HELP - HID Bulb Install

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Oct 31, 2007 | 07:25 PM

#21

jdmvette

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From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrprich

It is because the HID's pull so much less current than the regular bulbs

Wondering.......if the problems like lights refusing to go down are really caused by the low current draw..perhaps someone should try an inline resistor like many use with LEDs that strobe.......to "fool" the computer into thinking the HIDs are Halogens ?

Any thoughts on this?

jdmvette, you are our light expert........your thoughts ?

i haven't had any experience with this problem, because my lights have always popped up/down. the lights in my kit are also 35w so i'm assuming it's the way they are wired is how they are staying up.

i am not sure if this helps anyone with bulb HID kits, but this is how my wiring looks:

as you can see, the high beam (red/black wires) have a white wire that taps into the low beam wiring (@ white plug) which then runs to the ballast.

maybe you can try something similar?

Oct 31, 2007 | 07:36 PM

#22

jrprich

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From: Hillsboro Oregon

Actually my kits are not showing any of these issues.

I was just musing on the issues others are having and I know you have a lot of experience with lighting.
And I recall reading many post about LEDs fooling the computers by their low current draw.......and this seems similar to what users are seeing with the HID kits.

Thanks

Oct 31, 2007 | 11:45 PM

#23

dataporter

Burning Brakes

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From: Atwater CA

2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Maverick

It is because the HID's pull so much less current than the reguar bulbs
~Maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneakelman

Same thing happens to mine. It's because of the low current pull on the bulbs. They draw so little that the module thinks there is a bulb out. Doesn't do it if you flip the switch to high beams BEFORE turning on the lights.

Well, I'm thinking that when you first turn HIDs on, they pull more amps than the stock ones to get them lit up, that is why some of these kits and threads etc talk about increasing the fuse size from 15a to 20a, and or having the engine running before turning them on. The ballast has to build up a very large electric charge to get the xenon excited and lit. Once they are lit they only pull a third or so of the power the stock ones require. It is similiar to fluorescent lights in the house or in an office, it takes a lot of power to start them, but once they are going, much less than incandescent lights. The suggestion to have the high beams on before turning the lights on so they pop up is a great idea. LEDs on the other hand do not have a ballast, they just take way less power from the get go, so I can see how the system might think a bulb was out. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, ideas and opinions! That is why this forum is so cool!

Last edited by dataporter; Oct 31, 2007 at 11:48 PM.

Oct 31, 2007 | 11:54 PM

#24

dataporter

Burning Brakes

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From: Atwater CA

2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified

JDMVETTE do you have your HIDs in the High Beams or in the Low Beams or both?? Mine are 9006 replacements in the low beams.

Nov 1, 2007 | 12:04 AM

#25

jdmvette

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From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here

Quote:

Originally Posted by dataporter

JDMVETTE do you have your HIDs in the High Beams or in the Low Beams or both?? Mine are 9006 replacements in the low beams.

mine are a different kit, projector HID in low, 65w halogen 9011 HIR1 in high. the kit is made by ACA.

Nov 1, 2007 | 12:09 AM

#26

dataporter

Burning Brakes

Joined: Oct 2005

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From: Atwater CA

2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdmvette

mine are a different kit, projector HID in low, 65w halogen 9011 HIR1 in high. the kit is made by ACA.

Aaah, very nice!! The extra wire you referred to earlier is probably to keep the low beam HIDs on with the high beams... dp

Nov 1, 2007 | 12:16 AM

#27

jdmvette

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From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here

that's true. it also could help with keeping the headlamps closed when you hit the switch...i don't know.

Nov 1, 2007 | 12:27 AM

#28

dataporter

Burning Brakes

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From: Atwater CA

2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified

I have no trouble with them closing! It seems like every other time I turn them on, the lights come on BUT they don't pop up. I have to turn them off, then right back on and up they come.

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Nov 1, 2007 | 12:31 AM

#29

jrprich

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Joined: May 2006

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From: Hillsboro Oregon

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdmvette

that's true. it also could help with keeping the headlamps closed when you hit the switch...i don't know.

as you can see, the high beam (red/black wires) have a white wire that taps into the low beam wiring (@ white plug) which then runs to the ballast.

Sorry to appear dense, but it is kinda hard to see, does this white wire run from the hot lead on the low beam HID bulb to the hot lead on the halogen high beam?

But if the white is just a jumper between the low and high hot wires that would turn the high beams on with the lows and vice versa..........so that doesn't seem likely

Last edited by jrprich; Nov 1, 2007 at 09:45 AM.

Nov 1, 2007 | 12:43 AM

#30

jdmvette

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From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here

it looks like the white wire taps into the red high beam wire at the bulb, but i'm not sure which wire it taps into at the low beam without going back in there.

i'll check it out next time i'm in there.

Aug 11, 2008 | 05:09 PM

#31

Black Out

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Joined: Jun 2008

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From: Lapeer Michigan

Old thread but just curious if someone has found the fix after installing HID's and their headlights won't pop up the first couple of tries. I've been doing a lot of searching and I'm wondering if I do the small 194 bulb install on my headlight wiring harness if it will in fact allow my car to notice more of a draw from the headlights and allow them to pop up everytime I turn them on.

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