I'm largely ignorant about eletrical matters so any help is appreciated.

I'm looking to install this HID kit on my tC, and I have a question about the power source. The kit's harness has a connector for the "Power Output for Headlamp" source. I've circled the connector in the picture below. Is this thing supposed to go into the headlight relay socket? If so, where is it? Is it the red relay in the fusebox under the hood?

I want to consult the experts before I try anything. Thnx.

Here'a picture of the wiring diagram and the power connector.


Looking under the fusebox cap, I'm guessing maybe the red relay is for the headlight.

 

that plugs into one of the headlight socket. has nothing to do with the fuse box. i guess its too late now since you already bought the kit, but here's a good read anyways, http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3505

 

where is the headlight socket you speak of? behind each headlight, i just see the 4 bulb plugs.

btw, i got the kit years ago for my old GTI. i figure i'll try to use it on my tC or slang it.

 

plug that into where the 9006 bulb normally would go.

 

anywhere else this can go? the plug is definitely not a 9006 plug (besides there's only 1). it has 2 flat prongs like something you plug into an wall socket.

i read on at DIY install on a 2000+ Celica using the same kit/plug. the author wrote something about a factory ACC headlight plug behind one of the headlights (drivers side on the celica). on the celica, its necessary to unplug it to remove the headlights. is there a similar plug on the TC?

 

DO NOT take that power connector to your relays or anything else. The connector you have circled is the output for your HID headlights. If you start sticking it into relays and whatnot, you'll fry them.

I don't know jack about HID, but I taught industrial electricity and relays for five years.

Automotive relays are made to work on 12VDC. I'm assuming HIDs put out a lot more voltage than that. It wouldn't be good for your relay's coils or contacts. Best case scenario, nothing would happen. Worst case scenario, you weld your relay's contacts together and/or melt the coil.

Judging from your diagram there, that thing you've got circled there is the power connector for the new HID bulb/headlight assembly/whatever.

Did they give you some HID bulbs to go with this conversion thing? Do they have ends like this power connector? If so, I'd say remove your current bulbs and connectors and replace them with this. If it won't fit or whatever, you probably need an adaptor or maybe just fabricate a piece to go inbetween.

 

thanks for the info.

the kit came with bulbs that plug directly into the ballasts. the ballasts plug directly into the wiring harness shown above. i can see where the harness gets its positive and ground connections, but I cant find where to plug in the light source connector (to be controlled by the light switch on the signal stalk).

I read a DIY tC HID install on this site, but he didnt have a wiring harness. instead he plugged the ballasts directly into the 9006 connectors. someone posted that was bad since it could fry the stock wires.

 

Oh, you have a tC. That plug with the two prongs very much looks like an H4/9003 connector, which would make it the wrong harness (it's probably for an xA/xB). You can cut off the connector and re-wire it, but if you bought it from someone, I'd recommend that you return it and ask for a 9006 harness.

On another note: unless you know what you're doing, don't tap into the fusebox at all. You're might do more damage than you anticipate, i.e., you don't want to blow out your ABS, A/C, power steering, etc.

Here's the gist of using a harness:

You plug one end into the stock headlight connector on your car. There should be another wire that you can connect directly to the positive terminal of your battery. It probably has a ring terminal that will fit underneath a 10mm bolt. This wire SHOULD have an in-line fuse holder with a 30 amp fuse in it, to protect the circuit. If it doesn't, you might want to think about adding one.

When you turn on your headlights, the harness gets the signal (from the stock headlight connector) to activate the relay to draw power from the battery. This harness is designed to "relay" the power from the wire connected to the battery, so your HID ballasts are drawing power from there, instead of your stock wiring harness.

Here's the deal with drawing power from the stock wiring harness:

It's not rated for the type of current that will be drawed by HID ballasts at startup. Even though the ballast uses only about 3.5 amps (and less power than halogen) to maintain the arc, depending on the ballasts, it needs over 20 amps to startup and ignite the bulb. It needs even more power if the bulb is warm (i.e. you drive to the gas station, fill up, and leave at night). The wiring in your car can technically handle that load for a short time. If you plug it into your stock wiring, it will probably work, but you probably use your headlights more than once, so everytime you turn on your headlights, you risk burning out a switch or your existing wiring. Some types of cars might have better wiring than others and you might never have a problem until you sell your car 5 years down the road, but if you decide to go that route, that's a risk you'll have to take.

 

cool. that makes sense.

the harness has 2 grounds for the ballasts, 2 plugs to the ballasts, 1 positive connector (with a relay and fuse attached), and 1 mystery "power output for headlight" plug. so this mystery plug connects to where the factory headlight bulb would connect?

i originally bought the kit for my old GTI, which had a H1 or H3 (i forgot which) european headlight conversion. I have spare 9006 plugs lying around. So could I remove the 2 flat-pronged plug from the HID harness and solder in a (1) 9006 plug, then connect the newly attached 9006 plug into the car's 9006 plug?

 

Yup. That's right. Just make sure you wire the ground to the ground and the power to the power.