Flickering in my HIDs?

[1995E]

Okay, I installed my 55W Chinese made digital slim ballasts and 6000K HIDs on both headlights. These things are waayyyy too bright. Hopefully they will dim down with age because I did not expect it to light up the front of the road like a stadium light would.

However, I have a problem. I noticed that when going down the highway, my HID bulbs flicker a lot, like the lights stay on but the bright spots are dimming then brightening, noticeably only on one side. The kits didn't come with an HID relay wiring harness to wire to the battery and I am wonder if that is why they are flickering, or... is the ballast bad?

I plan to install an HID relay wiring harness on these. I also plan to add a delay. However, I don't want to buy the delay relay I find online because it's like 15 bucks. I am planning to make my own delay somehow. I looked online and found that if I add a capacitor between the relay and the stock wiring, it will also add a delay, and depending on the capacitor, I can customize however long the delay will be. Is this correct or do I need to add something else?

Edit: Also, I mounted my ballasts where there are existing screws like the air intake and the radiator mount. Is that safe or is that a totally bad idea? Also, would adding a heatsink do anything for the ballasts? I am planning to add a CPU heatsink to the ballast to help it cool down but it seems unnecessary. I am just worried cause they get pretty hot.

EDIT: I wasn't sure if posting this on the HID install thread that already existed was appropriate or not so if a moderator wants to merge this thread, please do so.

 

[pingbling23]

Change out the ballast.

 

[peterk9]

If you find them too bright, imagine what drivers of oncoming traffic will see. Because you installed HID in a housing designed for Halogen you will never be able to get the correct focus without first changing the internal light reflectors. The bulbs produce light in different ways and the reflectors in yours were designed specifically for Halogen bulbs.

Peter

 

[1995E]

If you find them too bright, imagine what drivers of oncoming traffic will see. Because you installed HID in a housing designed for Halogen you will never be able to get the correct focus without first changing the internal light reflectors. The bulbs produce light in different ways and the reflectors in yours were designed specifically for Halogen bulbs.

Peter

The cutoff seems to be fine, I adjusted the aiming of the headlights and lowered the cutoff. I haven't been flashed or high beamed by another driver yet. It is just extremely bright on the ground and it is very bright when the light bounces back from reflectors. I probably should have bought a 35W kit instead. Looking from far away, it doesn't seem that the light bounces above the cutoff so I don't think the light is hitting oncoming traffic.

You are probably right though Peter, looks like I'll have to buy the HID OEM headlights to get the proper reflectors. I'll put on my stock halogens in for now.

 

[roamingphantom]

1995E,
Can I ask you what is the height of your cutoff when you are 25ft away from a plain wall?

Thanks

 

[1995E]

1995E,
Can I ask you what is the height of your cutoff when you are 25ft away from a plain wall?

Thanks

The beam definitely drops as it goes out farther. I notice that the beam drops below a small sedan's left and right mirrors after about a car length or two away. The cutoff is really good. No light travels above the cutoff at all when I look at it from a distance.