I thought I would share my writeup and pics of the install I did for putting some HID 55w 5000k HID's in the high beams. Unfortunatelt the X-type is stuck with a wimpy set of high beams that pale in comparison to even factory HID low beam lamps. Not until one gets bi-xenon's or some high wattage H4's with E-code lamps do the high beams on any car turn into light cannons. I drive 90% at night and on those long dark country roads nothing helps point out critters and light the way home better than some serious high beam lights.

I opted for DDM tunings 55w race HID kit in a 5000k color. They are a very white color that is slightly whiter and more blue than the factory 4300k 35w HID low beams.
http://www.ddmtuning.com/hidkihidbuhi.html

First was to disconnect battery, and take it out the vehicle along with the plastic tray it sits in.
Second, take off the circle covers on the back of the highbeam housings
Third, remove H1 halogen bulbs, and take some measurements. The first measurement was from the bulb base mating area of the housing to the inside of the bulb shield (used dial caliper). The HID bulbs are much longer than thier halogen counterparts and I was concerned with clearance. According to the measurements there is juuuuust enough clearance. *see pics*

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Bulb measurement is here:


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Next up was to find a suitable mounting position for the ballasts, for the passanger side I chose the vertical and flat metal area just left of the headlamp housing (while facing the engine). I cleaned it off with some rubbing alchohol and applied the two-sided adhesive pad to the ballast and stuck it on. This location allowed for adequte distance for the wires to be hooked up and was away from serious engine heat. I mounted the igniter just underneath the front structure where the hood latches are affixed to as welll.

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Igniter for passanger side:

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I chose to run a relay harness directly from the battery so that I knew there wasa adequate amount of power headed to the ballasts even though the new digitial circuitry is supposed to be much more efficient especially for starting voltages required. I ran the longer section of wires that hook up the ballasts to the relay harness for the passager side in between the air box and the metal structure right in front of it.

Now for the circle rear lamp housing covers. The rubber grommets for the HID kit havea lip seal fora 1" diameterhole. I took a hole saw kit and a cordless drill anddrilled out a 1" hole in the middleof the plastic circular covers. I then installed the grommet.

Nowifyou are using a relay kituse the factory H1 plug on the drivers side for the signal reference for relay.This is used to power the ballasts. The DDM HID kit comes with a set of wires for each ballast to derive it's power from the factoryH1 plug in, but sinceI used the relay kit I only neededone side todo that.

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Grommet installed:

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Factory H1 plug with HID wiring male spade connectors attached. One for + and the other attached to ground side of factory H1 plug.

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I situted the ballast for the drivers side underneath the battery tray on the cars frame for the battery. There is a little dip in that frame piece and the ballast almost fit perfectly. It was just a tad to wide to make full contact. I opted for two tie wraps and strapped the ballast around that frame piece.

[IMG]local://upfiles/2536/BA556569C58C427084AFB272E1ED6D07.jpg[/IMG]

 

On the drivers side where I have the factory H1 plug hooked up to the wiring for the HID kit I made a connector swap. The wires run through the grommet and to the exterior of the lamp housing. At the end of those wires is a Amp style connector. But the relay kit utilizes two male spade connectors which sends the power to the relay telling it to turn on (Term 86). So I had to cut off the Amp style connector and crimp on two female spade connectors instead to make the right correction.

You could conversely cut off the relay sides wiring and install an Amp style connector instead (better approach given the connectors superiority but I did not have another one for it to mate to).

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Alright, once that wiring is complete attach the Amp connectors from relay kit to ballasts, make sure HID bulbs are in and latched down and connect igniter plugs to HID wiring plugs, attach circle covers to lamp housings, install battery and attach the + and - wires from the relay kit to the battery terminal clamps, then attach clamps to battery. The positive wires run to Term 30 on the relay and the negative wires serves as the relay ground Term 85.

Term 87 is the wires that run to the ballasts.

Here is low beam HID's on:

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Now for high beams!

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One more:

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Looks good chas! I wish the lights looked better and had a better cut off line on the x-type...mine look like crap...

 

is it ok to have the high beams fliped on and off with HID's? I thought i remember someone telling me that the bulbs will short out?

 

To date I have not had any bulb out failures, or only one side come on. I know with the factory HID lamps if you turn them on and off quickly I have had instances where only one side will come on.

The newer digital ballasts have a lower start up voltage and coupled with the fact I ran a supplemental relay harness to have uniterrupted power to the hi-beams I believe goes a long way into eliminating the bulb failures.

I notice when I first turn them on it takes ~2 sec to really start getting some light, then after 5 they are full color temperature.

If I turn them off due to a oncoming car, and then turn them back on they exhibit no restart. They are just as bright as before, however if I wait 10-15 seconds before turning the hi-beams back on they start off dimmer (just as in initial start up). Essentially it is all about thier operating temperature, once the arc is sustained and the temperature stay inoperating rangeon and off does not hinder them. I think what would hurt the bulbs most of all is not having the correct supply of voltage for the starting up phases or if I were to turn them on, let them go cold, turn back on, over and over again.

Only time will really tell on this, but I use my high-beams just about every day (less with it getting lighter earlier in the morning as I am coming home from work).

 

If that doesn't answer your question and you were asking something like will having your brights on and shutting them off when a car comes damages the hids I've heard that if you just sit there and turn them on/off repeatedly it's not good for them. I'd imagine with a several second delay I'm sure they'll be fine...