Xentec HID Ballast Review - What does waterproof mean? - Better Automotive Lighting

Xentec – providing “HID-Like” electronics since 2008.

I recently had the pleasure of getting my hands on a new Xentec HID kit for testing and review purposes and my expectations were met… however my expectations were that the Xentec product would be complete and total garbage.

Today you can find a complete single beam, 35w HID Kit for sale on eBay for a mere $29.50 shipped from California to anywhere in the United States. Let’s do the math… the cheapest ground shipping for a 2 pound package from CA to NY would cost roughly $5 by shipping through the United States Postal Service using the Parcel Post shipping method. So really, Xentec is selling the entire HID kit for $24.50, which means each ballast will cost about $8 and the bulbs will be roughly $8.50.

Replacement halogen bulbs cost more than an entire Xentec HID kit.

Now, on the other hand, to purchase a set of decent blue halogen light bulbs will cost you around $40 at any reputable parts store, specialty shop or even Wal-Mart, and these are just off the shelf blue tinted halogen bulb replacements. How can Xentec sell an entire HID kit for less than a set of blue light bulbs? Is it magic? No – it’s just dang cheap. If you look at the cost of other HID products you will see a massive difference in pricing versus the Xentec HID kit. For example, you can buy a GTR Lighting single beam 35w HID conversion kit for around $200, and you can buy OEM Philips ballasts and bulbs together, pulled out of a newer Mercedes, for about $900 to make your own retrofit kit.

So, if good HID kits cost around $200 and OEM HID kits cost around $900, how can Xentec sell an HID kit for less than $30? The answer is simple: They build their components with the absolute worst parts, cut corners on quality and design. Waterproofing the ballast? “What does waterproof mean?” Check out this comparison of a GTR Lighting 35w ballast compared to the Xentec 35w ballast:

Comparison between GTR Lighting 35w HID ballast and Xentec 35w ballast showing the difference in weight and waterproofing.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I can’t believe how shoddy the Xentec product really is… and people actually buy this stuff! The circuit board is directly mounted to the aluminum backing plate, and there is no potting, or o-ring or anything to keep dust, water and/or insects out.

Not only does the Xentec ballast lack any type of shock resistance but it is also made of a very cheap feeling plastic for the housing, a little tiny screws that look like they could fall out at any moment. You can see by the comparison of the scale that the GTR Lighting ballast is built much more tough and weighs more than 3 times as much as its Xentec imposter.

After this review I am confident in making the statement that Xentec HID products should not be taken seriously, and they should be considered “imposters” in the HID lighting market. They are more prone to failure than any electronic product I’ve ever seen and I don’t think it is safe to use on any automobile where you will be mounting it to metal, have dust or water near the ballast.

If you want something that is going to work go with the GTR Lighting ballast. It is shock proof, water proof, dust proof and very heavy duty, you won’t be disappointed!