Problems with Depos w/HIDS
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,981
Likes: 37
From: Piedmont, SC Currently Own: 99 Nassau blue FRC. Previously Owned: 84,95,98 Indy Pace,01 Z06
Problems with Depos w/HIDS
Hey guys, I currently have a set of Depos with HIDS. I purchased these used and finally got around to installing them about a week ago. The problem I am having is that when I turn my lights on, I don't have any headlights, except when I switch to bright lights. When I switch to bright lights, the inner buld on each side is the only ones lit up. Are both bulbs supposed to be lit when bright lights are turned on, or is this correct? I don't know if I just have a bulb burned out or what. I have double checked the connections and I still get the same. With those bulbs being hids, I guess I will have to order new ones to see if that fixes the problem. Is it likely for both low bean bulbs to be burned out? Any ideas? TIA
-Jason
-Jason
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,981
Likes: 37
From: Piedmont, SC Currently Own: 99 Nassau blue FRC. Previously Owned: 84,95,98 Indy Pace,01 Z06
I don't know if both are Hid or not. If both were Hid, then the hi beams would not come on if the ballast were bad , correct?
Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
From: Loxahatchee FL
ok, need more info at this time, year, did you have HID lights when bought the car? does the depos have a ballast with them or did you have to put them in? if your highs were HID you would no right away but the brightness, they wouldn't have the normal yellowish tint to them and they need to warm up a little to give you the full brightness of the light. If you have HID highs and they work it is most likely the low bulbs.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,981
Likes: 37
From: Piedmont, SC Currently Own: 99 Nassau blue FRC. Previously Owned: 84,95,98 Indy Pace,01 Z06
ok, need more info at this time, year, did you have HID lights when bought the car? does the depos have a ballast with them or did you have to put them in? if your highs were HID you would no right away but the brightness, they wouldn't have the normal yellowish tint to them and they need to warm up a little to give you the full brightness of the light. If you have HID highs and they work it is most likely the low bulbs.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,472
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
I have a '99 FRC. The car had factory lights as far as I know, I purchased the car when it was basically a shell. Transferred over parts from a 2001 wrecked Z06. The depos do have a ballast with them. The high beam lights don't appear to be yellow upon first startup, but then again I haven't looked at them at night to make sure.
Have you checked for 12 volts and ground to the connector that goes to the ballast?
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 635
Likes: 0
From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
I am with lucky on this one, flip your input from the car to the ballast around and I bet they turn on. About a 50/50 chance the chinese garbage is backwards. This seems to happen to me alot, the worst being the latest fuel pump I installed in my c5 that was pinned incorrectly, was I pissed.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,472
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,981
Likes: 37
From: Piedmont, SC Currently Own: 99 Nassau blue FRC. Previously Owned: 84,95,98 Indy Pace,01 Z06
Hey guys, sorry I haven't got around to test for 12 volts yet. I had to install another new waterpump today as the new one I purchased had two leaks coming from it. I sent a pm to the previous owner of the HIDS/Depos and he said that since I just have two ballasts, then only the low beams are HIDS. The HIDS were installed in the depos when I purchased them and they worked fine according to the previous owner. Sounds like the ballasts are bad.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,981
Likes: 37
From: Piedmont, SC Currently Own: 99 Nassau blue FRC. Previously Owned: 84,95,98 Indy Pace,01 Z06
Ok guys, I finally got my car out of the paint shop so now I can look a little farther into this issue. I have now since changed the wires around going into the ballast and they now work. I am now having issues of them flickering at times and then one will go out. From researching, I have found that this is a common problem when a car has DRL's when using HID's. It is not a ballast or bulb issue. Anybody have a solution to this? I know many on this forum have stated that theirs had the flickering issue, but I have not really seen what the solution was to the problem.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Ok guys, I finally got my car out of the paint shop so now I can look a little farther into this issue. I have now since changed the wires around going into the ballast and they now work. I am now having issues of them flickering at times and then one will go out. From researching, I have found that this is a common problem when a car has DRL's when using HID's. It is not a ballast or bulb issue. Anybody have a solution to this? I know many on this forum have stated that theirs had the flickering issue, but I have not really seen what the solution was to the problem.