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HID help

O

Oil Town XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Edmonton, AB
I installed the DDM tunning hi/low h4 hid kit a couple days ago and the second time I turned them on the passenger side bulb didn't light up. The next 3 times I used them they worked fine and now tonight the driverside would light up.

Anyone experience this before or know what the cause might be?
 
most ballasts are finicky about the input voltage, and should be wired up with a relay... especially on the poor stock wiring of an XJ harness. the HID ballasts pull lots of amps to fire the arc in the bulb, after that it drops to almost nothing... but if it can't get that first jolt when the ballast tries to fire, you get no light.
 
are you running the negatives back to the battery?
do not just ground to the body, it may work SOMETIMES, but every, single, problem, ive EVER had with my HID's can be fixed by grounding back to the battery.
 
I HAVENT dealt with drl, but i can easily imagine it getting in the way, if it fires your stock headlights, it may be trying to fire your HID's, unsuccesfully.
are you trying to keep your DRL? IF NOT, go-jeep has an snippit at the bottom of his page about creating a custom wiring harness for h4 halogen bulbs.
http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoHeadlightLoom.htm


i run the go-jeep harness, because i started off with just regular h4 upgraded headlights, my lights have given me zero problems, and dont flicker AT ALL. i recommend replacing the oem wiring with a new harness, even if going to HID.
 
I have a DDM kit and also have a HD harness. I have not had a problem other than I think one of the relays is bad because when i turn the highs on it works fine when i try to go back to low I have to turn the headlights completely off. Like XCM said I also ran the negative back to the battery.
 
FlexdXJ said:
I have a DDM kit and also have a HD harness. I have not had a problem other than I think one of the relays is bad because when i turn the highs on it works fine when i try to go back to low I have to turn the headlights completely off. Like XCM said I also ran the negative back to the battery.
Click to expand...

Did you get the HD harness from DDM or else where?
 
DDM has one on sale for 15 bucks, they are skimpy on the details. It looks like a standard HID harness though that is sold all over, just wasn't sure on its details.
 
i know theyre new, but ive had HID stuff malfunctioning from the factory, thats one of the reasons i deal with an HID retailer that actually cares. maybe try and swap the bulbs/ballasts... to see if they fire off another ballast, then try the confirmed good bulb into the questionable ballast. i have friends who've had trouble with their ballasts, so stuff can go bad, even new...

if you're not an electrical person (im not), i highly recommend building your own harness, when it doesnt work, you get to go over it and troubleshoot, this is a great education in relays/basic car electronics. building it, step by ste.
 
i hate to do this... but did you touch the bulb with bare skin? if so, the oil in your skin will cause hotspots, that burn out the bulb.... ive not run into this problem, but it's entirely possible! those damn kids in china like to cause trouble...
 
xcm said:
i hate to do this... but did you touch the bulb with bare skin? if so, the oil in your skin will cause hotspots, that burn out the bulb.... ive not run into this problem, but it's entirely possible! those damn kids in china like to cause trouble...
Click to expand...

Yes be careful not to touch any Headlight bulb with your greasy mitts! :D
 
xcm said:
ok, then disable them with the link i showed you, and we can start from here
Click to expand...
I will disable the DRL tomorrow, now if I turn the lights on before starting the vehicle I shouldn't have any issues with the DRL's, right?

Just got home today and my driverside bulb still wont turn on, but I just noticed the two tape failed on the the ds ballast and its just been banging around as Iive been driving it. Do you think I ruined the ballast?
 
i doubt it, but from this distance, it's all speculation. heres where i mounted mine, scruffed up, then cleaned both surfaces with alcohol, then put a blob of silicon on the backside, it aint moving, but a flat screwdriver/putty knife will remove it no problem.


maybe try switching around the ballasts? i know, not easy on headlights...


i bet ddm can get you a new bulb, but i would switch stuff around, to MAKE SURE it's the bulb, or a ballast, or whatever. set em up on a work bench, if they dont come on directly hooked up to a battery... somethings wrong.
 
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