HID's Keep going out.

[livefstdieyng]

I've got a good one for you electrical gurus out there.
So I've had HID's on my bike since I got it, I don't know who installed them.
Eventually the high beam stopped coming on every time, and occasionally the running light wouldn't come on either, both problems could be fixed by flipping the light off and then on (for the running light it would have to be the ignition)
I figured it was the ballasts going out, So I ordered new one from Kensun. After installing the new ballasts, everything worked great for a couple weeks. then the running light would flicker and occasionally not come on. I had read that occasionally customers recieved bad ballasts, so I asked Kensun about this, and they immediately sent me a replacement (really great customer service from this company by the way) Anyways, the same thing is still happening with the new ballast in. I did notice that it looked like the connector was getting hot. Is it possible to have a faulty connector? or could this problem be coming from somewhere else? My bike is an 08 Bolt by the way.

 

[Shawns]

Some times a ballast does not like to see the on and off of the ignition during crank. You can add a capacitor to hold the voltage steady during crank. Your connectors should not be getting hot. A loose connection will cause the plug to heat up. Another cause could be that you are pulling to many amps than the connector allows. You can add a relay if one was not installed to get power directly from the battery and the headlight would be the turn on signal to the relay.

 

[Retrax]

Are you using 35 or 55 watt bulbs and ballasts? I use a time delayed relay to turn on my low beam about ten seconds after I turn the key on. I gives time for the fuel pump to prime, the bike to start, and idle for a few seconds before the hid fires up. Check your ground wires to make sure they are good and solid also.

If you want to trouble shoot your system run a relay directly to your battery, find a solid chassis ground and use your high beam circuit to trigger your headlights on. You won't be able to switch your high beams on and off this way but at least you can see if everything functions properly and modify from there.

 

[livefstdieyng]

It's a 35 watt ballast. I like the idea of a capacitor or a time delay.
It does say directly on the ballast that it does not require a relay. I think I'll look for a new connector because after looking closely, I'm not sure the pins in that one connector are set in right.
What Capacitor should I look for?

 

[ocgreenmachine]

I used the method detailed in the DIY section to rewire my lights so my HID's turn on when I hit my flasher switch instead of a timer... Since the flasher is useless with HID's anyways (and I run both lights on most of the time. Thread link below:
http://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?8659-XB12-SS-Lightning-both-lights-on-HID-redux

I also have a few extra relays from RadioShack that I purchased for this job, so hit me up and I can get one to you if you plan to do this Mod. I also purchased a relay connector so that I can remove the relay for replacement instead of soldering the relay directly.

 

[livefstdieyng]

So many Choices!! How is one to decide. Lol. Thanks for all the advice.
Does anyone know where I might find a kit with the Delphi (i think it's Delphi, but correct me if I'm wrong) 2 pin connector that the ballasts get power from?

 

[AZmidget91]

ocgreenmachine, that is very clever, I saved that link for when I get bored.

Livefstdieyng, you should really instal relays to power your HID's, I would put money on that fixing your problem.

 

[livefstdieyng]

If wire it up so the high beam flash button turns the headlight on then I should only need to buy a relay for the high beam yeah? or would I need to get one for the power side of the double pole double throw relay too? Is there a way to run power for both lights from the same relay?

 

[ocgreenmachine]

If wire it up so the high beam flash button turns the headlight on then I should only need to buy a relay for the high beam yeah? or would I need to get one for the power side of the double pole double throw relay too? Is there a way to run power for both lights from the same relay?

You only use one relay... when you turn bike on, you leave the high beam switch off. Once the bike is started, you hit the flasher switch to turn low beam on. Finally, you flip your high beam switch on and both lights stay on.