Hi, Paul with Diode Dynamics, and
today we're talking about OEM HIDs.
Specifically, we're going
to go over the different bulb sizes,
and the types of ballasts
and connectors you might come
across.
So when
talking about HIDs, we have to be
aware of the three major components.
We've got our ballasts,
which controls the current, our
igniter, which starts the arc and
gets the light going, and
then the actual bulb capsule
itself.
And with OEM HIDs, these are kind of
configured in some different ways.
The first type of HID bulb to hit
the market is known as the D1.
This was available on Lincolns in
the late 90s, and it consists
of the bulb as
well as the igniter. So it's all one
unit. Soon after, the D2
size was introduced as well.
And you'll see it just is
missing that igniter. This makes
it much more economical. You don't have to replace
that costly igniter if you
just need to change the bulb.
For this reason, the D2 bulb is
the most common you'll
find on vehicles all the way from
about 2000 to
2015.
And with that popularity comes a
couple of different variants.
So you'll find D2S as well as D2R.
Anything with an S designation
is made for a projector
headlamps. A D2R bulb, or
D1R, will
have an extra shield on the outside
of the glass itself and that helps
produce the cut off line needed
in reflector type headlights.
So D1R or D2R
are for reflectors, and D1S/D2S
are for projectors.
Now
in addition to that, there's a
couple aftermarket variants of the
D2S as well.
First, you might come across a D2C
bulb. And the C
is kind of an invention by
the aftermarket and all it means is
that it has the notches for
both D2S and D2R
on it.
So D2R normally only has
a notch on one side, and D2S
has it on the other.
The D2C
is compatible with both S and R.
Of course, it's much better to
actually purchase D2S
or D2R
for your application instead of
getting this cheaper one
size fits all.
We also have something called the D2H
bulb. So the D2H
is here and you can see the
base and everything is the same.
So it installs the same way, but
instead of using the socket-type
connector on the bottom, like your
standard D2 bulb, it's
going to use wires just like an
H series bulb.
So this is what we refer to as AMP
connections here.
So this is gonna connect to a
standard ballast instead
of requiring the socket connector.
This can be very handy if you
don't have that much space behind the bulb
to put an entire socket
on, like this one.
Where that might be too
much room, you can go ahead and use
a D2H bulb and connect
it with the H-Series AMP
style connectors.
Now
from there the other bulb
sizes are newer inventions.
The D3 and the D4.
Those correspond to D1
and D2 as well.
And the difference is these are
environmentally friendly.
So D1 and D2 have mercury content
in them, of course that's not
good. D3 and D4 do not.
They also run on a lower voltage, so
you can't just plug them in and
expect them to work the same.
The mercury content isn't
the only difference. They're not
compatible electrically and then
that tab designation
on the bottom is going to be
different as well. So you physically
can't install one on
the other. So D3 and D4
are basically replacing D1
and D2 and all new
applications.
From there, there's
a couple of new sizes as well: D5,
D6, D7, D8. There's
a need for these because they're all
lower power.
A
lot of manufacturers have decided that they
just don't need the raw output
power of the bulbs themselves.
The optic technology is getting
better and better, so they can
accomplish what they need to with
something that might only have 25
watts.
Now for a bulb size like this one,
this is a D5 bulb.
You can purchase aftermarket
replacements that run at a full
35 watts of power or higher.
So that could be a good upgrade if
you're not happy with
the output of a lower-powered bull like
the D5 through the D8
series.
So that basically covers the
different HID bulbs that are
available on the market.
So how do these connect to the
ballasts? Well, the big thing right
off the bat, is that D2 and D4
using the socket-type connectors.
For these, you'll
always need some sort of socket to
plug those into.
Whether it's an actual purpose made
D2S ballast like
this Hylux ballast here, or
you're using an adapter like
this one. Which actually converts
the AMP style connectors to
a D2 connection.
So these can be finicky.
You got to make sure you get a good
one, because if these connections
are loose at all, you're arcing a
lot of voltage here, and that can
cause problems. So make sure you get
good quality ones if you choose this
route.
Now for the D1 and D3, you
almost always have to use factory
ballasts like these, which have
small wires on them to
connect that tiny unique
connector on the side of the D1 and
D3.
We actually do provide an
aftermarket replacement here that's
made for D1 bulbs
and it comes with a couple of wires
so that you can get that connected.
But, it can be a lot more tedious to
replace a D1 Series
bulb normally.
The D5 through D8
use those same style connectors,
but these are also very expensive
because these are actually a ballast
and igniter and bulb all
combined into one.
So one single modular unit,
but these can be
$250-$350 for just one pair because
it's all one set.
So getting very expensive again.
No matter what you have for HIDs,
we're happy to help you figure it
out and determine the best option
for you.
Whether you're looking for something
to just directly replace your OEM
setup, or you want to try out a
D2H bulb for use in
a retrofit application.
We have what you might be looking
for. You can find more information
at DiodeDynamics.com.
Thanks for watching.