Hi George, Ok so it seems that the SLC v3 is the newest model of the kit that I have. For the part that wires into the fuse box that keeps the high beam and low on at the same time when the high beam is engaged, if that goes out will that cause my headlights to not work at all? I have no idea why my headlights just quit working and can't see any reason that they did. No fuses appear to be blown and It's on both sides, so I have to think that it's from a single component that controls both lights. Perhaps I'm missing something?

Has any of the hardware changed like the aluminum frame that holds the lights? It looks like the lenses and the shroud are still the same. I am interested to upgrade to the new projectors and harness if required, but only want to upgrade what's new and not the whole kit if everything fits into my existing one. Thanks for your quick response!

 

That harness is called the HI-4 harness. it keeps the low beams on when the high beams are activated (the lows normally shut off).
If the low beams don't work at all, I would check (in the following order)
1. Fuses for low beams. Make sure they are good and fully seated
2. Wiring from low beams from factory connectors to projectors to make sure the wiring is intact and there are no breaks in the wires.

 

I did try the fuses and I don't see any issues or breaks with the wires from the low beams wires to the projectors. I took a video (attached) and you can hear the clicks in it when I turn on the driving lights then when I try to turn on the headlights manually nothing happens at all and you can see this in the reflection of the windows in front of me. The angel eyes come on no problem. Then when I hit the high beams, they seem to come on and you can see the low beams briefly flash and hear a buzz then they go off. Thoughts? Never mind my dirty dash it's been sitting in the garage with the top down. lol Also, if I wanted to upgrade to the SLCv3 lights can I just buy the bulbs, harness, and projectors (if they aren't the same instead of the whole kit?

 

Here is another video as well that you can hear the low beams buzzing when I hit the high beams to come on.

 

Ok one last video that I hope can help isolate and troubleshoot this situation George. Otherwise, I'm thinking I will need new equipment.

 

Based on the video it looks like low current/voltage getting to the HID ballasts. The fact that they try to fire up is a good sign. Try with the engine running.

 

George Argel has spent countless hours perfecting his lighting. I have a set of his HID bi-Xenon projectors and I aimed them against a smooth white surface as he explains. I have never been flashed, nor do I find a problem with the cutoff.
I know Daniel Stern and he is the authority on vehicle lighting.
Lot’s of misinformation based on anecdotal opinions in this thread.
LED bulbs are NOT compatible with the lens characteristics of a halogen headlight.

 

Thanks George, I did try with the engine running as well and it didn't work. What's interesting is that the HID flappers go up and down for Hi Beam no problem so I know that they're getting getting power. I did try to check with my volt meter from the ballast lines to the bulbs and I couldn't get anything so I'm thinking it's that both ballasts went out at the same time. However, that strikes me as pretty strange though too. I wonder if they took a power spike of some sort at the same time and it blew them. After I unplugged everything and plugged it all back in I now don't even get the buzzing and the lights flickering on either one....

 

It's possible. If you're interested, it's pretty easy to exchange the HID projectors for our new LED ones and the clearances are much easier to work with. Shoot me an email: president@sharplightinnovations.com

 

Have you ‘renovated’ all of your ground points?

 

Our kits use the factory power/ground in the connector except for the HI-4 harness which grounds near the battery. If the issue was a ground, I would not expect the HID to even attempt to fire.

 

Seems pretty strange. I spend a LOT of time out at night, in and out of vehicles and in near total darkness. While I have experienced eye "strain", its generally from attempting to stare at something too intently that is obscured or just beyond the eyes capability to focus on. In either case, lighting has nothing to do with it. In fact, most of us would see much better if everyone would turn the lights WAY down. But cultural lighting just keeps getting brighter and brighter, causing motorists night vision to be impaired by the bright lights, so now vehicles must be brighter to keep up, and on and on it goes. Even wearing NVGs can have temporary negative effects on your night vision. Much shorter duration than the effects of white light, but its there.

Dim headlights, such as our factory setups, or the lights in my 36 plymouth, would not have been a problem when everyone's lights were the same and cultural lighting was much lower than it is now. Sometimes I wish we could go back to that. Even properly aimed lights will affect your night vision negatively. But that isnt changing anytime soon. So for my C5 I went with SharpLight Innovations. Actually, I got his Night Flyer package many years ago at a great price thanks to a promotion he was running at the time. Im very pleased with the lights and I can tell you from experience that if you have any issues during the install he is more than happy to help you out. But as mentioned, there is no cutting of wires, everything plugs in nice and clean. And I understand they have only improved in the years since I got my set (2013).

 

Unpopular Opinion:

I think the stock lights are more than adequate. I drive country roads at night for 40 minutes every day. high beams and lows do just fine.

Maybe it's because I also drive crummy old work vans from the late 90s and early 2000s, but when I'm in the vette I don't have much to complain about.

 

I think a fact that is often forgotten....the stock lights are satisfactory WHEN THE FRONT LENS is cleaned and polished. Makes a world of difference after 20 some odd years of yellow/crud buildup!

 

THere is a big difference between country roads at night vs city driving where you are constantly assaulted with brighter lights from cars, billboards, etc.

 

I know in Virginia, where I use to live, your headlight aim has to be correct as you have state vehicle inspections and they will adjust them or require you to do so, but in Florida where I reside now, if you ask an auto shop to adjust your headlights they look at you like you have 2 heads and do pretty much what you can do yourself! But I agree although not inexpensive, ACA headlights are the way to go!

 

One night in rain with no moon and stock lights made my headlight upgrade decision easy. Driving on roads you know is different than not knowing them and in my case with the rain and light fog, the stock lights just weren't good. Now with my ACA's, I can see again on back roads and things like smaller holes, thin shoulders and such are much easier seen. Plus that "knight rider" looking stock lens housing just begs to be updated.

 

The stock headlights are not bright at all. Not that there necessarily dangerous but once you have installed any kind of LED, you will see the light, ha. I went with the Knight Drive TV round headlights. They are a bright set of LED lights and look good on the C5. The only complaint I have with the C5 is the look of the headlights when they are in use. The Knight Drive TV are called sleepy eye. They only go up 4-5 inches and look really good on the car. They are very reasonably priced as well.

 

KDTV headlights rule

 

Night drive?... I just take her Tiyota and SEE!