Before I Order Error Cancellers...

[mweiss]

'Just completed my second HID upgrade, this time on the wife's '06 Explorer.

Unlike my '98, this truck has more computerized stuff, and the instrument comms panel is reporting headlamp problems, which I tended to expect.

What I did NOT expect was that the high beams would not work properly with the engine RUNNING. Here's what's happening:

Engine off: Low and High beam on the bi-xenon HID bulbs works as it should. Solenoid pulls in and bulb does high beam.

Engine running: Low beam okay, but high beam is flickering and both headlamps are emitting an audible, steady chatter or vibration. The 'relay' module that is part of the HID kit is also chattering.

I think that what's happening is the truck's electronics are pulsating the high beam at a rapid rate due to the error condition. This clears up when the engine is switched off.

I would hope the 'error cancellers' solve this problem as well as the dash display errors.

Has anyone experienced 'chattering' on late-model Explorers with HID upgrade kits, and if so, was the addition of the 'error cancellers' the solution to the chatter of the solenoids on high beams?

 

[Degz3vEB]

i too am interested in knowing the answers to your particular problems, i have just purchased the retro-solutions kit, and need to get the error cancelors if they are needed.

 

[mweiss]

Here's an update:

I happened to be at my Ford dealer last week to have some weatherstripping replaced, and asked about the HID and the BCM/ECM programming while there.

Their tech spent a bit looking into it, and came out 1/2 hour later and told me the following:

The only reflash they have is for trucks with aux plow lights. There isn't an HID option for the ECM.

He said my only solution will be to install four resistors for the 'dummy' loads.

Because the new Fords use pulsating 12V power to the headlights (this is to increase bulb life by making the filaments run cooler), you will also need about 6,800uF of capacitance across the socket that is used to feed lo/hi beam switching to the HID kit's sensing wires.

Retro-Solutions is ordering more 6.5-ohm, 50W resistors. They sent me two, and I will need a total of four.

Instead of hacking into the harness, I ordered two male 9008 connectors and one female 9008 connector, to make an error cancelling harness that will plug and play in the system without any splicing needed.

We're in the middle of being dumped on by three snow storms at the moment and my X's are under 2' of snow at the moment, so not much happening on the installation front while waiting for the connectors and resistors to arrive.

That's the latest. It is necessary to make the system think the headlamps are present (as in halogen). This must be done exactly, or the body control module might not go into sleep (standby) mode and drain the battery.

 

[Degz3vEB]

Here's an update:

I happened to be at my Ford dealer last week to have some weatherstripping replaced, and asked about the HID and the BCM/ECM programming while there.

Their tech spent a bit looking into it, and came out 1/2 hour later and told me the following:

The only reflash they have is for trucks with aux plow lights. There isn't an HID option for the ECM.

He said my only solution will be to install four resistors for the 'dummy' loads.

Because the new Fords use pulsating 12V power to the headlights (this is to increase bulb life by making the filaments run cooler), you will also need about 6,800uF of capacitance across the socket that is used to feed lo/hi beam switching to the HID kit's sensing wires.

Retro-Solutions is ordering more 6.5-ohm, 50W resistors. They sent me two, and I will need a total of four.

Instead of hacking into the harness, I ordered two male 9008 connectors and one female 9008 connector, to make an error cancelling harness that will plug and play in the system without any splicing needed.

We're in the middle of being dumped on by three snow storms at the moment and my X's are under 2' of snow at the moment, so not much happening on the installation front while waiting for the connectors and resistors to arrive.

That's the latest. It is necessary to make the system think the headlamps are present (as in halogen). This must be done exactly, or the body control module might not go into sleep (standby) mode and drain the battery.

Holy crap balls batman.......i have just recieved my retro kit today. I was away to go install it when i decided to take one more look at this thread.

im kind of electric retarded so that ^^^ looks like chineese arithmatic to me. if you could do a walkthrough when you get the gear and do the modifications, that would be highly appreciated.

 

[mweiss]

I am still waiting for a set of 9008 connectors so I can make a plug and play harness with the resistors and capacitor. I ordered the connectors from SUVlights.com, and they haven't sent a shipment notice in over a week, so I don't know if they're on the way, or my order is still in a queue, but when I get them, I will work on the harness in the shop and, if the weather is not too bad, will attempt to install it and let you know how it goes.

Right now, in downtown driving, I and my wife have not even felt a need to use the high beams, as the lows provide ample light. I also noticed that people are not cutting us off in traffic by pulling out in front of us within 50', so the lights are more attention-getting and seem to reduce the possibility of a T-bone collision because the other driver "didn't see me coming."

 

[mweiss]

We've been in a deep freeze here in the northeast for the past week, but I chose to take advantage of one afternoon where we topped 20ºF and install my homemade error canceller for the driver's side.

It consists of two 6-ohm, 50W resistors, two 2200uF 25V capacitors and a pair of 9008 connectors, a male and a female.

I have to purchase two more resistors for the passenger side, but I have done the driver's side, which controls the biXenon solenoid.

I am pleased to report that the system works. No more chattering on high beams and no check lamp errors for the left side. Only the right side remains, because I don't yet have the resistors to make the right side harness adapter yet, but the resistors will work there too.

The thing that is disappointing about this whole thing is that my desire to save energy by using the 35W HID as opposed to 55/60W halogens is out the window, plus I had to drill holes all over the truck to mount these resistors for heat sinking. So now its like running two sets of lights and the load on the electrical system is more than with the stock lamps. To the good side, the visibility is terrific at night. I drove it last night and it was a pleasure to drive in the evening and have high beam available for the longer throw.