First post, need a little hid help

[itallian1488]

Ok so first HI TO ALL!!! I'm new to this forum, I just purchased a 2006 explorer xlt....great suv, Love it so far.
Now my question.... I have an HID kit, the ballasts and lights have worked fine on my jeep grand cherokee for about 6 months now...well my wife is now driving the jeep and doesn't want HID's so I bought the H13 Hi/low (hi halogen/ low HID) 8000k bulbs and used the ballasts off the jeep....I installed them yesterday on the explorer and they worked fine when the explorer was turned OFF....I turned the car on and they flicker bad, they actually look like strobe lights. So I turned the lights and the car off....then turned the lights on again, there fine. So I turned everything off, disconnected the battery, checked my installation and fuses, all good. Turned them on again with the car running still flickering, then the right side turned off completely won't come back on.....but the Hi Halogen work on both....so I can't drive around like this, what can I do?

 

[explornj]

i know someone that has the same issue with hid's on a new mustang it's something with the way electical system is set up he said he found a kit that rewires the system to run directly off the battery but all he did was make sure to turn his headlights on before starting the car and the lights work fine

 

[itallian1488]

My right light is still not working though....do you happen to know where I could get this kit?? Thank you for your help.

 

[explornj]

i will see what i can find out

 

[itallian1488]

Ok so check this out....I just turned the lights on (explorer off and NO key in ignition) and only the left light worked....so I turned the battery on and turned the lights on again and they BOTH worked fine....then I turned the car on and they worked for a second then BOTH began flickering again like strobe lights.....I can't win....

 

[MakingBoost]

Is your hid kit using a separate fused/relayed wiring harness, or is it the type that just piggybacks onto the OEM wiring for the ballast power?

Depending on the setup, it sounds like a bad ballast, have you tried swapping ballasts from side to side to see if that is the problem?
The Halogen runs off of the normal circuit, but the HID runs off the ballast...

 

[itallian1488]

I have the kit that piggybacks the oem headlight connection. The ballasts are good I know that, I think if I get a relay harness to run the ballasts off of battery power vs the vehicles electric (piggyback style) that will work....I think my car's confused because of the wattage change....anyone using a relay harness that stops hid light flicker? Thanks for everyones help.

 

[MakingBoost]

Yes, that is more than likely your problem. Ballasts take a lot of energy to arc the bulbs. The standard wiring is not nearly enough to power them properly...

Instead of buying a harness you can simply make your own for a lot less... You will need two relays, two fuse holders, and some wire... Pretty simple to make, and you can make them custom length!

 

[itallian1488]

Ok cool, I appreciate your help! I'm the guy that can do anything with good instructions though...lol do you know where i could find a diy instruction for the relay? If not I found an H13 specific relay for HID's for $23 you can see it here http://www.dxhid.com/purchasehidparts.htm so either way I should be golden, just have to do some high beam night driving tonight i guess...I'm gonna tick a lot of people off....lol oh well.

 

[MakingBoost]

For everyone!

Whats needed:
2 X 30-40amp Bosch Style SPDT Relays /w sockets
2X 10g Fuse Holders /w 30 amp fuses
10g Stranded Core Wire
16-14g Stranded Core Wire
Misc ring terminals, crimp connectors, electrical tape, zip ties, wire cutters...etc The usual wiring stuff.


Part 1 - Upgrade the ballast grounds!

1. Locate the wiring connecting the power in to the ballast from the pigtail. Not the wiring from the ballast to the bulb.
2. Unplug Ballast from the input lead. Turn on the lights and use a test light or multi-meter on the plug to identify which wire is positive and which is ground. Label them! Turn off the lights. Disconnect the battery!
3. Cut the pigtail to ballast ground wire, connect the ballast end ground to 10g wire attached to a direct chassis ground. Try to keep the wire fairly short. Tape off the ground from the pigtail end it will no longer be needed.


Part 2 - Now lets get dedicated power to the ballasts!

1. Run a strand of 10g wire from the positive terminal of the battery into two 10g fuse holders with 30 amp fuses in each.
2. From each fuse holder run a strand of 10g wire to the 87 terminal on each relay. Its best to keep the relays and fuse holders within 12"-15" from the battery.
3. From each 30 terminal (*NOT 30a*) run a strand of 10g wire to each ballast location.
4. Clip the pigtail to ballast positive lines, connect the new dedicated power (Terminal 30) to each ballast side connector. This new line will be the new source for power to your ballasts instead of using the OEM wiring.


Part 3 - Activating the relays!

1. Connect both terminal 85's on the relays to a chassis ground with some 16-14g wire. Like before keep the ground lines nice and short.
2. Connect each terminal 86's on the relays to the pigtail side of the positive line with 16-14g wire. Keep each wire in pair with the previous matching side from the relays to the ballast power wiring.

Hook the battery back up, and flip on the lights.
DONE! Enjoy lights that don't flicker.

Make sure when running wires to keep them away from hot/moving parts. You can follow pre-existing wiring across the top of the radiator support.

 

[itallian1488]

Thanks

I just needed some capacitors......the kits look awesome and I've recently installed some 3000k fogs on it.

 

[Dono]

I just needed some capacitors.....

Can anyone answer where the capacitors went? Any idea on value?

I have the same issue described above.

I'd prefer to try the capacitors before picking up a solid state relay and doing some wiring.