So after hours of reading through multiple threads, I am still unsure as to what HIDs are the best option for our fits.

I Know there are Bi-Xenon, High and Low Halogen, and standard HID's.

But from every thread I have entered there is no real answer.

So My question is which is the best HID type to buy? Is there an option to still use the DRL? Does the DRL draw power from the high beam?

Ideally I would like to still keep my DRL with an HID Low beam, but most threads I have read said to remove the DRL 15 fuse.

If anyone has any experience with this I would gladly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

So nobody know?

 

firstly, DRL uses the high beam filament/circuit.

There are only two ways to do DRL with HID...

1 ) convert from a single H4 to dual H1 or H1+H3. Then swap the low beam bulb for a HID bulb. That leaves the high beam as halogen and can deal with DRL.

2 ) do some re-wiring and then add a smaller bulb (halogen or LED) to act as DRL. This isn't very easy if the DRL is a "xx% duty cycle" of the high beam. This cycles the power in the line up and down (and this will kill HID ballasts) so that the bulb always has some power to come on, but not enough to fully light up.

I went with dual bulb headlights so it's quite a bit easier. H1 HID for the low beam and H1 halogen for the high beam.

~~~~~

As for the Bi-Xenon vs HID+halogen vs OEM HID type/retrofit... if you want to avoid getting hassled by online folks, go retrofit.

If you want to avoid getting hassled by REAL drivers (or avoid annoying them, even when they don't respond)... take care to check for clean cutoffs and correct aim (applies to ALL headlights, from custom retrofits to stock halogen). That means, avoid the HID+halogen single unit combos, those are just plain bad. Also avoid single beam type HIDs if you intend on using them in stock housing (which is DUAL beam)... because those typically end up with high beam only setup. The main reason the HID+halogen kits are bad is because it is effectively just a single (high) beam setup for the HID capsule (you'll see why in a second).

A good quality bi-xenon kit with centered bulb that moves along with a "shield" that blocks enough light (this is what creates a LOW BEAM pattern)... you can avoid hassling other drivers or getting hassled by them. If the bulb isn't centered, it'll never aim properly. And if the shield isn't good enough, you'll basically be high beaming everyone even when you're supposedly in low beam mode. The HID+halogen kits either have NO shielding or they're too small to work effectively since it needs to leave room for the halogen bulb.

If you're wondering why HIDs need such a shield when halogens don't... the truth is, halogens DO have the shield. It's a much smaller cup INSIDE the bulb partially covering one of the filaments to generate a low beam pattern. The other filament has no covering and that generates a high beam pattern. The issue is that HID has only one capsule to generate light, as opposed to two filaments in a halogen bulb, so the shield/cup is external and needs a little more complexity than halogen. Retrofit/OEM HID setups have the movable shield (for single projector setups) as part of the projector housing and not the HID bulb itself. If it's dual projectors, then one has a permanent non-moving shield while the other doesn't have a shield at all.

Unfortunately, it's somewhat hit or miss with bi-xenon bulbs (because there's no standardization for it). I went through 3 kits on a Nissan Pathfinder (uses H4 like the Fit) and only 1 gave a good output. While retrofitting isn't exactly standardized either, you typically source the projectors from OE donor cars that have had the benefit of a car maker's R&D (as opposed to some no name, quick buck HID maker).

And I'll repeat myself once more here... whatever your choice, unless you want to be a douche about it... make sure it has a good clean cut off and you aim it properly.

Typical cutoffs for low beam look like the following two:

__---

or

__/

(though not that sharp an angle)

With almost no light above the lines. A tiny bit allows you to see road signs (as they're reflective), but too much ends up acting like high beam mode.

 

Great Info. I appreciate you taking the time to write all of that up. I gave your rep too.

Also could you elaborate a little more on option 1) on the HID with DRL.

I would like to keep the DRL, but I am confused about how you would use two bulbs in one housing (The H1+h3)?? Also what is a dual H1? Is that like an H4 with 2 filaments? How do you get a different bulb base to fit in another type?

Thanks for your help!

 

You have to replace the entire housing, switching from a single reflector to dual reflector (or rather, low beam projector + high beam reflector)

Something like these:
<--- Mugen prototype




What I did.... https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...halo-hids.html

I'm trying to swap from my current dualies to the Spec-D variant... but man, they're hard to source (awaiting shipment from... Hong Kong?!?).

 

Oh Ok I didn't realize that.

Thanks again for replying! I think I may go down the bi-xenon path and just remove the DRL Fuse.

Thanks.