My HID Hi-Beam and Fog Install
- Thread starter jmtiseo
- Start date
jmtiseo
The Peanut Gallery
I'm not good at it, nor do I have it to begin with. The ballast is shot, what failed I don't know but leading up to complete failure, it would turn on for about a minute then turn off. Then, I was parked, I turned it on it would flicker, then go off. Then it just didn't turn on.
The relay is good, the ballast is bad. The other 3 are still doing great.
The relay is good, the ballast is bad. The other 3 are still doing great.
Elemino
Dedicated LVC Member
They were probably talking about these. I've seen ppl adapt them to standard base bulbs. The auto industry has been struggling with a way to get them on their cars. I think Audi is the first to find a good way to do it.
jmtiseo
The Peanut Gallery
Got my replacement ballast and noticed that on the case it says 3Five.1 so I assumed they updated it.
Looking for info on the update this is the first thing that popped up in my google search. Sounds like why mine went out wasn't water but probably my dumb ass "testing" the bloody things.
I know better than to quickly turn them on and off.
Credit to TRSMatt on HIDPlanet.com. The full thread is here >>>>Morimoto Ballast Update, 3Five.1 and 5Five.1
"Since the introduction of the latest model Morimoto ballasts in August 2010, they instantly because one of our most popular products of all time. With similar to OEM performance, better than average reliability, attractive looks, and a reasonable price - it's no suprise they were spec'd by customers with 80% of all complete retrofit kits we shipped since then.
That's not to say we didnt have some fail here and there. Its an electronic part running in a less than ideal environment, so...:q:q:q:q happens.
Though the failure rate is still very low relative to any other model we've ever dealt with, in an effort to enhance their initial and especially long term reliability - we recently made a few updates to the ballasts.
Update 1: We swapped out the braided metal sheath in favor of a braided tech-flex (plastic) to wrap the output line of the ballast. The metal braided lines would often fray at the ends and unravel, and the plastic has even more resistance against abrasion. The tech flex is rated at up to 230C, and looks cleaner.
Update 2: On the units that did fail, we sent customers replacements and return labels for their dead ballast so we could Q/C them. Once our engineers took the defective ballasts apart, we discovered the few weak points and worked out fixes to help prevent their occurrence in the first place.
a) between re-strikes (ballast warmed up, turned off and then back on immediately) the high current could damage the "fast recovery diode" - rendering the ballast inoperable. Fix, beef up the diode itself, and take some of the load off (fix b)
b) An extra ground cable was added inside the ballast (from the high voltage line) to help distribute the ground load more efficiently through the body of the ballast, instead of only through the circuitry of the ballast.
Update 3: The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (aka MOSFET) which is basically a gate between a power source inside the ballast and the output was found to be another more common failure point. The supplier and specifications for this transistor were substituted out for one of higher quality and a more appropriate spec."
Looking for info on the update this is the first thing that popped up in my google search. Sounds like why mine went out wasn't water but probably my dumb ass "testing" the bloody things.
I know better than to quickly turn them on and off.Credit to TRSMatt on HIDPlanet.com. The full thread is here >>>>Morimoto Ballast Update, 3Five.1 and 5Five.1
"Since the introduction of the latest model Morimoto ballasts in August 2010, they instantly because one of our most popular products of all time. With similar to OEM performance, better than average reliability, attractive looks, and a reasonable price - it's no suprise they were spec'd by customers with 80% of all complete retrofit kits we shipped since then.
That's not to say we didnt have some fail here and there. Its an electronic part running in a less than ideal environment, so...:q:q:q:q happens.
Though the failure rate is still very low relative to any other model we've ever dealt with, in an effort to enhance their initial and especially long term reliability - we recently made a few updates to the ballasts.
Update 1: We swapped out the braided metal sheath in favor of a braided tech-flex (plastic) to wrap the output line of the ballast. The metal braided lines would often fray at the ends and unravel, and the plastic has even more resistance against abrasion. The tech flex is rated at up to 230C, and looks cleaner.
Update 2: On the units that did fail, we sent customers replacements and return labels for their dead ballast so we could Q/C them. Once our engineers took the defective ballasts apart, we discovered the few weak points and worked out fixes to help prevent their occurrence in the first place.
a) between re-strikes (ballast warmed up, turned off and then back on immediately) the high current could damage the "fast recovery diode" - rendering the ballast inoperable. Fix, beef up the diode itself, and take some of the load off (fix b)
b) An extra ground cable was added inside the ballast (from the high voltage line) to help distribute the ground load more efficiently through the body of the ballast, instead of only through the circuitry of the ballast.
