Xenon in your car? Here's how to pull it off

I'd love xenon lights, but how?

Upgrading a halogen headlight to xenon is child's play these days. The xenon kits we supply are easy to install.

Xenon in your car: how does it work?

1. Find out which fitting your headlight needs. We have a handy tool that looks up the headlight fitting for you. Is your car not listed? Check the owner's manual, or pull the standard bulb out of the headlight. The fitting size is printed on it too.
2. Decide which xenon kit you need. All you need to know is the year your car was built. If the car is older than 2012, you can fit either the Pro Line or the Digital Line. If your car is newer than 2012, only the Digital Line is suitable. Read why.

Ordering online

Then order the right xenon kit in our webshop and we will have it delivered to your door free of charge. You can also choose to collect the order from us. TIP! For most cars you can upgrade the parking lights to LED parking lights too. Once the xenon kit has arrived, you can get on with installing it.

What's in a xenon kit?

A xenon kit has two main parts: the xenon bulb that goes in the headlight and a ballast that powers it. A halogen bulb runs straight off the car's 12 volts. A xenon bulb does not. The ballast produces the high ignition voltage needed to make the gas in the bulb light up, then keeps the current steady.

Take the H7 xenon kit Hilox Evolution II Black, Duo as an example. It contains:

• 2 x H7 xenon bulb, available in 4300K, 5500K or 6500K
• 2 x Hilox Evolution II ballast

The H7 xenon bulb in this series is 35W, gives 4,200 lumen per bulb and has a stated lifespan of 3,600 hours. The ballast has an IC chip that keeps the current steady and prevents overheating and flickering bulbs. For cars with CAN-bus or lighting monitoring, a CAN-bus II module is included. The kit comes with a 2-year warranty on both the bulbs and the ballasts.

If you only need one bulb, for example as a replacement, there are also Solo versions with one bulb and one ballast. Note: according to the product information, these kits have no ECE or E-mark approval and are not intended for public roads, but for racetrack and private land.

How to fit a xenon kit, step by step

The exact route differs from car to car, but the order is almost always the same:

1. Switch off the ignition and the lights, and let the headlight cool down if it has just been on.
2. Check that the kit is complete: one xenon bulb and one ballast per headlight.
3. Connect the kit loosely first and test it, before you tuck everything away for good.
4. Open the back of the headlight and take out the halogen bulb.
5. Fit the xenon bulb. Hold it by the base and keep your fingers off the glass.
6. Plug the bulb's original power connector into the ballast.
7. Mount the ballast on a solid, flat spot away from hot engine parts, and route the cables neatly.
8. Seal the headlight again so it is watertight. If the dust cover no longer fits, make a pass-through with a sealing grommet.

Then switch on the light. A xenon bulb needs a short warm-up: it ignites straight away, but takes the first few seconds to reach full brightness. That is normal.

Common mistakes when converting to xenon

• Ordering the wrong fitting. An H7 will not fit in an H1 headlight. Always check the fitting size on the old bulb or in the owner's manual first.
• Forgetting CAN-bus. If your car monitors its lighting, the on-board computer checks whether the bulbs work. A kit without a CAN-bus module can then trigger a warning on the dashboard or a flashing bulb.
• Letting the ballast dangle. A ballast resting against hot or moving parts wears out sooner. Secure it with cable ties or double-sided tape.
• Not sealing the headlight properly. Moisture in the headlight causes condensation and can damage the connections.
• Replacing only one side. A new xenon bulb next to an old one can be a slightly different colour. Replace bulbs in pairs.

After fitting: aiming and checking

A xenon bulb gives more light than a halogen bulb, so a properly aimed beam matters if you want to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers. Park the car on level ground in front of a wall or garage door and compare the cut-off line of the light with how it looked before the conversion. If it differs, first check that the xenon bulb is seated properly in the fitting, then adjust the headlight with the adjustment screw.

After fitting, have the beam aimed and check that your car still meets the APK requirements (the Dutch MOT-style roadworthiness test). If in doubt, ask the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) or your inspector.

Take a look at the separate xenon bulbs too if you only want to replace a bulb.