imported_sketch

Hey Guys,

Just installed my HID kit this weekend, I noticed that at time one flicker. I turn them off and turn them back on again and sometimes they stop and sometimes they continue.
What is the cause of this ? bad ground or connection ?

thanks in advance.

imported2nv

sounds like a ground or power connection prob. check them all and tighten if nes. and also check the bulb make sure the filement
isnt broken or loose.

imported_sketch

ok going to check the ground tomorrow and possibly re-route it to the battery ground. Hope that works.... anyone else ?

MystixEL

you unplugged drl correct?

imported_sketch

yes I did ... I unplugged both DRL fuses as well as the DRL relay fuse for safe measure

S2K KID

no problems with the bulbs and ballasts? need more info about connections and what not

imported_sketch

ok I checked all the connections tonight and will see if the problem persists.

I had the lights on all day today and it nothing happened but tonight as I was driving on the highway low and behold the problem comes back. It seems to be only the left light that is doing this. I hope that the ballast is not fried .

ryuujin

hahahah the common H4 HID problem

mine did that for a long *** time, and then eventually died on me

by left light are you referring to the passenger side? Or driver side? My passenger side light was the one that flickered like a **** and then it just died on me one day :cry:

It seems that alot of people who use H4 HID's have this problem with flickering or dying prematurely.

I don't think your ballast is dead, it's probably your bulb that's dead.

Are you using an aftermarket wiring harness? If not, did you upgrade the fuses for both left and right? HID ballasts require alot of power to start up so when you turn them on, there's a great surge in power to fire the ballasts and turn on the HID's. Your lights may be dying prematurely from this problem or possibly a bad grounding like people have suggested.

I've yet to find a good solution to the problem, but my best option right now is to make my own aftermarket harness and route power and ground directly to the battery. That's my only suggestion, hope that helps a little

imported_sketch

how do you build your own harness ?
I currently have 20A fueses and the flickering is constant on the drivers side, SHHit man this really pisses me off because I just got them.

ryuujin

http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/headlamp-harness.html

like so

imported_sketch

thanks Jon,

for all those who thought I said that McCulloch's flicker, there has been a misunderstanding. I don't have a McCulloch kit I have a kit called X-tec and was wondering if the same problem occured with the McCulloch kits .... but you need not worry because i have heard nothing but good things about those kits.

ryuujin

I've read that McCulloch HID's are notorious for dying prematurely Sorry to tell you that, infact I think it was either H-T or CSi that completely bashed the **** out of McCulloch

imported_sketch

I don't know if I'll keep these then because it defeats the whole purpose of having a functional light that lights up the road better.

Thanks for the info Jon.

imported_Nato

i have a pair of McCulloch's ... and this is terrible and scary to hear ... i've had them for about 1 month and they are fine.. i hope that doesent happen to me

imported_sketch

i hope it doens't happen to you either, its a pain in the ***.
Does anyone know which plug is the ground plug on an H4 Connector ? left or right ?? i know the top one is the lowbeam.

_
| | <----- H4 connector which is the ground ??

imported_JDM_Outlaw

Hey dude...

if the still flicker...the bad news is your ballasts are ****ed...

my buddy has the same ones as you do but this is on a Nissan Sentra V-Spec yet they do the same thing which is flicker...

he had too return his because there was warrenty on it, so he took full advantage of it and is now waitin for the new one too arrive...

But other things he tried to solve the problem but also add...upgrading the negative and positivie battery terminal wire too 1 guage wire...

Again I think you should try to return them...if they are still under warrenty.

Goodluck dude

imported_sketch

I bought them used ... and have no reciept.

imported_JDM_Outlaw

Well I know u said you check the conncetions...

but another possiblity is that there is corrosion within the connectors of your OEM harness..

take some baking soda, water, and a toothbrush to it. Then get some dielectric grease and dab it on the terminals.

you could try that...

stickyj

I'm having the same problem when I hit bumps.

imported_sketch

JDM_Outlaw,

thanks for the tip, I did check the OEM connector and there is no oxidation what so ever still nicely lubricated.

I switched the bulb to the other ballast to see what happened and have come to the conclusion that it is the bulb because the bulb still flickered after being on for about 10 mins on the other ballast, which never flickered. I tried also cleaing up the grounds, upping the amps on the fuses and so on but low and behold its the bulb, now I have to find a replacement bulb and hope it doens't cost me an arm and a leg.


thanks for all your help guys !