What in the hell just happened?!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
What in the hell just happened?!
I'm running custom HID projectors in my C5 (Radioflyers Light Cannons)
I disconnected the battery to install a new sub and amp yesterday. When I reinstalled the battery, I was hearing some little light clicking sound from my right front quarter. When I turned on the headlights, I noticed that the right HID is out?! How in the heck did disconnecting and reconnecting the battery blow out my headlamp ballast, if that's what happened?
It's always something!! 
I disconnected the battery to install a new sub and amp yesterday. When I reinstalled the battery, I was hearing some little light clicking sound from my right front quarter. When I turned on the headlights, I noticed that the right HID is out?! How in the heck did disconnecting and reconnecting the battery blow out my headlamp ballast, if that's what happened?
It's always something!!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
Didn't go away... I'm running HID's in my high beams as well. Both sides, high beams are fine. Left side, low beam is fine. Right side, FUBAR. I don't get how reconnecting the battery could damage the ballast. It just doesn't make sense to me, but that's the only thing I can figure.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
No, it is not trying to fire the bulb. It's been several cycles now and I think that the ballast got damaged somehow. Like I said, as I was reconnecting the battery, I heard a series of strange, light, clicking sounds up in that front right corner. Which I assume was the ballast kicking up a ruckus for some weird reason. I'm hoping that when I was running my wiring for the sub, I didn't yank on the harness too hard and screw something up that way. RF, I checked the inline fuses on your wiring harness, they were both fine. And I should hasten to add that the ballast in question was not one of yours that you sold me. I guess I'll have to pull the headlamp assembly and take a look in there. I think I have a spare 55w ballast in the garage, so I should be able to determine rather quickly if that's the culprit. I'm hoping so, because 55w 5000k bulbs are a pain to find.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,550
Likes: 903
From: Republic of Texas
swap the bulbs from left to right side to see if the problem is the bulb or ballast. If it turns out to be the bulb, I have an extra H9 55w bulb in 5k that came in a mis-matched set from DDM tuning. Let me know if you need it, i'll sell it for a steal. 
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
Thanks, but rather than pull both headlamps assemblies, I'm going to try swapping the ballast, rather than the bulb, since I have an extra ballast on hand. If the bulb still won't fire with the replacement ballast, I'll know it's the bulb and I'll shoot you a PM. Thanks!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 5
From: "This is not a psychotic episode, but a cleansing moment of clarity."
George,
I tried swapping the bulb (as it turns out, I have a spare pair of 55w 5000k H9's) as well as the ballasts, and no worky. So, I found out what the problem is (sort of). I checked for voltage and I'm not getting any off the custom harness you created on that side. Both 10A fuses in the harness by the battery connection are intact. I'm also getting power to my low beam factory harness - my halos are tapped into that one and both are firing, no problem.
So... Just the right side of your harness is not delivering power, which leads me to the relay in the harness. Is is possible that the clicking I heard was the relay getting damaged as I was re-attaching the battery? Is is possible that only one side of your custom harness would be out due to the damaged relay? If so, please tell me what the relay is and where I can find a replacement. I think that may be the culprit.
I tried calling you, but got your voice mail, which is full and accepting no more messages. You're a popular guy!
I tried swapping the bulb (as it turns out, I have a spare pair of 55w 5000k H9's) as well as the ballasts, and no worky. So, I found out what the problem is (sort of). I checked for voltage and I'm not getting any off the custom harness you created on that side. Both 10A fuses in the harness by the battery connection are intact. I'm also getting power to my low beam factory harness - my halos are tapped into that one and both are firing, no problem.
So... Just the right side of your harness is not delivering power, which leads me to the relay in the harness. Is is possible that the clicking I heard was the relay getting damaged as I was re-attaching the battery? Is is possible that only one side of your custom harness would be out due to the damaged relay? If so, please tell me what the relay is and where I can find a replacement. I think that may be the culprit.
I tried calling you, but got your voice mail, which is full and accepting no more messages. You're a popular guy!
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