HIDS dimming - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

Tenchuu · 12-14-2007, 03:55 AM

so i had a set for over a year now, and the damn things are not even as bright as new halogen lights. this a common problem? i get a bad set? i do need to convert my kouki to some better projectors, but damn this is annoying.

And FYI i am going through the electrical system with a multimeter tomorrow to make sure they are receiving the 14.4 volts that i am pushing to my fuse block.

Forge_55b · 12-14-2007, 04:04 AM

sounds like some parasitic loss somewhere probably if they can ignite initially.......but im no HID expert.......i guess working backwards from the bulb and so on would be the easiest way.....also if you have someone else with a good HID system to compare numbers would work

Anto · 12-14-2007, 04:35 AM

I'm guessing you have an HID kit.
The kit bulbs colorshift quickly, so your output dims.

That could be 1 of 100 problems
:|

***S14DB*** · 12-14-2007, 06:09 AM

If it's an ebay kit, there is your answer.

los_inc · 12-14-2007, 06:33 AM

make or buy a relay harness so you pull power direct from the battery
and just use the head light harness as signal to click over the relays
-los

gunluvS14 · 12-14-2007, 08:03 AM

your ballast is probably on its way out...

Tenchuu · 12-14-2007, 04:28 PM

ok, it's a Klight kit, same as one that is sold an here by our advertisers, so i hope it's not utter shit, i was hoping for two years out of it not one.

and that kit comes with a relay built in, it pulls power directly off the battery @ the fuse block.

multimeter testing soon to come.

***S14DB*** · 12-14-2007, 04:45 PM

The Relay replaceable?

Hubie · 12-14-2007, 05:25 PM

If the relay is closing and making contact, it is good. If your lights are dimming it may be the ballast or bulbs. The gas in the bulbs may have been depleted. I believe anything above 12v will activate the ignitors. Be careful when you are checking voltage. The ignitors can have up to 24000V comming out of them.

Tenchuu · 12-14-2007, 05:50 PM

oh i don't plan to check voltage from the balast to the bulbs, just up to the balast. if it has problems past that then i need to jus t shit can them and get new ones. yes relay is replaceable, i will do that too as i have some sitting around.

Tenchuu · 12-14-2007, 06:58 PM

well i just got shafted. i was checking voltage, then once i plugged everything back in, one side doesn't work. hello rush ordering some new HIDs. I refuse to go Klight again, so i am thinking mod express?

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=155365

any opinions? and realize i am targeted by the police now until i get that fixed.

found the klight warrenty, date of sale, 8 nov 206 with one year warranty, boy the got me good this time.

***S14DB*** · 12-14-2007, 07:08 PM

They only seem to last a year no mater what kit you get. Only retrofits seem to last over a year.

BlckBeautyVTEC · 12-14-2007, 08:22 PM

www.proformancehid.com i know a bunch of guys in sd who run their HID no problems that i know of you should AIM them for direct answers and pricing

Tenchuu · 12-14-2007, 08:23 PM

so i switched back to standard OEM H1 and now the 55W bulbs are about 2x brighter than the HIDs were. suck.

guess it's retrofit time.

seems like the really ate sht once the temps dropped down to single didgets.

***S14DB*** · 12-14-2007, 09:09 PM

Prolly bad Potting in the ballast.

kouki_s14 · 12-14-2007, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S14DB

They only seem to last a year no mater what kit you get. Only retrofits seem to last over a year.

I've yet to retrofit, but mine have lasted a good 4 years. Xetronic is the brand

***S14DB*** · 12-14-2007, 09:27 PM

Mine lasted 2 years but started fading after the first year.

fueled by hate · 12-14-2007, 11:19 PM

It's the quality of the bulbs. They're made in China and probably have too much lead in them or something. I also made the mistake of buying the Klight kit. Their bulbs and ballasts suck. The bulbs are super bright brand new and fade to shit. Here's a couple of pics:

Brand new 8000k bulbs:

And the same bulb(on the right side) compared to an oem philips bulb(on the left side). The 8000k bulb dimmed after only like 10 hours or less.

12-14-2007, 03:55 AM	#1
Tenchuu Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Oregon Age: 42 Posts: 2,474 Trader Rating: (8) Rides Gallery: Tenchuu Feedback Score: 8 reviews	HIDS dimming so i had a set for over a year now, and the damn things are not even as bright as new halogen lights. this a common problem? i get a bad set? i do need to convert my kouki to some better projectors, but damn this is annoying. And FYI i am going through the electrical system with a multimeter tomorrow to make sure they are receiving the 14.4 volts that i am pushing to my fuse block.

