2018 Ram HID Fog lights

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blackbetty14

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Can someone confirm that the 2018 rams require the $100 mopar specific harness with 4 resistors to work the darn fog lights if I go HIDs? I would love to swap over my MH1 7.0 retrofitted fogs from my 14 CC but $100 for a harness for the fogs aint happening now before Xmass. I just ordered the same harness for my Headlight low beams as I'm transfering over my FXR projector stock sport headlights to the new ram.

basically want to know if I need the harness or if one of the morimoto canbus self contained harness adapters will do the trick.
 

MADDOG

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A harness with resistors makes the system CANBUS compliant (adds resistance to the circuit) so you'll need it.

The Morimoto CANBUS harness performs the same function.

I'd go with the Morimoto harness.
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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WEll thats where its confusing. Not my first HID install lol. But The 2015+Ram harness with two 40amp relay HID harness uses 4 resistors (2 per light) vs the 2014 and older 1 resistor per headlight. The Fogs in the 2014 and older didn't need anything. But the Morimoto canbus harness (inline, no relays) has a built in resistor and capacitor and its designed to fool the canbus system (works on my wifes 2017 cherokee). But retrofit source is saying I need the dual 40amp relay harness with 4 resistors to run the fogs with HIDs. There LED fogs also require 4 resistors (2 per fog) to work correctly. I wont skimp on this so I will end up getting what I need to get but at the moment with the holidays I can't till after. $100 is still $100!
 

Dmopar74

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The fog lights are not on the canbus system, I ran a 55w plain old ddm kit with the regular relay harness for about 6 months never a problem, I now have some cheap leds with no harness or extras still flawless. This is on my 2016
 

Dmopar74

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Also I run a ddm canbus+ in my headlights with no extra harness or resistors and works great. I'm sure the morimoto kits have better light output but to have a plug and play system is nice without all the extra crap. I stopped running the hids in the fogs because there was tons of light bleed without projector lenses in there, got tired of being flashed constantly
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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hmmm so Dmopar74 your running nothing on the fogs and it still works? The regular relay harness is what?
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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Also I run a ddm canbus+ in my headlights with no extra harness or resistors and works great. I'm sure the morimoto kits have better light output but to have a plug and play system is nice without all the extra crap. I stopped running the hids in the fogs because there was tons of light bleed without projector lenses in there, got tired of being flashed constantly

I agree, I have MH1 7.0 retrofitted fogs, there is no light scatter. I also run 55w elite headlight low beams and 45w hylux fog lights, both with 5000k XB2 bulbs
 

Dmopar74

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hmmm so Dmopar74 your running nothing on the fogs and it still works? The regular relay harness is what?
When I ran hids in the fogs I did have to use the usual cheap non canbus power harness that hooks to the battery. There are quite a few other members who also don't use any canbus crap on the fogs, simply not needed on the fogs.
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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IT would be very easy for me to plug in an HID ballast and test. I will see if it works! Thanks guys.
 

Ram Night

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I thought about HIDs in my fogs, but I was advised not to use them in fogs and high beams because of the delay time for them to get up to full output. I installed XML2 LED fogs from diode dynamics, and they are very bright and I have no warning lights.
But I do have the Morimoto 35 watt HID kit in my low beams with the relay harness and resistors.
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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I thought about HIDs in my fogs, but I was advised not to use them in fogs and high beams because of the delay time for them to get up to full output. I installed XML2 LED fogs from diode dynamics, and they are very bright and I have no warning lights.
But I do have the Morimoto 35 watt HID kit in my low beams with the relay harness and resistors.

I would agree with the high beams as they need to be an instant bright. but the Fogs have nothing to do with it. HIDs in the stock fogs just causes alot of scatter and they are slightly blinding (you will get high beamed a bit). LEDs are fine but I'm not a fan of the light output yet. Especially in a projector which is what I run.
 

Ram Night

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I would agree with the high beams as they need to be an instant bright. but the Fogs have nothing to do with it. HIDs in the stock fogs just causes alot of scatter and they are slightly blinding (you will get high beamed a bit). LEDs are fine but I'm not a fan of the light output yet. Especially in a projector which is what I run.

