BigLizard

I installed just that on my 07 Sebring Limited and the driver side is flickering... It's a plug N play aftermarket system.

(4300k, I miss that OEM HID look on the CL I used to own, and the Sebring needed more light output.)

I'm assuming it's the damn ballast. I checked the bulb and it works just fine on the other ballast.

Do you think it's the ballast too?

-Teh Liz

FiftyFive

What kinda kit do you have?

phile

Anyone have any good links for HIDs installation? I know I can't just put xenon bulbs in place of the halogens, I'll need projectors (housing) since my current OEM doesn't have either. But I keep hearing about making sure the grounding is right and all that electrical crap. I have no idea what that means.

mitch14

^phile you don't need projectors to have HIDs, you can put the xenon bulbs in place of the stock halogens and hook that up to the ballasts provided, then to the factory wiring, super easy to do, did it myself and i have no experience whatsoever. projectors are better at focusing the light output of xenons, but the light can still be produced well in the factory housings. Main reason why people would use HIDs without projectors is price. An HID conversion kit will cost you around 100 for a run of the mill one, but projectors would add atleast 200-500 depending on what kind you get, plus the installation for something like that would be either really extensive for you(but not impossible) or very costly, probably a few hundred dollars
Edit: also with the xenon bulbs put in the factory housings you will have some glare as the tips of the bulbs aren't painted like the factory ones are. But in projectors they have no glare whatsoever and have a "cutoff line" when no light passes above that. hope this helps and there is a lot more info on either google or in some of the model specific sections of AZ

S A CHO

It's most likely a bad ballast if it's flickering. There's not too much you can try in terms of trouble shooting rather than switching the ballasts around... Was it a kit off of eBay?

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

I did an aftermarket HID in my Accords stock headlight housing and I love them. Yeah they throw off some glare but I haven't been flashed once yet so they can't be that bad to on coming drivers. I got flashed all the time by on coming cars in my CL with the 4300k stock HIDs, and now I have 5000k in the Accord and nothing.

BigLiz, I got a relay wiring harness off of eBay for like $20 shipped. I've read over and over not to hook the HID ballasts up directly to your stock wiring without a relay, so if you get a replacement ballast (sounds like a bad ballast is most likely your problem), I'd throw the relay harness in between the ballasts and the stock wiring to be sure you don't burn anything out. Just my

phile

What exactly does the relay do?

I'm kind of confused on the terminology, what's the ballast?

S A CHO

That's pretty much what any HID conversion kit will look like. The ballast is the silver box looking thing. You'll get 2 ballasts, 2 bulbs all the necessary wiring and ballast mounts (zip ties work). It really is plug and play as all the connectors are diffirent so you can't mix anything up. There shouldn't be a need to cut/ splice any wires during the install... Atleast not with the plug and play kits...

Plug OEM head light wire into HID wire, plug HID wire into ballast, wire that comes out of the ballast goes into the HID bulb wire, HID bulb goes into your headlight.

AznX TL

did it come with a harness? its probably the relay.

phile

Thanks! And the relay...? Harness? Grounding? I've read you dont want to fry the battery if the car didnt come OEM with HID capabilities.

S A CHO

The HID kit I bought for our Grand Prix did not come with, nor require, any relays, extra harness', or grounding straps. Personally I'm not sure what the relay does but I would not worry about it unless it's specified that your car needs it (perhaps do a search on the forum about plug and play HID kits for you model year)

This was the exact kit I bought, from this exact seller: http://cgi.ebay.com/Xenon-HID-CONVER...1%7C240%3A1309

The ballasts have been through hell this and last winter and are still firing up without a problem, even at -30*C. Installation was fool proof and I didn't have to mess with any relays or running power wires. Also, the price is hella good...

Remember though, you will have lots of glare through your reflector headlights. The lights on my Grand Prix have a shielding that prevents glare, when I installed the HID's I took it out thinking I didn't need it and the light was way too bright for oncoming traffic. I put back in the shield and still pointed the headlights a bit towards the ground, I'd suggest you do the same if/when you get yours set up.

Otherwise the light colour is fantastic, as is the improved light output.

BigLizard

I bought the kit through sinomedia on Ebay. They sell the VVME kits which are plug and play (Tons of people love them and hate them for various reasons).