12-14-2007, 06:09 AM	#4
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	If it's an ebay kit, there is your answer. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-14-2007, 06:33 AM	#5
los_inc Zilvia Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Joisey Bro. Age: 40 Posts: 826 Trader Rating: (15) Feedback Score: 15 reviews	make or buy a relay harness so you pull power direct from the battery and just use the head light harness as signal to click over the relays -los __________________

12-14-2007, 08:03 AM	#6
gunluvS14 Zilvia Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: ga Posts: 206 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	your ballast is probably on its way out... __________________

12-14-2007, 04:45 PM	#8
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	The Relay replaceable? __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-14-2007, 04:04 AM	#2
Forge_55b Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: OC Age: 43 Posts: 414 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	sounds like some parasitic loss somewhere probably if they can ignite initially.......but im no HID expert.......i guess working backwards from the bulb and so on would be the easiest way.....also if you have someone else with a good HID system to compare numbers would work

12-14-2007, 04:35 AM	#3
Anto Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: California Posts: 862 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	I'm guessing you have an HID kit. The kit bulbs colorshift quickly, so your output dims. That could be 1 of 100 problems :\|

12-14-2007, 04:28 PM	#7
Tenchuu Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Oregon Age: 42 Posts: 2,474 Trader Rating: (8) Rides Gallery: Tenchuu Feedback Score: 8 reviews	ok, it's a Klight kit, same as one that is sold an here by our advertisers, so i hope it's not utter shit, i was hoping for two years out of it not one. and that kit comes with a relay built in, it pulls power directly off the battery @ the fuse block. multimeter testing soon to come.

12-14-2007, 05:25 PM	#9
Hubie Leaky Injector Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: TX Age: 44 Posts: 124 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	If the relay is closing and making contact, it is good. If your lights are dimming it may be the ballast or bulbs. The gas in the bulbs may have been depleted. I believe anything above 12v will activate the ignitors. Be careful when you are checking voltage. The ignitors can have up to 24000V comming out of them.

12-14-2007, 05:50 PM	#10
Tenchuu Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Oregon Age: 42 Posts: 2,474 Trader Rating: (8) Rides Gallery: Tenchuu Feedback Score: 8 reviews	oh i don't plan to check voltage from the balast to the bulbs, just up to the balast. if it has problems past that then i need to jus t shit can them and get new ones. yes relay is replaceable, i will do that too as i have some sitting around.

12-14-2007, 06:58 PM	#11
Tenchuu Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Oregon Age: 42 Posts: 2,474 Trader Rating: (8) Rides Gallery: Tenchuu Feedback Score: 8 reviews	well i just got shafted. i was checking voltage, then once i plugged everything back in, one side doesn't work. hello rush ordering some new HIDs. I refuse to go Klight again, so i am thinking mod express? http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=155365 any opinions? and realize i am targeted by the police now until i get that fixed. found the klight warrenty, date of sale, 8 nov 206 with one year warranty, boy the got me good this time.

12-14-2007, 07:08 PM	#12
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	They only seem to last a year no mater what kit you get. Only retrofits seem to last over a year. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-14-2007, 08:22 PM	#13
BlckBeautyVTEC Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Diego Age: 39 Posts: 678 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	www.proformancehid.com i know a bunch of guys in sd who run their HID no problems that i know of you should AIM them for direct answers and pricing __________________ poop mama...

12-14-2007, 08:23 PM	#14
Tenchuu Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Oregon Age: 42 Posts: 2,474 Trader Rating: (8) Rides Gallery: Tenchuu Feedback Score: 8 reviews	so i switched back to standard OEM H1 and now the 55W bulbs are about 2x brighter than the HIDs were. suck. guess it's retrofit time. seems like the really ate sht once the temps dropped down to single didgets.

12-14-2007, 09:09 PM	#15
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Prolly bad Potting in the ballast. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-14-2007, 09:27 PM	#17
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Mine lasted 2 years but started fading after the first year. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-14-2007, 11:19 PM	#18
fueled by hate Zilvia Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: norcal Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (12) Feedback Score: 12 reviews	It's the quality of the bulbs. They're made in China and probably have too much lead in them or something. I also made the mistake of buying the Klight kit. Their bulbs and ballasts suck. The bulbs are super bright brand new and fade to shit. Here's a couple of pics: Brand new 8000k bulbs: And the same bulb(on the right side) compared to an oem philips bulb(on the left side). The 8000k bulb dimmed after only like 10 hours or less.