Who's mounted large HID Ballasts on a Gen II?

[RiderCoach Lar]

So I scored a set of Hella Micro DE Xenon driving lights last week and I've been attempting to install them on my '06. Problem is, they came with full-size ballasts (approx. 4.5"x4.5"x1"). I was able to mount the left ballast inside the lower cowling, right behind the marker light housing. Can't do the same with the right one and I'm wondering what everyone/ anyone else has done. I see that bramfrank has his wedged between the right lower cowling and the frame. I just searched and I either overlooked other options, or they haven't been posted yet.

What say you, brothers and sisters? Where do you mount full sized ballasts on a GenII?

 

[canyonman]

I got one stuffed between the glove box and the back of the left headlight housing. barely.

I'm only running one.

 

[Ignacio]

Hella DS2 and Gen 2 are not very compatible as talked about before here.

It's very tough in the Gen 2 to find a location in the nose for those combination ballast/igniters. The special high voltage cables (not at all the same as the other kits that have igniter and ballast separate) can't be extended as far as I know....and even if it's OK to extend the length sourcing the special cable and swedging tools is probably not practical.

You *may* find space above the reflectors, but if memory serves there's substantially more metal structure in the Gen 2 that makes nooks and crannies much harder to find. I was able to put them there in my Gen 1 with creative zip tie mechanics and just barely avoid the windshield mechanism.

But, my best guess would be between the reflector. I don't think that space changed and where I put some of my ballasts on my low beam conversion. Think strong double-sided sticky tape.

Both of these would require removing the nose of course...which isn't as daunting as you might think...when viewed from a winter project perspective.

Other options would be sacrificing the glove compartment, secured right by the glove compartment in the fairing area, or maybe under the reflectors. Options are just very limited unless you take the whole nose apart like a jigsaw puzzle.

 

[bmwhd]

Before I switched to the thin ballasts, I had the full size jobs on my '06. I put one in the glove box and one directly aft of the glove box near the coolant bottle. VERY tight fit but it worked.

The thin ballast/igniters go up under the headlight housing in the chin fairing. The full size jobs could be placed there if you cut out a bit of the fairing but they'd be awfully exposed to the elements.

 

[RiderCoach Lar]

Some good ideas there, Iggy. Thanks. I hadn't even thought of some of those spots, probably because I was trying to avoid taking the nose apart. It sounds like that might be a worthwhile endeavor in order to find a good hiding spot within the high voltage cable's reach of the lamp. In the glove box might work for me; behind will not. I have my GXM-30 XM radio attenna for the Zumo custom mounted there.

I already called Hella to see if they had a thinner ballast available. They didn't and wouldn't/couldn't recommend any others. Todd, I'd be interested to know whose you're using...just in case.

I'm no stranger to projects being more complicated and time-consuming than originally planned, but this going to be a new personal best :eh-smiley: