How to install H3 fog HID's? (DDM)

[Freeman]

Hey guys,

I ordered some H3 fog lights from DDM Tuning and after I fussed with them for about an hour and a half, I finally gave up and decided to ask the experts.

I've looked for a while and can't really find a write up or a how to for how to install these buggers. Some threads say just simple plug-n-play but it's not that easy at all.

Could someone maybe make a write up or possibly list what wires I should "splice" or "cut" to get this thing to work? I unscrewed the piece that covers the bulb, then I unscrewed the little screws that hold in the bulb and noticed that there is a copper colored cord attached to the bulb and I don't know what to do next. What attaches where?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[LetItSnow]

If I remember right, you shouldn't have to unscrew anything. There's a crazy spring loaded paperclip thing that you unhook and hinge out of the way. The bulb has a single lead on it and grounds through the round metal disc it's mounted to.

I don't know what DDM sent you (pic?) but it should go in with a similar fashion if they truly sent you H3s.

[svxcess]

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The only modification I had to do was enlarge the hole on the center of the gray plastic cover that you twist to get to the bulb. My wiring/connector was a little too large to fit through the stock hole.


There is a key notch, which allows the bulb to only seat one way. Once it is in, the spring clip locks in and holds it secure.

When you take out the old H-3 bulbs and see how they lock and unlock, all will become clear.




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[svxcess]

Originally Posted by Freeman

I unscrewed the piece that covers the bulb, then I unscrewed the little screws that hold in the bulb and noticed that there is a copper colored cord attached to the bulb and I don't know what to do next. What attaches where?

I think this is what he is talking about. Click HERE


Contact OT to see how he put them in. We did not have to do all that cutting and fabrication.

I believe the ones we used were more like this:



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[Freeman]

Originally Posted by svxcess

I think this is what he is talking about. Click HERE


Contact OT to see how he put them in. We did not have to do all that cutting and fabrication.

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I thought about giving up and bugging him a few times and it's really easy to just say " I give up" and contact him since he is right down the road but this is going to be different.

The ONLY things I have done on my own with this car is paint the center grille and install a new thermostat. I want to learn and see if I can do it on my own without relying on someone else to do it for me. I'm sure you'd understand too. I just need a little nudge in the right direction...

[svxcess]

There is a product difference between the Lava Lux (which OT sold) and the DDM. He can just give you a little guidance and show you the differences and let you do it on your own.

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[Freeman]

Originally Posted by svxcess

There is a product difference between the Lava Lux (which OT sold) and the DDM. He can just give you a little guidance and show you the differences and let you do it on your own.

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Yeah the Lava Lux ones are the ones I'm using for my headlights but the DDM's were cheap and I couldn't pass them up.

[Freeman]

Here are some pics of what I'm describing and the kit that was sent to me.. I coded the connections with numbers from 1-7 for ease of identification and to direct what goes where.

Here's the headlight bulb attached to the "paper-clip" spring:


What the heck does the blue, (pink) and gold wire hook up to?

Here's the kit that was sent to me:









Anybody else run into an issue?

[Manarius]

Originally Posted by Freeman

Here are some pics of what I'm describing and the kit that was sent to me.. I coded the connections with numbers from 1-7 for ease of identification and to direct what goes where.

Here's the headlight bulb attached to the "paper-clip" spring:

Anybody else run into an issue?

Forgive me, but that installation was rather simple when I did it.

Plug the leads from the bulb into the ballast (the shiny grey box). Each plug only fits in its female mate. There should be three wires going between the bulb and ballast. #3 into the ballast itself and 4 into 2 and 5 into 1.

Then, plug the red lead on the bulb (6) into the lead from the car (where the old bulb would plug into) and 7 needs to go against the metal ring for a ground somehow (or I suppose that you could just run a 14g wire with a spade connector from the neg. pole on the battery to the ground wire plug 7; pick your poison on that one).

The difference with the 9005's/6's is that the ground is built into the plug of the harness for the bulb itself whereas with the H3, the ground is that metal ring.

[Freeman]

Sounds simple enough. Leave it to me to take something simple and turn it into an issue. I'll try this when I have some daylight tomorrow. At least there will be a through how-to or a write up once I'm all done.


EDIT: What do I do with the gold wire attached to the stock bulb?

[dragoontwo]

Originally Posted by Manarius

with the H3, the ground is that metal ring.

If that is correct, then whoever replaced my cars fog lights did something wrong. I just replaced one of my foglights, and while I was grabbing the wire that came off of the bulb it touched my PWR radiator, arced, and lit the fog light.

[Manarius]

Originally Posted by Freeman

EDIT: What do I do with the gold wire attached to the stock bulb?

Nothing. It's part of the bulb. If you were to buy a new H3 in the store, that's what it would look like.

[Freeman]

It wasn't as easy as I thought but it wasn't as hard as I was making it out to be. Looks like crap under the hood cause I couldn't get the center pieces to fit in the screw cap thing but they are functional!


Thanks a lot for your help guys! Once again, you've proved to be a very very valuable resource..

[kwren]

......................................



Keith

[dragoontwo]

Manarius, I tested the other '92 that's sitting in my driveway, and the cord that comes off of the bulb is the ground. The ring has a constant 12v while the car is off. All I did was unplug the bulb lead and ground it to make it light up.