Halogen upgrade or DDM HID kit

Ran H9 bulbs for over a year in both of our cars, and they are an improvement over the halogens.

Then installed 35w AC HIDs (4300K). Big improvement over the H9 bulbs.

The H9 upgrade gives you about a 50% light upgrade, and the HIDs give you about 300%, so the HIDs are about 2x brighter than the H9 upgrade. Just don't get crazy on the color temperature of the HID bulbs, light output decreases the higher the K rating you go. Also, you lose contrast, especially in rainy, wet conditions.

I have to add a couple of things.

I used a dual relay wiring harness on both of the HID installations taking power directly from the battery (Camry), and the fuse box (Prius) to ensure the ballasts got clean, reliable power, especially at startup of the arc when turning on the lights.

Also, I still have the H9 bulbs. I disconnect the HID ballasts and swap the H9 bulbs in before going to annual safety inspections.

 

Just looked at the Nightbreakers on Amazon. They're made by Osram, so they're probably high quality, but pretty expensive. Blue tinted capsules, whiter light. Plug and play, no modifications needed to use.

You can get a pair of Philips or Osram H9 bulbs for about half the price of the Nightbreakers. Clear capsules for warmer, 4300K light, better contrast, especially in wet, rainy conditions. However, you need to make some modifications to the bulbs to use them.

 

I'm getting whatever you guys end up getting

 

Cheap, <$60 HID kits, both of them with AC 35w ballasts. However, I wasn't happy with the bulbs that came with the original kits (one had 5000K - too blue for me, the other had 4300K). Ended up replacing the bulbs from both kits with 4300K bulbs from the same seller that sells this kit:

Hylux CN Light 12V 24V Car Truck Xenon HID Headlight Kit H1 H3 H7 H9 HB3 HB4 | eBay

If I had to do it all again, I'd get the kit above in 4300K. Read the description about the quality of the fast start ballasts, the cheap ballasts I have now take about 15 seconds to get fully bright. If you purchase this kit, make sure you specify that you need the H11 bulbs to have the ground wires between the base mounting tabs (H11b, projector type), not next to the largest mounting tab (H11 a, reflector type), or they will send you the wrong bulbs and you will have ground shadows.

In addition, get a dual relay harness and get your power for the ballasts from the fuse box. Don't wire your ballasts directly to the factory headlight circuit. Use something like this:

DDM HID Xenon Conversion Kit Dual Relay Harness Dual in Dual Out Fit All Bulbs | eBay

Or this:

DDM HID Xenon Conversion Kit Premium Dual Relay Wiring Harness Dual in Dual Out | eBay

And get these so you can mount your ballasts under the bumper area, away from the hot engine compartment:

Wire HID Ballast Kit Xenon 20 inches Two Harness Plug Play Extension Amp Connect | eBay

If you meant, what halogen type bulbs I got, I upgraded to the H9 bulbs (Osram) with clear capsules. Then I upgraded to 35w HID (AC ballasts), which is what I'm currently using.

I have no experience with the Osram Nightbreakers, which have been recommended by others here.

 

I got an AC HID kit from Innovited for the Prius and an AC HID kit from OPT7. But like I posted, I ended up changing the bulbs on both kits, and adding extension cables and dual relay harnesses.

So if I had to do it all over, I'd get the quick start type ballasts I linked previously.

I modified the H9 bulbs exactly like in mediahound's video. I was the one who recommended the Black and Decker rotary tool to him.

If it seems complicated, just order the Osram Nightbreakers from Amazon. But be prepared to replace them every 18 months, or sooner.

 

or use cutting pliers/

 

One some cars it doesn't need to be shaved. Unfortunately, on Toyotas they have to be trimmed down, or they won't fit.

Or a small file and lots of elbow grease.

 

They don't dim, they just stop working.