How hard is it to install hid lights yourself?

Question

I have some knowledge of car audio and wiring things, is it a difficult thing to do on my own?

Answer 1

No too hard, since you already have an idea. It will take you about 1-4 hours, depending on your car. It's an easy to moderate install, and you have to protect the ballasts from water/grime damage. I like picking the brain of Vehicle Lighting Guru Daniel Stern (see below)

Answer 2

You can probably do it. For anyone who is mechanically inclined, this installation is considered "do-it-yourself". While a typical installation takes approximately 30 minutes, it can vary depending on application (conversion or auxiliary).

On the other hand, I have known some people who have attempted to start doing it themselves and ended up taking it to someone who installs them regularly because they weren't comfortable drilling holes in their car. It is a little more involved than installing regular fog lights.

I think that installing an HID conversion kit is usually very easy though. Desent kits are plug and play. It will depend on what you buy. The Xenon Depot kit is very straightforward to install. http://www.xenondepot.com/ Simply take out the three bolts that hold the headlight assembly and set it aside. Mount the ballasts under the lights to keep them concealed as well as out of the hot engine bay. Judging by its cleanliness, this location does not get wet from rain or water spray. The ballasts and the wiring harnesses are sealed so a little water wouldn't hurt them anyway.

Then find a location to mount the relay. Mounting them to existing bolts on the engine compartment sidewall, just behind the headlights should work. Run the fused 12V leads to the battery, and affix the ground ring terminals to chassis ground.

Use a hole saw or spade bit to drill a hole in the center of the round bulb cover to accept the rubber wiring grommet. The cover I'm referring to is the sealed cap that keeps dust out of the headlight assembly, and gives access to the bulb to replace it. Fit the grommet in place and install your HID bulbs into the headlight assembly. At this point, it should just be a matter of plugging the wiring harnesses together and re-mounting your headlight assemblies. Fire them up and be sure to adjust the beam alignment to give yourself maximum visibility and prevent blinding other drivers.

That's all there is to it!
Good luck to you.