HID (High intensity discharge) headlights bulbs unlike filament bulbs, make use of xenon gas which is why they are three times brighter than Halogen bulbs and last longer. They work in conjunction with ballast that helps to regulate the electricity flow from the battery to the bulb. HID headlights can be found in many newly manufactured cars or in vogue car brands. However, in a case where there is a need for the upgrade of your car headlight assemblies, HID headlights are more expensive compared to Halogen bulbs.
Aside from that, HID bulbs aren’t as rampant as Halogen bulbs which could pose a serious challenge if you need to replace your bulbs or headlight lens. For these reasons, a lot of motorists now convert their High intensity discharge headlights back to Halogen and restore the headlight lens. So, if you are one of those people who still prefer the Halogen Bulb but you own a car with a HID headlight house, here is how to convert from HID lights to Halogen in less than five minutes.
Converting HID ballast headlight to halogen
HID and Halogen are two different types of bulbs with different headlight housing. So, you may be wondering; how would the halogen bulb fit into the HID headlight housing. The truth is that; it doesn’t fit but that doesn’t make it impossible. To get the halogen bulbs to work properly in your HID equipped car headlight, you have to install a switching relay behind the housing that directs the constant power for the bulb to one filament or the other.
Step one
- Locate and disconnect the HID ballast
The HID ballast is very easy to locate. It’s a small box with a regulating power supply that delivers consistent electricity so that the high intensity discharge beam does not fluctuate. It is only useful to a HID headlight assembly and is not necessary to power up halogen bulbs. This is why you need to disconnect them first to avoid excessive power drainage from your car battery.
Step two
- Remove the HID headlamp
Once you have removed the Ballast, the next step is to remove the HID bulb from the headlight housing. To do this, gently twist the light assembly counterclockwise and remove the fuse box. Should you notice a bad fuse, here is how to fix a bad headlight relay. The removal of the fuse box cover offers room to access the driver’s side headlight bulb. Always take a picture of all the parts before taking them apart so you can be able to reinstall them when you are done.
Step three
- Connect the halogen headlight wiring
As I said earlier you will have to get a halogen relay switch. Connect the halogen headlamp wires directly to the relay switch and then connect the relay switch to the power source wire connector. The power source is usually connected to the ballast so, after you must have removed the ballast, you can connect the relay switch to the ballast.
Step four
- Install your desired halogen bulb
Finally, it’s time to install your halogen bulb. It’s important to take extra care here and avoid touching the bulb with your bare hands. This is because the oil from your palm will bake the bulb when it’s hot and make it burn-out faster than it should. Instead, wear a glove or use a small microfiber towel to pick it up from the pack and install it into the light assembly. Lock the new halogen headlight assembly by twisting it clockwise so it’s firm. Then, turn on the headlight to test them.
