HID Headlight Bulbs / HID Projector Retrofit

[MotoMedic]

1) Are you 100% sure you followed the wiring diagram in post #1?

 

2) Did you make sure there was a fuse in the fuse holder? Sounds dumb but first thing to check.

 

3) Dd you flip/reverse the the single stock output before it went into the capacitor, which then connects to relay input?

[draino]

I'll just say I'm 99% sure I had it right. I kept double checking. I am gonna give another look tomorrow. Fuse is in that's how I checked if I had power. I also double checked my ground and had a good ground. Just doesn't make sense it wouldn't work when I had the canbus in there but would work without them(although not correctly because of the buzzing). I am hoping it's something dumb but I checked all connections and the diagram multiple times.

 

Yes I did flip it. Red on harness went to grey and and black to red.

 

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Edited May 16, 2014 by Michael Drain

[MotoMedic]

You installed a single capacitor between stock output & harness, correct?

Sounds like the CAN-Bus might be bad.. like it's not allowing any of the signal to pass through it. Use a meter & check the wire between CAN-Bus and Relay to verify.

[draino]

Yes I used a single canbus, that's what I thought, I swapped to the extra one I had and same thing. But they work right now running - stock signal> canbus> ballast >hid bulb now. The only problem I am having now is when they start up the passenger will sometimes come on then shut off, making me have to reset the lights.

 

 

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[MotoMedic]

Without the relay, the power isn't always a constant 12v, so the ballasts will sometimes flicker on/off.

[Spurshot]

Dave

I hear people talking about going directly to the battery for power. This cuts against my judgment as an engineer. Why not pick up power at the main busses/fuse panel? The battery is hooked directly to it. There's room to add more circuits.

[TightLines612]

1) Are you 100% sure you followed the wiring diagram in post #1?

 

2) Did you make sure there was a fuse in the fuse holder? Sounds dumb but first thing to check.

 

3) Dd you flip/reverse the the single stock output before it went into the capacitor, which then connects to relay input?

 

Moto,

 

Not sure of the implications but my setup (which we've discussed) would not run according to your 3) above. Instead, I had to keep red to red and black to black from the stock output into the plug near light and then into the canbus.

Edited May 16, 2014 by TightLines612

[MotoMedic]

Dave

I hear people talking about going directly to the battery for power. This cuts against my judgment as an engineer. Why not pick up power at the main busses/fuse panel? The battery is hooked directly to it. There's room to add more circuits.

I see your point, but for most, it's likely easier just to connect directly to battery with harness. And since the harness contains its own fuse about 6" from battery, no short circuit issues. I'd hate to recommend to the inexperienced to connect to bus/fuse panels and then they somehow really screw their electrical systems. Just my $0.02

[MotoMedic]

Moto,

 

Not sure of the implications but my setup (which we've discussed) would not run according to your 3) above. Instead, I had to keep red to red and black to black from the stock output into the plug near light and then into the canbus.

So everything's working correctly now?

 

I wonder why most 2014's have to reverse the single input for the lights to function but a few out there don't. My guess is perhaps there are slight differences in each batch of relay harnesses / capacitors. I know one member actually found his cap had the connector reversed by the manf.. perhaps they mixed up the internal connections on yours. Just one of those things we'll probably never know! ha

[draino]

Well got home from work and got right after it, and tried what tightlines did, and bam worked right away! Thanks for all the Leo guys and glad tightlines added his comment.

 

 

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[pancepance]

Not sure if its just me or if similar situation with all of them. I did a HID swap for the lights and fogs. Prior to switching I did have the opportunity to see what the stock output of each was. I was very disappointed in the stock stuff but was aware of its poor output months ago from reviews here.

I did a good kit with 35w ballasts. The lights are very good. I use them in my other truck and their improvement is incredible.
In the Sierra I am very unimpressed. Its a bummer to me. The only good thing I have are the fogs which I now consider the primary light source for driving. The lows w/o fogs on even with the HID's are absolutely horrific. When switched to HI the light is way off target. I get a decent view of the trees but not much else. I've adjusted the lights and they are aimed correctly. The "projector" system sucks in my opinion. Now I have to look for a new full replacement option. I hate tearing up brand new stuff but I need light when I drive. Its a personal thing. I will say though there is some improvement with the HID's but nowhere near what I was expecting. The whole system they use is garbage in my opinion. For the cost of the truck and "trim level" they advertise I would have expected that the stock stuff would have at least been decent.
I'll start looking for full conversions. Anyone who has done one on a sierra please let me know your thoughts and opinions on how it went. Luckily it doesn't get dark until 8 or so. I have time before winter but I have to do something.

