HID success,...then flicker... then kaput.
02-05-2011, 05:41 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
HID success,...then flicker... then kaput.
Installed a set of 55W HIDs and ACA-type projectors today. No issues with up, down, on, off, etc. They fired right up for about ten times, then on 11th, 12th and 13th times, drivers side flickered and wouldn't fire. On the 14th time, dead as a doornail. Connections look fine, everything else still works, just one HID went kaput.
Sound like a ballast gone bad? It was a cheap chinese kit. I'm going to switch the HID bulbs to see if it's the ballast. In the meantime, where can I buy good quality 55W ballasts? Everything on that auction site is chinese stuff. I don't care if it's slim or regular.size. I've heard regular 55w are more dependable.
Sound like a ballast gone bad? It was a cheap chinese kit. I'm going to switch the HID bulbs to see if it's the ballast. In the meantime, where can I buy good quality 55W ballasts? Everything on that auction site is chinese stuff. I don't care if it's slim or regular.size. I've heard regular 55w are more dependable.
Last edited by SugarDemon; 02-05-2011 at 05:44 PM.
02-05-2011, 06:04 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
Did you install a battery based, relay wiring harness?
If not it could well be that your ballasts are not getting the correct voltage/amperage through the wimpy OEM wiring harness. A relay wiring harness will cost you less than $10 off eBay and resolves many HID issues by providing reliable voltage/amperage.
But you could have blown a ballast or bulb. If so even the cheapest HID vendors will likely replace the defective item if your kit is less than 30 days old. Just swap sides to figure which is dead.
If not it could well be that your ballasts are not getting the correct voltage/amperage through the wimpy OEM wiring harness. A relay wiring harness will cost you less than $10 off eBay and resolves many HID issues by providing reliable voltage/amperage.
But you could have blown a ballast or bulb. If so even the cheapest HID vendors will likely replace the defective item if your kit is less than 30 days old. Just swap sides to figure which is dead.
02-05-2011, 06:09 PM
#5
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St. Jude Donor '10-'12
Here's JWMotoring's site.
02-05-2011, 06:36 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
Same thing happened to me, one light would flicker then go out, then on again and finally completely out. The color of the troubled light even began to change before it went out. After troubleshooting the problem it turned out to be the resistor that was connected on the troubled light. After replacing the resistor the lights worked perfectly. May or may not be your problem, but if you have a resistor for your buckets hooked on the same side as the bad light it may be worth a shot. Good luck bro!
02-05-2011, 06:55 PM
#12
What's going on with these HIDs now? I remember when they used to cost $300, also from China, and there was no flickering or even a need for a harness.
Now that they cost $50, they just became POS.
Now that they cost $50, they just became POS.
02-05-2011, 06:57 PM
#13
Racer
Thread Starter
Yeah, that would be the ultimate test to isolate it to the ballast, knowing that the entire passenger side works perfectly. I might do that tomorrow given I'm going to have to take the ballast off anyway.
Vetteman, good suggestion but my 55W kit doesn't have a resistor. I think those are used on 35W kits to provide enough "umph" to make the buckets go up and down. My buckets work fine.
Vetteman, good suggestion but my 55W kit doesn't have a resistor. I think those are used on 35W kits to provide enough "umph" to make the buckets go up and down. My buckets work fine.
02-05-2011, 07:36 PM
#14
Le Mans Master
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One of the wires in my HID's got split through the inside because of the buckets going up and down over time. You might look into that as well. Also, if you can clean the connector with some electronic cleaner it should make a better contact from the factory connector to the HID's socket.
02-05-2011, 08:27 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
If one looks at quality aftermarket lighting systems from Hella, Lucas, HC, etc. they all come with a relay harness. Cheap insurance that could save your ballasts and maybe your multifunction switch.
02-05-2011, 08:51 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
I had a similar problem a few months ago. Had the ACA's on the car for almost 4 years without any problems then one night coming home from the track the passenger side started flickering. Replaced the bulb no fix then ordered a set of ballast's but before replacing them checked the relays and the passenger side was bad. Went to NAPA and they had replacement relays replaced the bad one and fixed my problem. Went and bought a spare to keep in the car just incase the other starts acting up..
02-05-2011, 10:08 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
J
02-05-2011, 10:34 PM
#19
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I have had ACAs for about 4 years. I installed them with the supplied relay harness and I have never had the failure to open or close that so many have reported and used the resistors to correct.......and mine are 35w.
If one looks at quality aftermarket lighting systems from Hella, Lucas, HC, etc. they all come with a relay harness. Cheap insurance that could save your ballasts and maybe your multifunction switch.
If one looks at quality aftermarket lighting systems from Hella, Lucas, HC, etc. they all come with a relay harness. Cheap insurance that could save your ballasts and maybe your multifunction switch.
02-05-2011, 10:35 PM
#20
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