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ATTN: Canadian Zs with HIDs

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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 10:53 AM
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Default ATTN: Canadian Zs with HIDs

I believe it's law in Canada to have daytime running lights (DRL).
So I was wondering what bulb is on all the time when your car is on.
I would think that it can't be the low-beam, since that's the HID bulb, and driving around with your HIDs on all the time would seem pointless.
So is it your high-beam that is on all the time, but maybe it's dimmed for DRL purposes?

Can someone please confirm this?

Thanks in advance.
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:01 AM
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I believe that its the lowbeam.....

On my G, only the lowbeam stay on, but without the HID, unless I manually switch those on....
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by cessna
I believe that its the lowbeam.....

On my G, only the lowbeam stay on, but without the HID, unless I manually switch those on....
that's what I don't undertand, how can the low-beam be ON without the HID being ON, if the low-beam is an HID bulb? I don't think there would be two bulbs for the low-beams would there?
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Jun
that's what I don't undertand, how can the low-beam be ON without the HID being ON, if the low-beam is an HID bulb? I don't think there would be two bulbs for the low-beams would there?


Well from my expirience, if I start the car during the day, its only go the lowbeams on.... like I said, if I turn the light switch one more notch, its like a shot of lightning, and the lights go HID.....
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:14 AM
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Not sure if I know what im talking about... likely not, but... the low beam and the normal head lights come from the same projector, right?
Is there 2 bulbs behind this projector? Or is low beam (DRL) just a dim'd version of headlights?
Because if I understand correctly, what Jun is saying is that your low beam and HID come from the same bulb... is it possible for the low beam to be a "dim" version of the HID?
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Hyru
what Jun is saying is that your low beam and HID come from the same bulb... is it possible for the low beam to be a "dim" version of the HID?

I dont think its a weaker (dim) version of the HID, as there's a big difference in strength and spectrum....
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by cessna
I dont think its a weaker (dim) version of the HID, as there's a big difference in strength and spectrum....
So then is it a completely different bulb?
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Hyru
So then is it a completely different bulb?
that's what I would like to know too

Refer to this:


The low-beam bulb has the D2R HID bulb, which only turns on when you click the switch handle two notches.
The high-beam bulb has a halogen bulb, which only turns on when you pull/push the switch handle.
The parking light/side marker turn on with one click of the switch handle.

So when you turn on your car (without touching the light switches), you are saying that the low-beam (the projector-like lens) turns ON, but it's not the HID light? So that would mean there is a halogen bulb in the same location as the low-beam HID bulb?

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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 03:03 PM
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DRL are high beams powered at about 30% on pretty much all cars. Including the Z.

On '06 though, I have no idea which bulb is on...
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 03:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Kolia
DRL are high beams powered at about 30% on pretty much all cars. Including the Z.

On '06 though, I have no idea which bulb is on...
So why does my low beam go on when the car is turned on?
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 03:54 PM
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DRL's are high beam bulbs on low power.
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Hyru
So why does my low beam go on when the car is turned on?
maybe the DRL system on your car is not the same that comes standard on the Z?
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Jun
maybe the DRL system on your car is not the same that comes standard on the Z?
Hmm, i'll have to take a pic.
Im pretty sure mine is the same as everyone elses though. Got it installed by Nissan. And the only Canadian poster (cessna) seems to have the same as mine.
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 08:04 PM
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I"ll get a pic of my 03 G sedan light assembly tomorrow..........
All I can say, Jun, is that when I "click" the light switch, its like turning a flurosent light bulb....
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 03:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Hyru
So why does my low beam go on when the car is turned on?
Are you sure it's not just the light from the high beam reflecting in the HID lens?
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 04:53 AM
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My HID's come on only under the following circumstances:
1. I turn my headlight switch to the full on position
2. I pull the light lever towards me to activate the high beam (which then activates both the full-strength DRL and the HID)

The DRL comes on at low-strength when the car is turned on and the parking brake lever is released. If you look at the DRL's from a certain angle, there is "some" reflection that may give you the impression that your HID's are also on ...but only if you look at it from that certain angle.

I've attached a pic of my car turned on, with the parking brake released and light switch not touched. Clearly you can see that it's only the lower DRL/high beam bulb (at low-strength) that's on.

I hope this helps.
Attached Thumbnails ATTN: Canadian Zs with HIDs-imgp0075.jpg  
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by speedster123
My HID's come on only under the following circumstances:
1. I turn my headlight switch to the full on position
2. I pull the light lever towards me to activate the high beam (which then activates both the full-strength DRL and the HID)

The DRL comes on at low-strength when the car is turned on and the parking brake lever is released. If you look at the DRL's from a certain angle, there is "some" reflection that may give you the impression that your HID's are also on ...but only if you look at it from that certain angle.

I've attached a pic of my car turned on, with the parking brake released and light switch not touched. Clearly you can see that it's only the lower DRL/high beam bulb (at low-strength) that's on.

I hope this helps.




^^^^ Thats the ticket!
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 10:17 AM
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Well if you are looking to move here like I did and have to get them, the simplest route is probably to link the DRL to your parking light and side marker since they are both on the "parking light" mode. That's what I did to pass inspection but I might switch it up if I find there are people who have successfully wired to the halogen high beam at reduced power. Oh and your tail lights will also be on. Not sure how I feel about all of these being on but it got me past inspections

Last edited by apharmdb; Mar 20, 2006 at 10:25 AM.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 10:53 AM
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Nobody tried to plug a DRL module into an american car harness?
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Kolia
Nobody tried to plug a DRL module into an american car harness?
Don't know but whever I asked a dealer about it they simlpy shrugged their head and said they didn't know. None of them wanted to install aftermarket boxes into the system either.
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