HID help please.

[eko]

Fitted a set of HIDs to early facelift car.
Disconnected and removed the resistor behind the N/S headlight.
Switch the headlights on to test and they dont work.
Plugged the resistor back in and the lights work but are pulsing.
So what do I need to do to get them working?

[Morat]

When I had them on an early facelift (nonsmiley) car they worked fine on dip beam (light switch fully out) but pulsed on sidelights (first position). I never bothered playing with the resistors since I don't drive on sidelights. Does everything work properly with the normal bulbs?

[Morat]

Don't forget they won't work with the engine off because the headlights will go into "dim dip"!

[eko]

With standard bulbs fitted the lights functioned fine.
Since fitting the HIDs(with resistor removed) side lights work fine,pull the switch to dip beam and only side lights are lit,main beam still functions fine.
With the resistor refitted the side lights still work,pull the switch out for dip beam and they pulse.

[aceraf]

You should remove the resistor and then only the side lights (the tiny bulbs) should light up when the light knob is first pulled and the HID's should work when the light knob is pulled out all the way.

[stuartgallafant]

if you remove the resistor, try to connect the 2 lines back together, just without the resistor in there? might work?

[eko]

if you remove the resistor, try to connect the 2 lines back together, just without the resistor in there? might work?

Did think of that but both connectors are male type so wont go together

MrMooore where are you

[stuartgallafant]

dummo what to suggest tony. just thought that by doing that it would create a complete circuit?!

[Morat]

Seems very odd to me. The sidelights are acting normally throughout.
Without the resistor fitted the HIDs should fire with the engine on and switch all the way out. They'll pulse if you leave the headlight knob on sidelights (engine on).
The only thing I can think of is checking that the right Volts/Current are reaching the headlights. If so then you may have a faulty HiD set, but the odds of both being dodgy have got to be pretty long.

[eko]

So the engine has to be running?
Surely just having the ignition switched on will be ok?
If it has to be running then they will just have to wait because half the engine loom is disconneted

Had to be me didnt it

[Sanchez]

is it not just ignition?

[eko]

Oh ive swapped K4 relay too just incase it was dodgy but no difference.

[oze30]

I wired mine across from the OS headlight. this one feeds the Ns llight, bypassing any relays etc. My ns light wouldn't light up no matter what I tried, hence th bypass option!)

[eko]

I wired mine across from the OS headlight. this one feeds the Ns llight, bypassing any relays etc. My ns light wouldn't light up no matter what I tried, hence th bypass option!)

but niether of mine come on unless I go for the police car strobe effect

[eko]

BUMP

Come on guys someone must know
Surely im not the only one this has happened too?
Ive tested both HIDs and ballasts by wiring to a battery charger and both are working fine.

To recap.....

All lights on the car working fine and as they should.
Removed both dipped beam bulbs and fitted HIDs in place.
Plugged the HIDs into the ballasts then switched ignition on to test they work.
Pulled knob out once for sidelights and checked they worked,they did but the centre of the light was glowing too which lead me to disconnecting the resistor behind the headlight.Before disconnecting the resistor I pulled the headlight switch out to see what happened on dipbeam,checked and the HIDs were pulsing.
At this point I switched ignition/lights off and disconnected and removed from the car the resistor leaving the 2 resistor connectors loose.
Turned ignition back on and pulled knob once,sidelights lit up but the middle no longer glowed,spot on I thought.Pulled knob out once more to test dip beam and HIDs are doing nothing just the sidelights still lit.Flick the indicator stalk back and mainbeam is working fine.
While dippedbeam still switched on I plugged the resistor back in and it made them pulse again.
At this point I unplugged the resistor again and it is now out for good.
Ive checked fuses and changed K4 relay just incase but still no HIDs!
Been itching to fit these after 3 months of having them in the kitche,finally get round to doing it and the bastard things wont work

Brian?

[Brianmoooore]

There are two relays (usually yellow) in the front left corner of the glove box, that short out the dim dip resistors when the dipped beams are full on.
The coils of these relays are powered by fuse 10. Is fuse 10 OK?
Don't know if any of your M50 E34 donors are still around, but some E34s have a couple of what looks like yellow relays, but with only two pins on them, fitted in the front fusebox. Inside these 'relays' there is just a solid link between the two pins (30 and 87).
If you can find two of these to replace the relays under the dash, then the dipped beams will no longer be dependant on fuse 10.

[eko]

There are two relays (usually yellow) in the front left corner of the glove box, that short out the dim dip resistors when the dipped beams are full on.
The coils of these relays are powered by fuse 10. Is fuse 10 OK?
Don't know if any of your M50 E34 donors are still around, but some E34s have a couple of what looks like yellow relays, but with only two pins on them, fitted in the front fusebox. Inside these 'relays' there is just a solid link between the two pins (30 and 87).
If you can find two of these to replace the relays under the dash, then the dipped beams will no longer be dependant on fuse 10.