Well you are almost correct. Every time you turn on your bright lights the fogs turn off, which will stat the 10 second turn on time with hids in the fogs when the low beams are back on.
I have no problems with getting flashed from oncoming traffic with my HID low beam projectors and led fogs. They have the same light cut off as stock halogens. Check out the led and hid lights vs. stock.

+HID low and XML2 Led fog.jpg

Stock Lights.jpg
 
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blackbetty14

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Well you are almost correct. Every time you turn on your bright lights the fogs turn off, which will stat the 10 second turn on time with hids in the fogs when the low beams are back on.
I have no problems with getting flashed from oncoming traffic with my HID low beam projectors and led fogs. They have the same light cut off as stock halogens. Check out the led and hid lights vs. stock.

View attachment 115905

View attachment 115906


Yes, well they will have a warm up time after being shut off during highbeam mode. BUt if you dont set high beams to constant (pull toward you) like a flash vs pushing foward to keep on the fogs never shut off.

The light output of the fogs not coming back to full brightness for 5s is not an issue (if it was the low beam that would be a different story lol). Again this depends on how long the fogs are off, the type of ballasts etc. If your running good Denso potted ballasts then they are instant bright and there is really no lag. If you running cheap ballasts there will be a warm up time and would depend on bulb temp.

But I would have to dissagree with you about your cutoff on the fogs. I see alot of light scatter with those LEds. I can tell you that my HIDs in the stock housings with a GOOD bulb was better than your LEDs. I can see a full 5 rows of bricks above your stock halogen cutoff that are fully illuminated and your prob 10ft away from the garage. Im sure the glare from those LEDs are bad, would be even worse if you have brighter HIDs.

YOu also have huge shadows from the HID bulb ground wires in your projectors and the left (driver side) bulb needs to be aligned better. Your missing out on a good bit of hotspot.
 

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I do not know anyone that drives around with pulling on the turn signal arm for miles just to turn on their high beams and fog lights at the same time. Plus there is nothing wrong with Morimoto hid kit that I am running.
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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Well thats not what we were talking about, no one said it was for "miles" thats what Aux lighting is for. Around by me the need for constant on extra lighting is limited to shorter bursts where I keep on the "flash" for 10 sec or when driving through a darker area.

You have a few issues with your HID kit honestly. I pointed out the shadow of your ground wire in both headlights. I also pointed out the hotspot offset on both the driver and pass side. Your driver hotspot is high (above the cutoff) and the pass side is better but could be a tad low (below the cutoff) this gives you better low beam driving and less high beam as your using most of the hotspot below the cutoff. I personally think your pass side is good but your driver side needs work, shim the bulb to bring the hotspot down and you will get more low beam output.

I also pointed out the scatter in your LED fogs in my above post (clearly seen in your pics). They are worse than when I ran HID fogs for a hot sec before retrofitting 7.0 projectors into my housings.

The stock halogen projector beam pattern & fog is better than both your HID and LED.
 
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blackbetty14

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I have since fixed bulb alignment issues.

56BA83E5-B75E-4A10-B128-020620B9EEDA.jpeg

E824FFB3-FDA7-468D-9A9F-3B39500C3169.jpeg
 
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blackbetty14

blackbetty14

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Bad news guys. I tested the morimoto canbus adapters/harness with 45w hylux ballasts on the fogs last night and it’s a no go. Saw the fog flicker a few times and that was all. Looks like I’m going to need that damn $100 harness from TRS. Ugh
 

mpress2570

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When I ran hids in the fogs I did have to use the usual cheap non canbus power harness that hooks to the battery. There are quite a few other members who also don't use any canbus crap on the fogs, simply not needed on the fogs.
Wouldn’t rule of thumb be. If there’s a bulb out warning for that particular bulb then you’ll need canbus, and If there’s not you don’t need it? The electrical is so damn confusing in these trucks.


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