Update 3: The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (aka MOSFET) which is basically a gate between a power source inside the ballast and the output was found to be another more common failure point. The supplier and specifications for this transistor were substituted out for one of higher quality and a more appropriate spec."
jmtiseo
The Peanut Gallery
I forgot to update. Everything is still running strong. When I installed my replacement ballast I noticed the clips in the plug were stuck all the way in, not contacting the ballast. Explaining the flicker to eventual not being on at all, It was plugged in but there was no contact inside the plug because they were pushed in so far. Anyways all is straightened out now.
Talking to my buddy about a quad bi-xenon retro fit that Kumba mentioned. This may never take off but if it does you will be the first to know. He's getting me an itemized quote for parts and is on board if I ever get the pieces to my puzzle together.
For this to happen I need the driver's side OEM HID housing to complete my second set. Then when I'm done with the angel eye install on my set, attempt to sell said extra set. If they don't sell, retrofit. I think they will if I put them up on eBay. Those things go like hot cakes.
The main thing he would be doing is installing and aiming the projectors. I'm separating the lens's, providing bulbs and ballasts. Will be using the oem ballasts and for the other two using these, Denso Slim Ballasts as they closely resemble the OEM ballasts.
Just dreaming out loud. Feel free to comment.
Talking to my buddy about a quad bi-xenon retro fit that Kumba mentioned. This may never take off but if it does you will be the first to know. He's getting me an itemized quote for parts and is on board if I ever get the pieces to my puzzle together.
For this to happen I need the driver's side OEM HID housing to complete my second set. Then when I'm done with the angel eye install on my set, attempt to sell said extra set. If they don't sell, retrofit. I think they will if I put them up on eBay. Those things go like hot cakes.
The main thing he would be doing is installing and aiming the projectors. I'm separating the lens's, providing bulbs and ballasts. Will be using the oem ballasts and for the other two using these, Denso Slim Ballasts as they closely resemble the OEM ballasts.
Just dreaming out loud. Feel free to comment.
jmtiseo
The Peanut Gallery
No hiccups since that debacle with the plug as mentioned in my previous post. I'm almost certain that it wasn't the ballast but the plug that had screwed up.
Still running strong; no flicker or slower than normal startup to report. Will see what happens when they get hit with the snow, ice, and salt this winter. Still a thumbs up in my book if anyone's looking to color match or add HIDs.
On the retrofit of projectors that's not happening as I sold my other set a while back as some of you may know.
Still running strong; no flicker or slower than normal startup to report. Will see what happens when they get hit with the snow, ice, and salt this winter. Still a thumbs up in my book if anyone's looking to color match or add HIDs.
On the retrofit of projectors that's not happening as I sold my other set a while back as some of you may know.
jmtiseo
The Peanut Gallery
Since I'm bumping my own old threads, I figured I would follow suit and update this one.
I knew for a while my passenger side fog has been out for quite some time (6+ months or so) but I didn't have the resources to fix it while at school. This past weekend my brother was helping me poke around the underside and noticed the relay harness was corroded causing the one relay to fail and a wire to corrode as well near where it entered the relay socket. This relay harness is the most exposed part of the install being mounted to the lowest bolt for the windshield washer tank/bottle.
He ended up cutting out the old relay harness and installing a single relay to control both fog lights as opposed to one for each. Now the system should be much easier to test for issues: if they're both out- relay or power/ground to relay; if a single one is out - bulb or ballast. Sealed it with some heat shrinks and electrical tape and shoved it back up where it came from. Needless to say, I owe him a few beers by now.
Now just to tear back into my headlamps to fix the broken solder in the angel eyes.
I knew for a while my passenger side fog has been out for quite some time (6+ months or so) but I didn't have the resources to fix it while at school. This past weekend my brother was helping me poke around the underside and noticed the relay harness was corroded causing the one relay to fail and a wire to corrode as well near where it entered the relay socket. This relay harness is the most exposed part of the install being mounted to the lowest bolt for the windshield washer tank/bottle.
He ended up cutting out the old relay harness and installing a single relay to control both fog lights as opposed to one for each. Now the system should be much easier to test for issues: if they're both out- relay or power/ground to relay; if a single one is out - bulb or ballast. Sealed it with some heat shrinks and electrical tape and shoved it back up where it came from. Needless to say, I owe him a few beers by now.
Now just to tear back into my headlamps to fix the broken solder in the angel eyes.