Fuse 10 is fine as are all other fuses.
Good call on the E34 mini relay things as ive got a couple of these in my box of tricks.Ill give it a go tomorrow.
Thanks Brian,saved the day as always

[blingsta]

Tony, dont know about the relay trick that Brian has said, but exactly the same thing happened to me when i installed my hid's.. gonna sound stupid, but i forgot how i worked my way round it.! .. i will find out asap and get back to you mate..

[eko]

Tony, dont know about the relay trick that Brian has said, but exactly the same thing happened to me when i installed my hid's.. gonna sound stupid, but i forgot how i worked my way round it.! .. i will find out asap and get back to you mate..

Ah cool,was beginning to feel a bit of an outcast

Brian,ive replaced both Orange relays behind the glovebox with 2 of the E34 bypass ones.
Result is....Switch ignition on,pull knob out once for sidelights and both the HIDs and sidelights come on.
I could live with it being like this as I never drive with just sidelights anyway but Mr MOT aint going to be happy with it so if it comes to it ill just revert back to standard bulbs for the day.

[blingsta]

i havent forgotten about you mate,, just at work at the mo... will get back to you very soon

[Brianmoooore]

Never had to think about the wiring of this circuit in detail before, because I've never had any problems with it, and, I don't have a accurate and complete wiring diagram.
Since the dip dip system requires the dipped headlamp bulb to be on in both the first and second positions of the lighting switch, instead of just the second position, there must be a wiring change there.
As far as I can tell, the wire from pin 85 of relay K4 is moved from pin 11 of the lighting switch to pin 10. Pin 11 is then connected to pin 85 of the two relays under the glovebox.
Still don't know why your set up didn't work properly with just the resistors unplugged, though. I've converted an E30 with dim dip, and that's all that should need to be done.
The problem centres around the two yellow relays not pulling in. One end of their coils should be getting ignition switched power from fuse 10, and the other end should be earthed by pin 11 of the lighting switch, when this switch is in the second position only.

[eko]

Never had to think about the wiring of this circuit in detail before, because I've never had any problems with it, and, I don't have a accurate and complete wiring diagram.
Since the dip dip system requires the dipped headlamp bulb to be on in both the first and second positions of the lighting switch, instead of just the second position, there must be a wiring change there.
As far as I can tell, the wire from pin 85 of relay K4 is moved from pin 11 of the lighting switch to pin 10. Pin 11 is then connected to pin 85 of the two relays under the glovebox.
Still don't know why your set up didn't work properly with just the resistors unplugged, though. I've converted an E30 with dim dip, and that's all that should need to be done.
The problem centres around the two yellow relays not pulling in. One end of their coils should be getting ignition switched power from fuse 10, and the other end should be earthed by pin 11 of the lighting switch, when this switch is in the second position only.

Bloody hell Brian,gonna have to re read that tomorrow with a clear head
Only thing I can think could be connected to this obviuosly rare problem is the heater also doesnt work.
Know I put the heater not working down to knackered ot siezed motor as ive changed the resistor under the dash,heater still doesnt work on any speed but when I flick the dial between 3 and 4 quickly I can hear the motor trying to go for a second then go quite again?

[Brianmoooore]

Probably irrelevant if you can hear the heater motor trying to go, but the heater fan is also dependant on fuse 10, for the power to the relevant unloader relay coil.

[Niiick]

Is it possible fuse 10 or its terminals are corroded, leading to a high in line resistance?

I only mention it as I had a simultaneous failure of indicators/windows in my Merc recently. A visual inspection of the fuse gave the impression it was okay. Upon removing the fuse the thin strip of metal had virtually oxidised to powder. It was replaced and everything was fine.

[oze30]

Tony, As above. Mine was like that on fuse 10 and on I think 13 (aircon/elec fan)Did my head in for ages until a mate said check all the fuses. Pulling each one and checking them.. If they look like oxidised alum, then change it.

[blingsta]

Tony , when you say you unplugged the resistors, are they the 2 plugs which run under the expansion tank? Thats how i sorted mine mate.. i unplugged them 2 plugs which run from under the expansion tank and the stopped the pulseing !!!

[eko]

Tony , when you say you unplugged the resistors, are they the 2 plugs which run under the expansion tank? Thats how i sorted mine mate.. i unplugged them 2 plugs which run from under the expansion tank and the stopped the pulseing !!!

Yes mate thats exactly what ive done

Brian,which pin on the C101 plug would the relevant wires be for the uploader(heater and lights)?
Reason I ask is this is on the car ive just put the M50 in so could possibly be related?

[Brianmoooore]

Black/green wire through pin 15 of the C101 is for the unloaders, but any problem here would only affect the heater fan, windows/roof and mirrors, not the lights.

[eko]

Replaced heater motor and as expected that is now working fine.
Everything else on the car works as it should including the headlights when normal H1 bulbs are put back in so im going to leave it how it is.Ill just keep the standard bulbs fitted for the MOT then refit the HIDs once its past.

[Morat]

How frustrating! Best of luck though.