Where & How to Mount Retro Ballasts?

[Wheat_Burner]

It looks like I might finally get the TL-PS2 color matched retros installed this weekend.

How and where are you guys mounting the ballasts?
Are there any hints/tips to look out for?

[haknslash]

My drivers side ballast is located just above the PCM and next to the radiator. My passenger side ballast is nestled down by the windshield washer reservoir.

[srtfun]

I mounted my ballasts in the area just under the headlights. I put the passenger headlight balast in the little pocket on the washer bottle and the fog ballast just in front of that. I had to relocate the horn. I put the driver side headlight just behind the headlight in the engine comparment and the fog light ballast in the same position as the passenger side. I didnt have enough room on the driver side becouse of my intake.

[Wheat_Burner]

How do you guys mount them? Screws? Industrial strength velcro? Double stick tape?

[BSoares]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wheat_Burner

How do you guys mount them? Screws? Industrial strength velcro? Double stick tape?

Good question. And what type of silicone would I use to protect it against water? Do you have any pictures of where you put silicone on yours so I can do the same when I get mine?

Thanks

[haknslash]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wheat_Burner

How do you guys mount them? Screws? Industrial strength velcro? Double stick tape?

Did you opt to buy the ballast covers at the time you got your retro from me? I can't remember. If so, I simply used zip ties in a few of the mounting holes and then secured it that way. You can screw them down but I take mine out ALOT so this works best for me.




As far as silicone goes, you can go around the eges but its best to "pot" them. There is a thread here made by FX that talks about Hella Gen 3 owners and potting the ballast like some of the Mashuita ballasts are. It's a costly but great investment for waterproofing ballasts.

Typicall if you mount them with ballast covers and have them in a relatively safe and dry spot, they will be perfectly fine without having to pot them.

[Wheat_Burner]

Quote: Originally Posted by haknslash

Did you opt to buy the ballast covers at the time you got your retro from me?

Nope. You need to learn how to "upsell" to idiots like me.

[haknslash]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wheat_Burner

Nope. You need to learn how to "upsell" to idiots like me.

They are a worthy investment. http://www.hidplanet.com/covers.html

[BSoares]

Hmmm, I thought that was included as you get the HID parts from hidplanet... so my order probably doesn't include that either, right? Should I buy directly from hidplanet and when I get the stuff from you I just place the ballasts inside that cover?

[haknslash]

Quote: Originally Posted by BSoares

Hmmm, I thought that was included as you get the HID parts from hidplanet... so my order probably doesn't include that either, right? Should I buy directly from hidplanet and when I get the stuff from you I just place the ballasts inside that cover?

No yours does include it because you bought the complete E55 "package".

[BSoares]

Quote: Originally Posted by haknslash

Quote: Originally Posted by BSoares

Hmmm, I thought that was included as you get the HID parts from hidplanet... so my order probably doesn't include that either, right? Should I buy directly from hidplanet and when I get the stuff from you I just place the ballasts inside that cover?

No yours does include it because you bought the complete E55 "package".

Sweeeet. With that and the harness I bought too I should be all good to go when I get my stuff. That's great, now it's just a matter of waiting for the list to move on...

[FYX193]

I mounted mine in the same location on both sides of the car. Right behind the fog light against the sheet metal behind the front bumper. For the passenger side I just mounted them in the pocket area between the windshield washer tank and the sheet metal (I had to slightly relocate the horn by rotating it and bending the metal bracket). I used self tapping sheet metal screws from lowes and the covers to mount them to the car. I also potted my ballast so I didn't have to worry about any water damage.

Link to thread about potting a Gen III Ballast: Questions about Performing my own HID Retro...

[sschung]

i mounted my ballasts inside small junction boxes and mounted the junction boxes in the space at the windsheild washer tank and in the same position on the opposite side. the ballasts are fairly well shielded from direct water in those locations (but i'd still get a cover or something else).