HID DRL Setup, viable?

[skyeXronee]

Newbie here, I've tried my best to search around the numerous Mazda 3 forums that exist, and have come across either very old guides or guides that weren't very clear and were confusing.

I have a 2010 Mazda 3 GS, and I'm trying to change my DRLs to HIDs. Originally, I only got the 9005 bulbs with a HID kit, and plugged everything in as if I would for low beams. Right now, the HIDs do not turn on for DRL but only turn on in high beam mode. I did a little more research and existing guides and posts say I need caps, and relays, and/or wiring splitting and attaching to the battery, etc. (which I did not understand).

I came across DDM Tuning, and asked them if there are any simple plug and play solutions, and this is what they suggested. Their suggestion was to get a HID kit with dual relay harness, along with the BOW-3 error eliminator (which seems to be all plug and play). I believe it would be: Headlights --> BOW-3 --> Relay --> Ballast, how the components should be connected.

Would anyone be able to verify if this would/could work, or has experience with dealing with changing the DRL into HIDs. I've been ordering bulbs and different ballasts for months, and am completely stumped and slightly frustrated. If you have experience or any advice, please let me know!

Thanks.

[Aitch]

My best advice (applies to both 1st and 2nd gen owners) - don't bother putting HID bulbs/kits into the high-beam housings. Yes it is possible to wire them up, but there's no real advantage to having HID buibs in there during the day, other than the color. If you want a white/blue color, buy halogen bulbs.

Downsides: with your proposed setup, I think the DRL circuit would still activate when you start the car, unless you always have the handbrake on. HID bulbs don't like being on while the car is started, as the engine cranking drops the voltage the lights get, at exactly the time the HID ballasts don't like to get low/variable voltage. Your ballasts will die prematurely, and regularly, without some sort of delay to prevent the DRL circuit from coming on during engine cranking.

Second downside: since you're not installing bi-xenon housings inside the high-beam housings, you don't have high beams any more. Maybe in the city that's not a big deal, but you also lose the ability to flash your high beams at people day or night.

Third downside: you're still putting HID bulbs into a reflector housing. This will get you lots of glare and a not-great light output at night, and can blind oncoming drivers.

So in my experience, three significant downsides and no real upside other than having white/blue lights. Get halogen bulbs.

[sp3GT]

^Aitch's advice is right on point, don't bother putting HIDs in your high-beam housing. There's no benefit to it other than having HID highbeams, but how often do you really need to drive with highbeams on full? The downside to what you want to do is, you'll have to run your HID on full 24/7 because it'll have to act as your DRL too.

Not only will your HID kit not last long as Aitch mentioned, but more importantly you will affect on coming drivers with your highbeams on full 24/7.

Perhaps, if you really want to put HIDs in your highbeams, you may want to think about disabling your DRL completely.

[Girds]

^Aitch's advice is right on point, don't bother putting HIDs in your high-beam housing. There's no benefit to it other than having HID highbeams, but how often do you really need to drive with highbeams on full? The downside to what you want to do is, you'll have to run your HID on full 24/7 because it'll have to act as your DRL too.

Not only will your HID kit not last long as Aitch mentioned, but more importantly you will affect on coming drivers with your highbeams on full 24/7.

Perhaps, if you really want to put HIDs in your highbeams, you may want to think about disabling your DRL completely.

I plugged in my hids in my highbeams without fully disabling the drls and nothing has happened, I've had them in for almost a year now, and I do a lot of night driving which is why I went with hid highs, but cops don't really bug anyone about drls not being on so that shouldn't be an issue.

Not saying your wrong at all, just putting in my two sense

[Hyperion]

Aitch said it perfectly, also, stay away from DDM tuning

[skyeXronee]

Thank you for all the feedback. I didn't realize there were so many implications with swapping factory bulbs with HIDs in the high beam. However, my motive to change was 100% for aesthetic value. I have some complicated wirings connected to the battery, and I don't want to tamper with them, hence why I'm trying to opt for some sort of plug-and-play option. I wanted HIDs to have brighter and more defined DRLs.

