one hid does not turn on
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=117783
Printed Date: May 15, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Topic: one hid does not turn on
Posted By: alscrx
Subject: one hid does not turn on
Date Posted: November 16, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Ok guys, I just installed Low beam h11 HID's and Fog light h11 HID's on my 2009 Honda accord. I wired the low beam hid's on their own relay and the fog hid's on their own, So a total of 2 relays were used. I bought Hella relays that say made in SPAIN so i guess they are no longer made in germany! Also using oem used HELLA ballast from a bmw and audi Anyways, i wired the relays like this..... 30 directly to battery+12 85 to+12 of headlight connector 86 to engine ground bolt that had multiple grounds from cars harness 87 to fused positive wire of ballast Lights ran fine for about a week or so. Then tonight only one low beam turned on. I had to turn the switch off then on to get it to work. I though by making this harness that this would not happen..... Any ideas as why only one ballast would ignite??? Also, one time the fog lights would not turn off even with the switch OFF and car turn OFF. Would this be a sticky relay?
Replies:
Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: November 17, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Sounds like a sticking relay, unless there is some leakage keeping it on. (Try swapping relays?)
The one-only problem sounds like some bad contact or a faulty component. After checking connections - especially grounds - maybe swap ballasts etc to figure out which part is failing.
Posted By: alscrx
Date Posted: November 17, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Ok, so tonight my low beam HID's turned on fine and only 1 HID fog turned on. I turned the switch off and back on and IT WORKED. So now both headlight and foglight have done the WINK! Where only one came on until i turned the switch off and back on! Whats the problem?
Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: November 17, 2009 at 7:22 PM
Bad connection.
But where? It could be a loose lead, broken wire, poor connection (including ground), a dry solder joint or broken track/component in the ballast....
Posted By: alscrx
Date Posted: November 17, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Very odd its a bad connection since the lights do work after i turn the swith of then on and they work like normal. Its more like a power issue, not enough juice to start up 4 ballast when lights turned on.
Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: November 17, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Not power - they will usually work from 9V upwards.
And they are probably only 35W each compared to normal 55W low beams and 65W or higher high beams.
And if it doesn't matter whether the engine is started (charging) or not, it won't be power.
(But if it does work when charging, it's probably vibration etc overcoming the bad connection.)
Let me know how it goes after you disconnect/reconnect all connectors, rotate/swap fuses, and swap ballasts.
Posted By: alscrx
Date Posted: November 18, 2009 at 6:58 PM
I have yet to get an Hid to fire up on anything less than 11 volts.
Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: November 18, 2009 at 7:32 PM
So you might have a voltage issue on that HID?
I am only going by the HID specs I have read of.
AFAIK down here it is illegal to fit HIDs where not OEM (not that that stops people, nor fitting blue headlight bulbs (bricks!) nor unsuitable LEDs etc!).
And as I recall, most HIDs have a 9V or 10V to 16V range.
11V seems way too high, but many modern vehicles suffer far less voltage dipping than older vehicles (where I prefer a 8-16V design rule).
Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: November 18, 2009 at 7:37 PM
PS - what is your battery voltage? (With & without HIDs etc)
It could be a normal battery aging problem or the weather getting colder.
Posted By: alscrx
Date Posted: November 18, 2009 at 9:28 PM
I am gonna check voltage tomorro, looks like a new battery though.....we just got this car couple months ago
|