mcm95403

I recently had yet another fog light burn out, so I figured I'd try a $35 HID kit from ebay:


This is the first time I've had any car with HID's so I'm a noob at this.

Installation was simple enough although the plastic ends to plug onto the fog sockets were wrong. I simply plugged the pins directly into the plug for now till I can get the right weatherpack plugs.

When the lights first power on, they have a BRIGHT white start for maybe a 1/10th of a second and then go down to a significantly reduced output - maybe 20% of that initial flash - with much more of a blue hue. Also, while running they have obvious flicker. If this normal for cheapie kits like this? Did I make some obvious mistake in the install?

jbondfl

well, your polarity is correct or they wouldn't light at all.
It could be that the "stuck in pin" connections just can't handle the current very well.

m6 c5

Maybe a lose connection from the improper plugs?

MrGary2011

You get what you pay for!

01magnetic01

Did the kit come with ballasts....if not that may be your problem. It also sounds like you may have the 6000k lights which will have a bluish tint to them. The bright flash upon startup is common on HIDs.

UncleFodder

I think they are running as designed. I've had HID fogs and low beams for years, and they behave much like you describe - a bright 'flash' when first turned on, then they dim and brighten to full in about 2-3 seconds. As someone mentioned, if the polarity was wrong, they wouldn't even turn on.

mosimann

I think that the OP's main concern is the flicker. I do get the same here, specially on the left side. On the right, I got one of those harnesses to plug the HIDs straight to the battery and the flicker is none or less noticeable.

Got lazy to run the wire to the left side and it flickers a lot. Hard to see on the road at night but easy in the garage.

mcm95403

Thanks for the feedback guys. Last night I notcied that I also have the "turn on the running lights and the headlights pop open" syndrome. Only happens when the fogs are set to turn on with the running lights. I had read about that here already.

Yes, they came with ballasts. Very simple install and I lucked out with guessing that the gray wire was the groung, so the first one I tested lit on the first try.

The seller says he'll replace them if needed, but since the ballasts are alreday stuck to the frame rails I'd rather not go that route.

That conversion harness looks great, I'll give it a try!

MrGary2011

That may fix it. But I believe your going to need the resistor to eliminate the pop up headlight issue. When installing HIDs it seems every car responds differently. The reason is the current which confuses the electronics package for lights and headlamps.
JW Motoring has the resistor and it is a quick install, you should not have any worries with the ballast, they are fine.

HIDs are the way to go, I got carried away and did all my lights.

Connections are very important I would very leary of you plugs. Flicker sometimes occurs during the first hours of operation, the gases in the bulb need to settle in to their ionization properties. This can be from 30 min up to the first 24 hours of usage (usually after a hour of use). Best of luck!

m6 c5

May have gotten carried away but it sure looks good, I bet it looks even better at night too.
One day I will get those sun guns...

mcm95403

TOTALLY sold on the HID fog's after the 100 mile drive home from my mom's this evening. They light up areas that never had any light at all before, even with the 50 watt Xenon bulbs I used to have. It's much more than a night and day difference.

Problem now of course is that I'm going to want to do the main lights as well......

jrprich

I have installed several HIDs in several C5s and other cars, NEVER needed resistors when using a proper battery based relay wiring harness. Plus when using a relay harness you keep the loads off your multifunction switch. But everyone has their own methods.

TNX ZORA

If you can remove the significant electrical load of a stock incandescent headight, replace it with the insignificant load of a relay coil, and not need a resistor to make up the difference, you've really accomplished something. To be able to do it numerous times is nothing short of a miracle.

HID's require a much higher voltage to get started and then must drop back to running voltage after they ignite. The flash you see is normal. The flicker could be caused by your less than desirable temporary connection.

jrprich

I don't think there was any divine intervention involved here. Over the years I have installed many types of aftermarket lights such as Hella halogens and similar on several different cars and trucks. I recall that all came with a battery based relay wiring harness in the box. The first set of HIDs I bought back in 07 also came with a harness. When I moved up to ACA projectors I bought mine from ACA when they were just barely still in business and they shipped with high quality Phillips ballasts, lamps and a custom relay harness. So I believe that there was a reason all these lighting vendors included a dedicated wiring harness with their quality lights. BTW, none of the HIDs that I have installed have ever needed resistors to function properly.......but maybe I am just lucky

tak06

I've installed numerous HID's and I believe flickering and color change is a common problem with the inexpensive DC ballasts on the auction site. It's unrealistic to expect OEM type performance from $35 kits. I replaced them with quality OEM type brand ballasts and no more flicker, never had any headlight bucket issues with my ACA's on stock wiring without resistors also. Some do some don't I guess.
http://reviews.ebay.ca/ac-hid-kit-vs...00000019742815

maroman88

i bought the same cheap kit for my truck, cheap ballasts make the flicker!

MrGary2011

Yep! your lucky!
TNX Zora has a good point about load, by taking away the usual load (lamps) and placing the relay as the load (hardly any due the harness providing power on a different circuit) , the current is different and the onboard computer can get confused. By adding the resistor you are essentually putting back the sensed load!
Course one install on a vette does not really add credance to "many installed". When installing mine, I was also lucky, untill I added HI beam HIDs, then I had interesting things happen with my headlights going down, installed the resistor, no more issues. Having been in a group "Sun Guns how to install" with over 20 various C5's our install forum showed an unbelieaved variance in problems related to the headlamps motor (vary interesting and broad). I was one of those lucky guys and bragged about how mine worked well (right).
Those "dedicated vendors" are not corvette dedicated! Check out JW Motoring for the resistor, its cheap, easy to install and solves the problem!

tak06

You're probably right about the need for resistors if you add HID high beams however with the HID lows and 6000k Hid fogs it's bit of overkill.
Usually all I need for driving is the fogs and rarely do I even use the low beams.

MrGary2011

Good point but LEO don't like it, I got busted for that mode of night travel!

Bluefire

I have ran 6000K HID's low and fog for four years now. Never a passenger flash or a word from John Law.

FWIW - It isn't a matter of a miracle/luck whether the relay harness or resistors work or don't. The OEM system expects to read the current going through a 55 ohm/watt OEM bulb. Aftermarket ballasts offer 35 ohms to the system. The system freaks and either doesn't light them or they won't close. The relay harness (through the relays coil resistance) or a (fixed 55 ohm resistor) shows the system 55 ohms it requires to beleive the system is functioning properly. No magic.