After doing more reading I think I should have bought a relay kit too so the bulbs aren't flickering. I'm pretty sure that's what it is. Some cars weren't made for plug N play HID kits and truly need that relay support so there is no flickering. I wouldn't be surprised that there is nothing wrong with the kit itself.

I purchased a relay kit off of ebay and I'll install it once it comes in. I wouldn't be surprised if the flickering stops.

BigLizard

just found a quick fix for flickering PNP HID kits

http://automotivelightstore.com/inde...ROD&ProdID=173

BigLizard

and another CHEAPER fix

http://www.custommagnums.com/forums/...ering-fix.html

S A CHO

Hope that works out for you... It seems Chryslers don't like the plug and play kits...

mrmako

For those asking about Xenon gas and how the bulbs work, here's a link:

http://www.mvlc.info/xenon_abc.html

Basically, 12V DC from a car battery supplies the ballast with power. The ballast then does the following:

1: Provides the instantaneous startup voltage for the Xenon gas (1000 - 2000V). Xenon requires a high voltage to start.

2: Provides a constant 400V for bulb operation.

3: As the voltage into the ballast fluctuates (your alternator tries to keep a steady 14.4V DC output, but it fluctuates between 12V and 15V during use), it will regulate this so your HID's do not fluctuate as much, extending the life of the bulbs.

4: With a relay, your new high voltage system will be isolated from the rest of the vehicles automotive electronics. The last thing you want is a short that will screw up your whole car. A relay is a definite need item.

You also want excellent grounding, as a floating ground could cause arcing, and no safe discharge path will be available is the system has an issue.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Great description on why a relay is needed! As soon as I read the same as #1 & #4 when researching mine I was sold on getting the relay. No problems with flickering at all on mine since installation.

phile

thanks! and what's grounding?

BigLizard

I unhooked the HIDs for now until the relay comes in. There's no point in ruining them.

BigLizard

Another reason why relay kits are great to use for PNP kits! Don't want your car to burn down do ya?!

http://chevroletforum.com/m_56070/tm.htm

BigLizard

Grounding means that you've completed the circuit safely. Read this phile. It should help.

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/g...grounding.html

mrmako

Thanks for getting to this. Because I deal with high voltage electronics and satellites on a daily basis, I sometimes forget to explain some things.

Basically, anything that runs on electricity has a supply side, a return side, and a ground. The supply (in a DC circuit) is usually the "+" terminal. The return is the "-" side. Then, if you notice under your hood, there is a wire that connects the "-" side to the chassis or body of the car. This is needed for excess electricity. IF you do not have this, you have what is called a floating ground. Then it is possible for this excess to damage electronics in the car. Bad ju ju.

phile

Reps for all.

nokiaman

Post a pic when you're done!

I installed my kit during the holidays as well and haven't looked back since.

Ordered a 5k kit but they ended up sending me 6k and I ended up liking them. I'm also glad I didn't have to go through the hassle of installing projectors, I'm surprised no one has flashed me yet.

BigLizard

I've already been flashed a couple of times :ghey: I even pointed my lights down a little lower because they are really bright!

(HIDs off till relay comes in.) I'll definately post a pic when I'm done!

mitch14

^it seemed like good info except for when he said this
^this was in context to not running a relay with an aftermarket HID conversion kit.
so shouldn't there be a huge amount of fire damaged vehicles considering the amount of HID conversion kits?

here's mine, 4300k, looks kinda dim cuz of the camera and also my crappy headlights

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Here's mine. 5000k.

BigLizard

^^^^^^^^^^They're pretty!

BigLizard

I finally got my relay kit today, I just need to go out and buy the capacitor and it will be done tonight.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Nice! Get some picts up as soon as you get them working.

BigLizard

from my cell phone...i'll take a better one later

mrmako

Looks like you can turn night into day...Damn.

BigLizard

It's a hell of a lot brighter! The fog lights are outshined completely. From the relay, the driver's side wire is plugged in for the signal output. Both the bulbs turn bright white after about a minute.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Holly 2 million candle power! J/K, looks good! Glad the relay worked out for ya.

BigLizard

Damnit, still got some flickering going on. I bought a set of 6 ohm 50 watt load resistors. I've done even MORE research to find out that i need these instead of the 470 farad capacitor to make the car's PCM think that 55 watt halogens are plugged in. (What a flipping run around!)

:ghey:

Hopefully by Monday the Resistors will be in the mail and installed too! I bought them from www.v-leds.com. They are based out of Bellingham, WA.