As suggested by Aitch, I will look into halogen bulbs. I want to switch to 3000K instead of the original 4300K. I'm a complete noob when it comes to purchasing parts from different sources. Any suggestions to retail stores or online sources for purchasing a pair of 3000K halogen bulbs? I'm from Richmond Hill area, if that helps.

PS. Just curious for future reference, why stay away from DDM Tuning?

Thanks again.

[Aitch]

I bought a set of 3k halogens from eBay for my high beams (and DRL before I disabled them). They lasted a couple of weeks before one burnt out. Then I bought a set from NextMod who is in your area, and they've lasted for 3 years so far.

[skyeXronee]

I bought a set of 3k halogens from eBay for my high beams (and DRL before I disabled them). They lasted a couple of weeks before one burnt out. Then I bought a set from NextMod who is in your area, and they've lasted for 3 years so far.

Any chance you recall or know the pricing?

[skyeXronee]

By any chance, are they the EuroLite bulbs?

[Aitch]

I think they were $30-35, and I believe Nokya, but like I said that's 3 years ago so don't hold them to pricing :)

[studum]

Halogens in DRL is good. The DRL is not dedicated on your car, it's lower power high beam.

What you were trying to do from the sounds of you post was use HID as your DRL in your high beam housing. Effectively this would have meant that you would have had HID high beams on all the time until you turned your headlights on, which would turn off your high beams and turn on your proper headlights. This would have been extremely annoying / aggravating to anyone driving towards you when you didn't have your headlights on. If this is what you want you would be better off using your headlights all the time and disabling your DRL.

That's all besides the point though as you seem to be sorted out with hologens, which most here seem to agree was the right thing to do (myself included).

[gabbygenier]

PS. Just curious for future reference, why stay away from DDM Tuning?

This is why.

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?63986-TRS-Quality-Issues-REPOST%21-%28STICKIED%21%29

[skyeXronee]

What you were trying to do from the sounds of you post was use HID as your DRL in your high beam housing. Effectively this would have meant that you would have had HID high beams on all the time until you turned your headlights on, which would turn off your high beams and turn on your proper headlights. This would have been extremely annoying / aggravating to anyone driving towards you when you didn't have your headlights on. If this is what you want you would be better off using your headlights all the time and disabling your DRL.



Yes, I was trying to put HIDs into my high beam housing, effectively using them as my DRLs. As I have mentioned before, I have some complicated wiring directly to my battery, which I don't wish to tamper with. So I wanted to try and opt for a plug-and-play option, which is why I am here. As far as I know, the difference between DRLs and high beam is that the bulb just runs on a fraction of the intensity during DRL use, and full intensity on high beam. With proper wiring and components, you can accomplish that. So yes, I would still be using HIDs as my DRL, and no, I wouldn't be blinding on-coming drivers. But like I said, I wanted to see if there were plug-and-play options, that came with components and wirings that would effectively fool the in-car computer to run the HIDs on 1/3 of the power during DRL usage.

But without tampering with wires and the battery, it doesn't seem like there's a sure method of achieving the said goal, and so I'm going to take up everyone else's advice and opt for premium halogen bulbs. Thanks for the input.

Cheers.

[Aitch]

.... So yes, I would still be using HIDs as my DRL, and no, I wouldn't be blinding on-coming drivers...

Just as friendly clarification (for others as well) when the HIDs in the high-beam housings are on at night, they would produce a lot of glare and could blind oncoming drivers. HID bulbs in reflector housings do not produce a nice light output.

[skyeXronee]

Just as friendly clarification (for others as well) when the HIDs in the high-beam housings are on at night, they would produce a lot of glare and could blind oncoming drivers. HID bulbs in reflector housings do not produce a nice light output.
You're right, HIDs in reflectors produce a massive glare. I assumed it was understood that DRLs are used for during the day, and low-beam lights would be turned on at night (per settings set by the auto function on the car's headlights).