HID issue - UPDATE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS

Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:11 pm

just fitted some HIDs to my 3eo 325 touring. i disconnected the plugs shown here to get rid of the flickering dim dip thingy...

but there is another issue...

the drivers side buld does not seem to light up the same all the time. it stays on bright all the time, but it looks as though the bulb is moving slightly in the holder. this is noticeable when the lights are shining on the rear bumper in front, and when parked up in front of my garage door. the bulb is secured as instructed and the connections are good.

anyone know what it might be?

Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:45 pm

been thinking... could mounting the ballast here be the cause? is it getting hot do you think?

Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:05 pm

scrap that. justturned the bulbs on and i get the same thing. engine has been cooling for a good hour and i didnt start the engine.

Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:50 pm

On just one headlamp unit of the few I've converted, I found the hole in the headlamp unit to be slightly too small for the HID burner to fit in, and had to relieve the sides of the hole very slightly, with a Dremel. The burner in question fitted other headlamps OK, and other burners wouldn't fit the headlamp, so the fault was definitely with the headlamp.
There has been at least one other post on here with the same problem as well, so worth checking it's seating properly.

Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:53 pm

the bulbs are seated fine. i checked a few times.

what i'm gonna do in the morning is swap the ballast packs over. if the problem swaps sides i recon its the pack, but if it stays put, its the bulb.

Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:04 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:On just one headlamp unit of the few I've converted, I found the hole in the headlamp unit to be slightly too small for the HID burner to fit in, and had to relieve the sides of the hole very slightly,.

I had the same problem (passenger side IIRC) just filed it out a wee bit

No such problem with the DEPO's tho

Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:05 pm

You might have a slight reduction in voltage to the balast ,mine sometimes dont light unless the engine is running I am going to wire up a relay near the head light to get a better feed to it
thinking is that the 21 year old wing may have a resistance to it

Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:07 pm

Occasionally i have one which doesn't light 1st time

I just leave it for a minute and then it seems to work fine

Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:10 pm

yeah having moaned about it , it works fine second time, just got to be careful in daylight fog that both have come on

Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:21 am

well i swapped the ballast packs over and the probelm stayed on the drivers side. i once again checked the connections and that the bulb is seated correctly and all is good. the probelm persistes when the engine is on or off, and the car is parked up not moving at all.

time for new bulbs i think...

Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:04 am

got new bulbs in the post and still the problem persists. even when i sawp the ballast packs over, the problem is still there. must be the wiring of the car... standard bulbs put back in.

Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:02 pm

If it is just the one side of the car, no matter if the ballasts are swapped and a new bulb is would have to have something to do with the wiring surely?

Therefore I cannot begin to think why you asked me for a refund? There were working 100% when removed from my car, and as above you have proved it cannot be the HID kit at fault?

Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:10 pm

Measure the DC voltage present at the 12 volt connectors to the ballasts, with the engine running and the lights on.

Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:25 pm

Doddy wrote:If it is just the one side of the car, no matter if the ballasts are swapped and a new bulb is would have to have something to do with the wiring surely?

Therefore I cannot begin to think why you asked me for a refund? There were working 100% when removed from my car, and as above you have proved it cannot be the HID kit at fault?

no porbs mate. i'll just sell the kit on...

Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:57 pm

Do the test that Brianmoooore mentioned, if i remeber the wireing route for the headlamps it goes down the N/S wing to the N/S lights then across behind the bumper to the O/S, it might be getting a lower voltage which would explain why my O/S HID always lights fractionally after the N/S

Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:21 pm

O/S does have a little more wire in the circuit, but, depending on voltage measurements, I'd be turning my attention to the yellow relays behind the glovebox.

Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:40 pm

right update time... with a brand new kit fitted, it is exactly the same. pleeease help!

I DID THE TEST BRIAN SAID AQND I GET 12.5 ODD VOLTSD EACH SIDE (WAS A WHILE BACK THAT I DID THE TEST) caps lock sorry.

Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:41 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:O/S does have a little more wire in the circuit, but, depending on voltage measurements, I'd be turning my attention to the yellow relays behind the glovebox.

are these a common fault? are they readily available new?

Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:01 pm

no2lurch wrote:
Brianmoooore wrote:O/S does have a little more wire in the circuit, but, depending on voltage measurements, I'd be turning my attention to the yellow relays behind the glovebox.
are these a common fault? are they readily available new?

No, they're not a common fault, but neither is the problem you're having!
They are part of the (now redundant) dim dip circuit, and aren't required at all.
They can both be removed, and pins 30 and 87 linked together.

Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:51 pm

just driving home, something suddenly dawned on me. when i have the last kit and i connected the ballast back with bulb connected to that direct to the battery, i got the same problem. as i thought this ment the ballast pack was knackered, i then tried a brand new kit. but as i know know the old ballast pack was the same, and its not the headlight circuit at fault.

what else could be the fault? battery? i get good volatge though...

Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:12 pm

ive mounted my ballast packs on the back of the lamps where the headlight wipers where

Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:08 pm

town325i wrote:ive mounted my ballast packs on the back of the lamps where the headlight wipers where

me too, but still the problem

Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:31 pm

what connectors have you used to join the loom?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:41 am

the joints are soldered. the thing i cant understand is when connected direct to the battery, i get the same problem.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:47 am

Check your charge rate you should get up to 14 volts at the battery engine at a fast tick over
is the head lamp unit moving slightly?

Thu Dec 04, 2008 2:14 pm

Right guys, sorry to dig up an old thread and all that but I've fitted a HID kit to my car and the passenger side light doesn't work.

I've done all the obvious tests (swapping ballasts/bulbs from good side to duff side and vice versa) but still the passenger side light will not work. So I'm assuming that the kit itself is ok as both bulbs and ballasts work but only on the driver's side.

I've read through this post and I see the problem with this car was on the driver's side, but mine has it on the passenger side - ANY IDEAS PLEASE? I'm very annoyed with this now...

Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:25 pm

The only thing it can be, is that it's not getting power properly.
Connect a 21W 12 volt bulb across the two supply wires to the non working ballast with it still connected up.
Treat the wires to the burner with respect, in case the ballast comes to life, as they can have a thousand or so volts on them!