[s-cars] HID wiring

[Cody Forbes]

The bright/dim/bright is actually a function of the ballast doing it's job. The ballast is a current limiting device. The initial flash is discharging it's capacitor(s), then it's current limiting circuitry slowly charges them back up. An HID bulb is a negative resistance device, left to it's own devices it will consume power in a doom-loop fashion until it exceeds it's power supply's capacity to feed it. The purpose of the ballast is to regulate the power supplies to the bulb and keep it's consumption stable. The draw on the wiring to the ballast should be pretty stable even during ignition.

-Cody (mobile)

On Oct 11, 2011, at 9:42 AM, Peter Schulz <p.schulz at verizon.net> wrote:

> Mark:
> 
> Not in my experience with the DDM tuning 35watt HIDs.
> They flash bright, dim and then go bright after a minute or so on cold start.
> 
> I need to check the current draw with a multimeter....but if the lights dim, that means more current draw that the wiring allows...which is never good
> Relaying those lights is a near term project - I don't want to deal with a premature failure on the headlight switch
> 
> -Peter
> 
> 
> 
> On Oct 11, 2011, at 7:42 AM, Mark Strangways wrote:
> 
>> The HID lamps draw LESS power then the current incandescant lamps do, so that should not be a huge issue.
>> 
>> Now, depending on where these have come from (ie. China) I have found that poor ground connections and connectors are a viable culprit.
>> I feel for the cheap price and got lows and highs for my pickme up truck.
>> All worked well except for the right side high beam, which did not start properly. Once I repaired (shortened the heck out of it) the ground wire all worked out ok.
>> 
>> There are really vastly different quality of even the Chinese crap out there. Buyer beware for sure.
>> 
>> Mark
>> 
>> On 2011-10-11, at 1:09 AM, Martin Baggenstos wrote:
>> 
>>> Everyone,
>>> 
>>> I am having issues with the HID kit I have in my low beams sometimes not
>>> coming on in one side and I feel like there might be a current issue due to
>>> the small wires coming to the headlight housing. I recall in the past that
>>> someone had written up a FAQ about how to install larger wires to supply
>>> more power to the headlamp. Does anyone happen to remember or can anyone
>>> recommend if rewiring the harness with better wires will improve the power
>>> needed by the ballast to start up. Thanks.
>>> 
>>> martin
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>> 
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> 
> -Peter Schulz
> Chelmsford Ma, USA
> http://www.naaclub.org/
> 
> 1995.5 S6 Avant Emerald/Ecru
> 1995.5 S6 Avant Silver/Platinum
> 1991 90Q 20v Q Red
> 1991 90Q 20v Indigo
> 1991 CQ silver  (eS2 recipient) 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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