Xeigh

yes, i have the harness, the aftermarket headlights are H3 bulb size, the car has an h4 harness. i cannot access the h4 harness without cutting off my high beams. the h3 bulb is grounded by the base of the bulb, the hid kit comes with a red and black wire. I have a white wire from the H3 headlights that I am assuming is the positive, need to know what to do with the black wire, i've tried to ground it but they won't turn on.

Fabrik8

I didn't even know H3s were headlight bulbs, I thought those were only for fog lights and aux lights.


Wait, wait, wait. Why are you trying to connect the headlight bulb to the power and ground connections of the HID ballast? The HID bulb should connect directly to the HID ballast, and the ballast should be wired to power and ground, because it's a normal 12V automotive device. Why are you trying to connect ANYTHING to your old non-HID bulbs?

If you only have one wire in your headlight harness because someone has hacked the shit out of it, that's the power. The black wire on the ballast should be connected to chassis ground. I'm not sure you understand how headlights work, so here's the brief rundown: Regular headlights get 12V power from a relay which is turned on by your headlight switch. HID headlights are high voltage AC (not DC like a car battery) and the ballast is what converts 12V DC to high voltage AC. So the HID ballast connects where your normal headlight bulb used to get power from, and the HID assembly (bulb and ballast) is a functional replacement for the old headlight bulb. So the point of this is that the HID ballasts get power from the same place that the old headlights got power from. Take the old H3 bulbs and throw them in the trash, you aren't going to be using them because they will be replaced by the HID bulbs (if that's what you bought)....

If this isn't what you're talking about then I have absolutely no idea what kind of product you actually have so I can't help you at all. Seriously, just think about what I wrote for a few minutes. If none of it made sense, you need to abandon this project and find some help from someone who knows what they're doing. I'm not trying to be mean, but this is the one of the easiest electrical things you can do on a car, and if you can't do it already then you need some qualified help and instruction.

Fabrik8

The HID bulb connects to the HID ballast, and the HID bulb is replacing your halogen H3 bulb. Why are you trying to connect something (anything?) to your halogen H3 bulb?

Big Boosta

Theres your problem right there.

ME 10¢

Xeigh

Stock headlights make too much glare.

I am not trying to use my old H3 bulb at all, i'm just trying to get the point across that I have an H3 hid kit.
I know how headlights work, every time I try to connect the pos and ground they don't turn on.

Xeigh

Also why does EVERYONE hate aftermarket headlights?

Fabrik8

So you're using the power and ground from the H4 harness, and nothing is working? Have you checked that you actually have power where you should, or are you just guessing?

There are three things that could happen here:

1. You have a cheap HID kit that doesn't work.
2. You have something connected wrong.
3. You don't have power where you should.