NissanMan97

iTrader: (5)

Im looking at swapping my fogs out. I have so sylvania silverstars in there and they arent worth crap. Id like to get some 3k's cause of the look. I had some PIAA yellow ion H3s in my 97 max and i really like the light output but ive never run HID's in the fogs so Im wanting some insight on the output.

Thanks

B

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

I have/had a set in my fogs (one of my ballasts failed after three months ) and the output is pretty good.

They're definitely a lot brighter than the stockers, or even the silverstars. The only catch is that if you do pick up a set, remember a few things:

Most kits claim to be P/P and are, but usually need a little wiggling and fidgeting to work. Mine needed no modification, it was just an odd install.

If you pick up the H3 bulbs, get the long bulbs, not the short ones. They'll provide a more even pattern. The short bulbs tend to scatter, and not project very well.

The long bulbs are going to require you to either bend or remove your glare guards. I just bent mine down a bit, and the bulb fit in perfectly fine.

I'm not sure on this one, but if you're going to run HIDs in your fogs, I don't think it's healthy for them to be turned OnOffOnOffOnOff, so you'll have to refrain from using high-beams in suburban settings, flashing your high beams, etc. But the light output when they're aimed properly is good enough that you shouldn't need to use your high beams. At least I didn't.

Edit: Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention...My P/P install is slowly failing. Apparently the factory fog wires aren't powerful enough to handle charging the ballasts so they can properly fire. IMO, if you're good with wiring in basic electronics such as relays, you'd be safer to wire them directly to the battery and then run a relay so they can get full power.

NissanMan97

iTrader: (5)

thanks for the input...what brand did you use and what did you pay if you dont mind

B

johnnyd2k2

iTrader: (2)

Here's mine output pics are in there. Install wasn't that bad I just spliced the oem harness into the kit. The worst part was getting the wires through the dust cover I had to cut them put them through the hole and splice them back together and use silicone sealant to seal the hole up. Like SLC one of my balasts blew but there is some kind of relay you can use to keep this from happening.
http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...3-hid-kit.html

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

It was a kit I ordered off of eBay back in February of '09. I don't remember the seller, but I think I paid $64 shipped, and the brand is "Xentec." I think it's just a logo they put on the side of the box to make it look official, though.

NissanMan97

iTrader: (5)

anyone have any opinions on the kits in GD section from hidextra.com?

B

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

So I just went outside to see why one of my HIDs wasn't firing. Turns out the bulb nuked itself. Now to figure out who carries just the replacement bulbs...

As far as HIDextra goes, I've heard nothing but good stuff about them.

NissanMan97

iTrader: (5)

thanks

B

Stereodude

I had a DDM Tuning kit and one of the bulbs went bad after about 6-9 months. I bought a really cheap set from an ebay seller and they flickered with the DDM Tuning ballasts. I bought a second set from another ebay seller and got short H3's (H3C's) that didn't flicker, but have a crappy output pattern because the arc is in the wrong place. Finally, I bought a 3rd set of replacement bulbs from DDM Tuning and put those in and everything is good.

I should just bought the replacement bulbs from DDM Tuning in the first place and saved some money.

jdmf23accord

When you installed them did you rewire them or you just plug n played them

SteveB123

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like any sort of a fog light beam pattern is destroyed!

Stereodude

You have to do something with the wiring. You can't just plug and play. The connectors on the end of the bulb won't fit through the hole in the back of the housing with the rubber grommet removed. So, you either have to drill out the back of the fog light housing to allow the stock connectors on the bulbs to go through, or you have to cut the leads on the HID bulb put them through the existing hole and then solder and heat shrink the leads back together and silicone up the hole.

I've always spliced the leads, soldered, used double heat shrink, and then used silicone to seal the housing where the wires went through.

tookrzy4u192

iTrader: (19)

I've had good luck with DDM Tuning.. I've been running my 6k hid fogs for over a year now, but plan to switch to 3k soon. My brother purchased his hid fogs from them as well and everything seems to be working for him (its been around a month or so)

And it also comes with lifetime warranty so for $50, you cant go wrong with that

Jon D

Sounds to me like getting a good set of bulbs makes more sense then wasting time and money on an HID kit that isn't made to work efficiently with the stock harness. Unless you're capable of making yourself a harness with a relay, bulbs it is IMO.

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

Oh no, the pattern was great. I just have my car lowered, so I had to aim them back upward. Same as I had to do with the headlights when I first dropped my car.

Stereodude

Somehow I don't think they will honor the warranty on the bulb after you splice the leads to get them in the housing like is necessary (though I didn't specifically try).

jdmf23accord

Yea I dout you'll have lifetime warranty now

Stereodude

What exactly do you mean? You've got two issues:

1) The wiring on the HID bulbs isn't compatible with the foglight housings and requires some modification either to the housing or the bulb wiring.
2) You've got to connect the ballasts to factory harness.

Neither is hard if you're handy with a soldering iron and have some heat shrink tubing or have someone who is who can do it for you.

