6000k hids installed quick question

[bigtallsam]

hi all, hope ur well

just a quicky!

installed my h1 hids - lookin and working great

are the bulbs phase sensitive i.e. only work if positive and negative are the right way round feeding the ballast?

sorry if it's a stupid question it's just if noticed that they dont always 'strike' first time and i can't think why?

bulbs are being fed off the cars loom with 15a fuses to compensate, could i need to look at the light switch or something else i might've missed?

regards

sam

[bigtallsam]

[fkong777]

same thing happens with my HID kit.. I just live with it. but consider wiring the OEM harness to a relay and get 12V power with better gauge wires.. That may help the HID no start issue at lease slightly.

[bigtallsam]

thanks!

they do strike then go off within a second - turn of lights then back on - hey presto!

i get the feelin the ballasts don't like having to power up the bulbs from being completely off, which i think is why some kits have the relay/battery feed thing to keep the ballast charged - or am i wrong?

s

[Qube]

If they don't go on the first time, you're not getting enough voltage to the ballasts OR you're using mismatched bulb/ballast pair. Fix it soon as your quick on/off isn't good for the bulbs.

Are the bulbs THEMSELVES phase sensitive? I've never wired them reverse to know, though I doubt it. On the other hand, why mark the bulb leads red/black or whatever then? The ballast is sensitive, of course.

[bigtallsam]

thnaks qube - i meant the ballasts, shoulda worded my question a bit better,

the ballasts and bulbs came complete - i think their ok. i might check the voltage from battery and or alternator after all she is 16 years old!

[Qube]

thnaks qube - i meant the ballasts, shoulda worded my question a bit better,

the ballasts and bulbs came complete - i think their ok. i might check the voltage from battery and or alternator after all she is 16 years old!

I had something like this happen twice. Though in my case, it either never stayed on (just flashed) or turned off when it felt like it, and eventally on when it felt like it.

1. mismatched ballast and temporary replacement bulb
2. ballast defective

[bigtallsam]

ok, they've been installed for 24 hours and i'm a little puzzled

you may remember i said that they don't sirike first time?

well,

the left may strike but not the right - or sometimes vice versa? on my recent night time travels.

could i have a voltage prob as mentioned earlier? if so where do i investigate?

any thoughts appreciated

s

[Qube]

ok, they've been installed for 24 hours and i'm a little puzzled

you may remember i said that they don't sirike first time?

well,

the left may strike but not the right - or sometimes vice versa? on my recent night time travels.

could i have a voltage prob as mentioned earlier? if so where do i investigate?

any thoughts appreciated

s

Do a quick check. Look at the headlamp or take the bulb out and turn on the lights. Do you see a small blip like it's trying to ignite the salts? If you do, then check the voltage to the OEM harness (not through the ballast to the bulb !!). If it reads 12.5v car on or 13v off, then you're good with voltage. I would suspect bad ballast at that point.

Is it completely 'random' which one wants to 'fire' at any given time? Does the 'dead' one fire after a 'few tries'?

[jrobbo]

I bought a set off ebay that did exactly the same thing. I contacted the seller, and they replaced the ballasts for me, and the new ballasts work perfectly, they now strike first time, every time, without execption

Regards

John