[Mike1220]

Not sure if its just me or if similar situation with all of them. I did a HID swap for the lights and fogs. Prior to switching I did have the opportunity to see what the stock output of each was. I was very disappointed in the stock stuff but was aware of its poor output months ago from reviews here.

I did a good kit with 35w ballasts. The lights are very good. I use them in my other truck and their improvement is incredible.

In the Sierra I am very unimpressed. Its a bummer to me. The only good thing I have are the fogs which I now consider the primary light source for driving. The lows w/o fogs on even with the HID's are absolutely horrific. When switched to HI the light is way off target. I get a decent view of the trees but not much else. I've adjusted the lights and they are aimed correctly. The "projector" system sucks in my opinion. Now I have to look for a new full replacement option. I hate tearing up brand new stuff but I need light when I drive. Its a personal thing. I will say though there is some improvement with the HID's but nowhere near what I was expecting. The whole system they use is garbage in my opinion. For the cost of the truck and "trim level" they advertise I would have expected that the stock stuff would have at least been decent.

I'll start looking for full conversions. Anyone who has done one on a sierra please let me know your thoughts and opinions on how it went. Luckily it doesn't get dark until 8 or so. I have time before winter but I have to do something.

Check out Echavez's lights. More specifically his posts in this topic, post #142. He had his projectors changed out. Make a huge difference. He posted several pictures showing the output if the new projectors

 

 

 

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[ChrisNJ]

I just put in my Mopar Elite 35 9012 kit from TRS yesterday in my 14 GMC.

 

Install: took me three hours, most of which was figuring out where to put the HDrelays. I laid it all out and the battery lead is only long enough to put the relays on the passenger side. Problem is the air cleaner box takes up all the room. So I ended up putting the relays just in front of the air box, it just fits, but unfortunately if I need to get at the relays again I will have to remove the box, maybe just the cover, not sure yet. Locating the ballasts was less of an issue but you have to pay attention to the lead length. Hook it all up first, lay it out best you can, and in the end it all worked ok, just with serviceability limitations. Install of the bulbs through the back covers was easy with a 1" hole bit. The bulb and wiring kit both come with a wire for hooking up to the oem harness, you will only need one of them, and it will have to be the passenger side again. Put the bulbs in exactly as their tabs are supposed to go stock, they are 9012 bulbs. So the air box area gets real busy, but I was able to make it work. Hooked up direct to batters. Left box out until I lit them up to see if I need to reverse the plug. They worked first time, looked good, but it was day.

 

Results: drove around on low beam and they looked great, about 2x stock output, very pleased. Just a little darker hole pointing outside and down a little, no biggie, the rest is so much better, and the light output to the side of the road is now very good. Reminded me of my '11 GMC output, but these are a little better now.

The bad: go high beam, not bad, about like my '11 again, and a little better. BUT, keep driving, and the dam lights are pointing 10-20degrees in the air. I'm lighting up the night or should I say the trees. and let me tell you these are really lighting up the night, like 100w Daylighters but pointed up.

 

Now I remember the oem 9012's did this too, they were just so dim I really couldn't tell.

 

So, are these oem projectors that bad? I don't think they can be adjusted, because if I could point them down, wow, I would have an amazing system. What the hell is going on? Did GM screw these up that bad, or is it on purpose for some light genie reason? I don't get it. Any way to point these things down?

 

Now here's a little problem. Hey dealer, these lights are pointing up. 'ohhh but you modified them' No really, I'll put the 9012 oem bulb back in and show you. You get the drill.

 

As they are now, at least I can see. I'm just concerned on high beam that I'm gonna call in some planes. And it's really distracting having amazing light up that high bobbing up and down the road on the trees. Really. is the shutter height adjustable on high too? would hate to give up the daylighters, but don't see any way right now.

[MotoMedic]

The projectors definitely aren't the best quality but yours are functioning as intended by GM. High beams only allow existing light blocked by shutter to now escape (only change is light now allowed above cutoff).

 

You can aim/adjust the projectors: http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/158300-aiming-adjusting-headlights/

[rider500]

Here some pics of the projector from the outside. Just like the factory and you won't even know if it has been swapped..

 

 

This one showing the factory projector before before being remove

This one is after the projectore is removed..

 

 

I'll take some pics of the new projector mounted this weekend..

Ok I have this headlight but I want to make it into a retrofit projector. so just buy a whole new headlights. Or make it. Confused help.

 

2014 Silverado 1500 V8 4x4 All-Star Edition