SteveB123

iTrader: (2)

Sorry, I thought you said you were using fog lights as high beams "if aimed properly".

A properly functioning fog light pattern won't work for high beams.

Sounds to me like the fog lamp dispersion pattern was wrecked, and you were using them as driving lights.

03VIPMAX

iTrader: (3)

personally i have stock bulbs wiht lexus retro-fit capsules in my fogs im going to be instaling a 4300K kit on my fogs to get the most output i can. ive never had a problem with installing HiD kits in fogs with wires messing up or anything of that sort. the reason might be that ur ballast messed up is that its not water proof!! i sell water proof hid kits. and none of my customers have ever had problems u can stick the whole kit in water and itll still work properly!! 03VIPMAX Tuner-Innovations (626)393-4513 Chrystian

03VIPMAX

iTrader: (3)

and i can also get u kits WITH LIFETIME WARRANTY!!!!

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

Oh, no, they were just bright enough that I didn't actually ever have to use my high beams. When I had just my low-beams on with my fogs to accompany it, the road was plenty illuminated is what I was saying.

Here. This should give you a better idea of what the pattern was like. This is my 3000k HID setup with just the fogs on, and not the headlights.

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

One, you can get banned for this. Two, talk to the mods about setting up a group deal if you're serious about selling HIDs on this site. Three, posting your phone number for everyone to see on a website accessible to anyone is a horrible idea.

QNO_A32

iTrader: (7)

rice

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

What setup are you running? Those are a hell of a lot brighter than mine.

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

O.k o.k... noob question, the H3 HID bulb does not fit in the H3 fog???? I don't get it... ikve got two ballast that I'm not using and bought the H3 HID bulb, never knew there had to be cutting and splicing???... ill try em out when I get them but if I gotta cut then these won't be going on.... goin on sale rather

Stereodude

His car is certainly a glare monster based on that picture. He must have the short bulbs.

Shift_Max

iTrader: (18)

I will rep the company ddmtunning. Their stuff is good quality...

jdmf23accord

SO WHEN I BUY MY HID FOG KIT IS THE H3 BULB GOING TO FIT OR DO I HAVE TO MODIFY IT TO FIT

Colonel

IT DEPENDS ON THE KIT AND WHICH BULB IS INCLUDED....geez, why are you yelling? Internet courtesy.

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

It's not that they don't fit per say, but more that you have to bend the glare shields down (or just remove them) in order to keep the bulbs from rubbing against the glare shield itself. It literally only takes thirty seconds and a screw driver to do this.

As far as P/P, you can do so if you so choose. Other members are just giving ideas of how to clean up the install, because if you just plug and play these kits on the Max, the install is extremely awkward and messy.

jdmf23accord

sorry i am at work and the caps are always on

QNO_A32

iTrader: (7)

they are 3000k. i forgot if they are 55w or 35w. im pretty sure they are 35w. the hids have a relay and get direct battery power so theyy dont strain the stock wiring.and i also have yellow lamin-x on my fogs
no glare my friend. never been pulled over and ive never even been flashed once. also i do not have the short bulbs, and my glare shields are in 100% factory positioning. think abou tthat one lol

Stereodude

You can present whatever anecdotal evidence you want, but it's clear from your picture that your fog lights are spraying light everywhere and don't have a clean cutoff like they should.

QNO_A32

iTrader: (7)

of course they dont have "a clean cutoff like they should"... they are HIDs in a factory halogen foglight housing.

what setup do you have sir?

Stereodude

35W 3000k DDM Tuning HID's. Mine have a pretty clean cutoff like SLCPunk267 posted.

tookrzy4u192

iTrader: (19)

sorry for this off-topic question but where did you purchase yellow lamin-x? just trying to find different places that carry them..

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

Word. I'm looking into getting a relay setup once I get my new set of bulbs. I'm pretty sure that's part of the reason that mine are so much dimmer. Running wires and keeping it clean is just such a pain in the ***. Do How do you have your ballasts wired? Do you have a wire with a splitter running from the relay to each individual positive terminal on each ballast?

I have mine aimed as close to factory spec as possible. That's part of the reason mine look so clean. It kind of looks to me like QNO's fogs are aimed a little high? Not sure. Although he is right that the extra light from the HIDs does seem to tend to scatter a little awkwardly in the glass housing.

We'll have to see how much brighter my fogs are once I run the direct battery line.

NissanMan97

iTrader: (5)

ive read through this entire thread and i have some questions:

1.) DDM tunning or hidextra.com is apparently the way to go...correct?
2.) apparently if i want this done correctly with the most possible light out put i need to do some wiring/cutting and crap...correct?
3.) someone wanna post some pics with a write-up? im not the best but with good solid directions and pics i can do just about anything

thanks for the input

B

Mr. Brett

iTrader: (7)

Since I'm going to be doing this as soon as I get my new set of bulbs in, I can probably do a write-up if I can get a hold of a camera. It's not too difficult, really just more tedious than anything.