Advice HID kit

[GrottvilleStation]

Do the eBay linked ledh4 bulbs above come with regulators ?

I don’t see them mentioned in the item description?

If not , where to snag those from ?

Great thread !

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

Do the eBay linked ledh4 bulbs above come with regulators ?

I don’t see them mentioned in the item description?

If not , where to snag those from ?

Great thread !

He is referring to the square box they call the driver, and it is included.



(2) bulbs, (2) regulators/ drivers for (1) pair of headlights.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

He is referring to the square box they call the driver, and it is included.

View attachment 331088

(2) bulbs, (2) regulators/ drivers for (1) pair of headlights.

Yup. The regulators are included.

 

[GrottvilleStation]

Thanks fellas. Just took delivery of the car last week. Look forward to learning more!

 

[TheYak]

I just got my parts from ebay, ordered the housings and led bulbs. My question is about the plugs on them... high beams only have two prongs vs three for low beams. Do I need to buy specific leds for the highs? If so, please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

I just got my parts from ebay, ordered the housings and led bulbs. My question is about the plugs on them... high beams only have two prongs vs three for low beams. Do I need to buy specific leds for the highs? If so, please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

You can cut the top prong off or just bend it over so you only use the high beam.

If they are H4 LED's you will need to swap the top and right side terminals on the factory low beam plug.

As you look at the end of the factory plug/ socket, the left is ground, the top is low beam and the right is high beam.

Insert a small straight blade screwdriver in the front of the plug to depress the retention tab and pull the terminal out the back.
Bend the retention tab back before re-inserting.

 

[TheYak]

You can cut the top prong off or just bend it over so you only use the high beam.

If they are H4 LED's you will need to swap the top and right side terminals on the factory low beam plug.

As you look at the end of the factory plug/ socket, the left is ground, the top is low beam and the right is high beam.

Insert a small straight blade screwdriver in the front of the plug to depress the retention tab and pull the terminal out the back.
Bend the retention tab back before re-inserting.

View attachment 331982

Dude, this is why this forum rocks. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

Dude, this is why this forum rocks. Thank you so much for your help!

Your welcome.
I had to do the same thing in the early '90's when I got some sample Hella H4 housings (4) and used H4 halogens for all four lights.
I bent the top prongs over so if the low beams burned out I could bend the prong back and swap bulbs from low to high.

I didn't realize Hella made high beam housings that took H1 bulbs until recently.

 

[TheYak]

Stock vs LED

 

[TheYak]

Stock vs LED

 

[TheYak]

Bright as hell now, bet I have to angle them down some. Thanks again for the solid advice

 

[earlbrown]

Be careful using the stock harness with some super bright bulbs. There's no relay on the factory wiring and it's not hard to smoke the headlight switch when you start running major current through it.


Not only is it expensive, but it'll fail when you're using it.


....at night

while most likely driving fast.

 

[TheYak]

Be careful using the stock harness with some super bright bulbs. There's no relay on the factory wiring and it's not hard to smoke the headlight switch when you start running major current through it.


Not only is it expensive, but it'll fail when you're using it.


....at night

while most likely driving fast.

LEDs draw less power than halogen

 

[1BUICKTtype]

is there a "hot wire" harness for the headlights?

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

is there a "hot wire" harness for the headlights?

Dennis Kirban sells one.

https://www.kirbanperformance.com/p...hts+Upgraded+Plug-and-Play+HARNESS+#7531.html

He calls it an upgraded harness because it gets power directly from the battery, where as the "hot wire" systems get power from the back of the alternator.

It says it won't work with HID's, but I suspect that's because the HID's (and LED's as well) use an H4 based light socket which is the same shape as the H4652 (low beam) but will need to be re-pinned.

Summary: use as is for H4652 sealed beams or re-pin the low beam socket for HID and LED.

The high beam socket will be ok.

 

[Darkstar72]

Still have yet to this conversion yet on the car, but do have it planned for this spring when the air doesn't hurt my face. I was wondering...is it necessary to buy the $120 per pair Hella housings or do the cheaper $40 per pair housings work just as fine since the LEDs linked in this thread state they are designed to be used in regular reflector housings??

I understand the old phrase "you get what you pay for" but for as often as I'm usually out with the car at night, which isn't much, does it justify spending $240 for housings less the bulbs or $80 for all four housings??

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Still have yet to this conversion yet on the car, but do have it planned for this spring when the air doesn't hurt my face. I was wondering...is it necessary to buy the $120 per pair Hella housings or do the cheaper $40 per pair housings work just as fine since the LEDs linked in this thread state they are designed to be used in regular reflector housings??

I understand the old phrase "you get what you pay for" but for as often as I'm usually out with the car at night, which isn't much, does it justify spending $240 for housings less the bulbs or $80 for all four housings??

The Hella Housing are DOT approved and have been proven to not melt or catch fire. If the other housings are glass and have a DOT approval, they're probably fine. If no DOT approval, I'd move on.

Car fires are bad.

 

[Darkstar72]

10-4.

Fires are bad...mmmmmkay. I will avoid those.

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

The Hella Housing are DOT approved and have been proven to not melt or catch fire. If the other housings are glass and have a DOT approval, they're probably fine. If no DOT approval, I'd move on.

Car fires are bad.

^^ x2

10-4.

Fires are bad...mmmmmkay. I will avoid those.

While most seem to be plastic, I believe the ones listed are E code and glass and will be ok.

Here is a listing with H4 low beams and H1 high beams, glass and metal housings with E code in one kit. You will still need to buy the LEDs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-H1Headl...am-Conversion-E-Code-/283271794394?nav=SEARCH

 

[Darkstar72]

^^ x2



While most seem to be plastic, I believe the ones listed are E code and glass and will be ok.

Here is a listing with H4 low beams and H1 high beams, glass and metal housings with E code in one kit. You will still need to buy the LEDs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-H1Headl...am-Conversion-E-Code-/283271794394?nav=SEARCH

What would be the significance of this kit that has H4 and H1 mixed together? Does that make the swap easier to LEDs??