can you extend wires from ballast to bulb on hid

[cantcatchmeboy]

will it hurt anything?

[jriggs]

when i had retro fits on my gs i extended the wires so i could hide everything and everything worked with no problems for the month i had them (i'm pretty sure the guy that has them now has no problems) just try to match the gauge of the wire and make real solid connections, i also put heat shrink rap on mine to help water tight the cut connections.

[POST]

when i had retro fits on my gs i extended the wires so i could hide everything and everything worked with no problems for the month i had them (i'm pretty sure the guy that has them now has no problems) just try to match the gauge of the wire and make real solid connections, i also put heat shrink rap on mine to help water tight the cut connections.

Pretty much what jriggs said, just make sure to make the wire SOLID, use a high quality plug or better yet, solder it nicely. Then use heat shrink tubing rather than electrical tape, always..

[Notladstyle]

+1 ^ solder and heatshrink or liquid tape for watertightness.

[SmokinS13SR20]

Pretty much what jriggs said, just make sure to make the wire SOLID, use a high quality plug or better yet, solder it nicely. Then use heat shrink tubing rather than electrical tape, always..
I'm not sure where it was, maybe TV, but I saw a high quality shop using electrical tape, I was like..."No."

[TJElite]

The wires between the bulbs and the ballasts are high voltage. So, I don't think you can just use regular 300 or 600 v wire. Well, you probably could, but it wouldn't be the best idea. On all the HID's I've ever worked with, that 'wire' is a couple of HV wires in a sleeve.

Jriggs...you extended between the bulbs and the ballasts with regular wire?

Toby

[POST]

I'm not sure where it was, maybe TV, but I saw a high quality shop using electrical tape, I was like..."No."

It mainly depends on the application and the location of where you're using it.

In the engine bay and on a wire that would require an insane amount of voltage going through it would be something I don't want to cheap out on.

[Notladstyle]

the current that runs though a ballast is miniscule. by ohms law, a 300v 10a line would be like 300,000v 500ma run which would be good enough for the job. There are at least three conductors, ground, high, and low.

[TJElite]

the current that runs though a ballast is miniscule. by ohms law, a 300v 10a line would be like 300,000v 500ma run which would be good enough for the job. There are at least three conductors, ground, high, and low.

You're kidding, right? I'm not talking about the wattage carried by the wire, I'm talking about the dielectric strength of the insulation. Why do you think they use 5kv cable for neons?

Also, it is extremely rare to find HID high beams. They take too long to heat up. Since most people only use their high beams for short periods of time, HIDs wouldn't work very well. Even many factory HID installs use regular filament bulbs for high beam.


Toby

[Notladstyle]

I am not talking about high and low beam. Some ballasts use two igniters and a common wire to ignite the gas. You are right though, the wire would need a very large layer of insulation but the conductor itself doesn't need to be more than 18ga. look at the conductor in the picture

http://www.tomsracing.co.jp/arcive/2005/08_04_1/image001.jpg

[POST]

Even many factory HID installs use regular filament bulbs for high beam.

Toby


Yep, mine do.

[jriggs]

Jriggs...you extended between the bulbs and the ballasts with regular wire?


yes from bulbs to ballasts. i don't think its 'regular' wire presay, i picked up the wire from dads shop (mark III) the guys there matched it 'exactly' to what was already there, or at least thats what they told me, it could have been some cheap shit and i got lucky and didn't melt the world under my hood lol.

-james

[TJElite]

I am not talking about high and low beam. Some ballasts use two igniters and a common wire to ignite the gas. You are right though, the wire would need a very large layer of insulation but the conductor itself doesn't need to be more than 18ga. look at the conductor in the picture




You said high and low, and I figured you meant beams. No matter.

The conductor probably doesn't need to be more than 28 gauge, really...its the insulation that matters. That's why I said that normal 300v (most automotive wire is 300v class at best) or 600v wire would be a bad idea.

I remember when neon under cars first hit the scene, back in about 92. Guys were just using regular glass tubes and transformers, like you would in a sign. They were also using regular automotive power and (gasp) speaker wire. Lots of cars burned down.

My guess (hope) is that Jriggs got some higer voltage cable. Back to the original question. If you get the right wire, and use the right connections (heat shrink won't do it, unless you use lots and lots...you really need an air gap.) you can extend the wires between the bulbs and ballasts, but if you can avoid it, I would.

Toby

[Notladstyle]

i was thinking high and low peaks of an ac wave. im not up to par on the principles behind high voltage equipment. I ran out of $$$ for classes so i have to wait another semester =(