of my vehicles from the Vett to the Polaris Ranger to the Duramax…heck im even thinking about putting them on my bridding lawn mower…lol … just kidding…:crazy:
I wonder if the vent holes are needed at all. The stock halogen bulbs and the new HID bulbs are both 35 watts. Should be about the same amount of heat produced. Plus, we have a metal reflector and glass lens. I’m going to try without the vents and report back any problem.
After looking around on eBay, it looks like there is only one model of projector that would be an ideal fit for a GEM conversion. It’s a 2.5" MOTORCYCLE BI-XENON HID KIT Angel Eye Devil Eye Projector Lens Ballast sold as motorcycle HID Kits.
These projectors are 2.5 inches across by only 3 inches deep (plus a little bit more needed for wires out the back.) That would potentially allow the projector housings to mount directly to the metal “L” bracket that the current headlights attach to. High and low beam would be possible by adding either an old-style floor dimmer switch or maybe by replacing the current ON-OFF headlight switch with an ON-OFF-ON switch (probably not a good option) or adding a toggle switch near the headlight switch.
ADDED: There seems to be a few other dealers of these. Some selling the larger 3" version, and others selling the 2.5" version with a different style bezel. They all use the short style lamp with the wires directly attached, like in the picture. Dealer 1, Dealer 2, Dealer 3, Dealer 4. Search “2.5 Angel Eye” to find other dealers of these models. Make sure to check them out thoroughly, to insure they are selling the correct model. The similar lights are all longer. Only this one model appears to be short enough to be easily used in the tiny headlight space available.
[QUOTE=nosgsxr;15447]the HID’s i ordered are 6000k…they say the most light out put is from around 4200k but i like the look of the 6000k…i have them in all of my vehicles from the Vett to the Polaris Ranger to the Duramax…heck im even thinking about putting them on my bridding lawn mower…lol … just kidding…:crazy:[/QUOTE]Do you notice any color shift moving from 55watts to 35 watts? Looking at some videos on youtube, some complain that the 5K HID bulbs shift to more like 6K at 35watts.
[QUOTE=bgeery;15456]Do you notice any color shift moving from 55watts to 35 watts? Looking at some videos on youtube, some complain that the 5K HID bulbs shift to more like 6K at 35watts.[/QUOTE]
i cant say i have seen a difference in the color…when placed by my truck with a 55 watt 6000k there is a slight difference but the HID’s in my truck are about 4 years old…not enuff difference to make you notice…
ok here are the last of the pics of the HID install…
the ballast are just zip tied to the wires that were on the car
i hope this helps …if anyone has any questions just ask…
Interesting. The headlight bracket mount is completely different in my '02.
Looks good! I might have to try that!
It was very easy to do just got the hids from flee bay…they r Brite. …
What is your evaluation after living w/ the HIDs for a few months?
For example, given the heat they can generate, did you melt the housing or lense? What about the current draw? Would you do it again or recommend to others?
I’d really like better headlights but given it’s an electric, I am concerned about current draw and would love to have LED lights but that’s a whole different set of problems of course.
Al
I’ll give you my two cents worth.
If you are thinking of doing it to see things (as opposed to being seen better) I don’t think the retrofit bulbs are worth it. First, the bulbs just barely fit in the housing. The beam is still just about narrow as with the stock bulbs, only brighter. There is a little more spill to the extreme sides, but not enough to matter.
If you want to see things, I think the angel/devil eye HID projectors off ebay are still the only choice given the small size needed. They seem to be down to about $60-$65 for a kit now. The most difficult part may be coming up with a mounting bracket of some kind.