About to spend a few minutes screwing around with them, but I wanted to see if you guys had any ideas as to why they might be doing what they're doing.

It's only the headlights, since the fogs and heads run on different circuits. Essentially the headlights are coming on when the truck is off and the headlight switch is in the "OFF" position. The other night my roommates told me (several times throughout the night) that my headlights were on. I ended up just buying a pair of cheap halogens to throw in them for now.

The halogens work fine so I know it's an issue with the HID kit. It's not an issue with the way they are wired, though, because they've been in for about a year now without any problems. When I felt the ballasts after the headlights came on (and weren't supposed to), they were very hot.


My first thought is that I'm experiencing a short-circuit because of damaged components. Maybe they got too hot (not sure why) and two contacts are almost touching now? That could be causing a current to run through them, even when off. I'd try to send them back to DDM since I haven't touched the wiring since installation (so I know it's not a wiring issue), but they'd likely say it was a wiring issue. Am I dealing with damaged components here? Any ideas?


Thanks for any help/ideas!

 

How are the HID ballast controlled ?

1. Direct to the factory headlamp connector
2. Trigger wire to the HID ballast, which is from the factory headlamp connector
3. Power to ballast triggered by an external relay, which the coil is operated by the factory headlamp connector.

 

Both ballasts come from a relay provided with the kit. One ballast plugs directly into the factory headlamp connector (passenger side). The other (driver's side) does not. The driver's side is activated when the passenger's side is (series connection).

I have had them plugged in for about two hours now and they haven't turned on by themselves, which is better than the other day. Still don't trust them overnight, though.

I'm starting to think my relay is fried. If it were, would that cause them to turn on themselves? I think they relay may not be a great connection, which is why the ballast have to work harder and thus were as hot as they were. Sorry if that isn't worded the best but it's hard to describe this.

 

Just a small question. If you turned your headlight switch to OFF instead of "AUTO ON", would they have gone off?

I can't help but think there's some kind of interaction between the AUTO ON and your HID system. And maybe, there's some fault in the AUTO ON circuit?

- Jack

 

I'm guessing relay.

I came out one time, and found my headlights on as well. Found out a couple days later my relay was messed up, with corroded connectors. Threw a Bosch one in, and it's been good since.

 

I always put them in the OFF position--I never use the auto feature. I tried flipping it through all the positions, though, with no luck. Playing with it a few times finally gets them to turn off. When they did it a few times I ended up unhooking them on each side when parked.

I think it's the relay. I hooked them back up and drove to Zaxby's. When I got to the drive-thru the headlights went out. Turns out that now the headlights don't work on the LOW setting, but when I flip on my brights they work. Makes me think it's the relay now.

 

Not sure it is to uninstall them, but if you could make the ballasts reach enough so you can connect them to the fog light connectors, you could test out your low beams.




Plug the fog light bulb connector to the connector circled in red (slim ballasts should have a similar connector), while the ballast is still hooked up to the headlight bulbs. You may need to flip the fog light connector over, in case the wiring is backwards. It should light up, and it'll be in the low position since the high beam solenoid won't be energized.

Either way, based on what you said, it definitely sounds like the relay. If you can hook them up to the fogs, you'd at least be able to have low beams while you get a new relay.

 

Thanks for the tip. If it's the relay, though, I've got a pair of halogens on hand in case I need to get a new one. I'll check that out, though, to test it.

 

Relay sounds a good guess to me too, now. Wonder why it would close though if the truck was off?

- Jack

 

That's what has me stumped, too. I can only assume that it somehow melted a little inside, screwing up the connection. Maybe it's on the border line of switching on and off now all the time. No idea. It stumped me even more, tonight, when the lows quit working but the highs did. Especially since they haven't turned themselves on yet.

It's very strange. I don't trust it yet, though, so I just unplugged both sides at the headlight pigtails, just in case. The last thing I need is a dead battery in the morning.

 

Sorry, this is a bit confusing.

You have a relay on both ballast , passenger side factory connector directly plugged into the ballast, and the driver's side in series with the passenger side ballast.

With both ballast in parallel ( figured this is what you meant, not series that puts the voltage drop to ~50% or ~ 6 V DC each ballast ) do you have the passenger side factory bulb connector triggering the relay coil ?

If so, I would agree with ELVATO & Jack that the ballast cannot be powered without the relay being energized. , pointing to a problem with the relay ( or getting triggered some how ).

1. Do you have your headlamp timer set for the perimeter lighting ?
1.1. This is where the lights are on after you leave the truck for xx mount of time.

2. Do you have an aftermarket alarm system that flashes the headlamps ?

Trying to figure out why the relay would trigger by itself, maybe an external trigger is doing the job, and the relay is not releasing back ( problem with the spring in the relay ).

The other option is the relay normally open contacts are falling together, also pointing to a problem with the relay itself ( never seen this, but in the possible but not probable column ).

How is the splice to the relay done ? ( good crimp with a female spade connector ?? )

What are the load specifications on the relay ( compared to the ballast load requirements ) ?

What size wire do you have the relay to ballast done with ?

You should have a minimum of a 14 AWG wire ( to correctly handle the current inrush ) from the battery to the relay and the relay to the ballasts.

How is the splice to the factory headlamp connector to the relay done ( did you splice on the wire, or stick a wire / terminal in the headlamp connector ) ?

The fuse on the section from the relay to the battery, is this a lug type holder, or an inline splice ?

 

If it's anything like my sister's bi-xenon kit (different company, but I'm betting it's the same), there's a relay "brain box" (calling it that since there's no visible relay, it's just a box covered in thin flexible plastic with a bunch of wire coming out).

From it come a female headlight connector (in my sister's case, a female 9007 conecter, in his, I'm sure it's a 9008 one), which serves as the trigger for the bulb as well as the high beam solenoid motor.

Also from the box comes an external power wire for the battery, which has an ATC style inline fuse of I think 20 amps.

There's also 2 headlights male connectors (9005/9006 style) that plug into the ballast, as well as a thin wire that serves as the high beam solenoid power, which connects to the bulb. Each male headlight connector came with it's own grounding wire, though his might have a single grounding at the relay box.

The power wire, trigger female connector and one of male headlight connectors are about the same length, so that's why the passenger side is serving as the trigger, since it's the closest one to the battery.

Hopefully, I didn't make that too confusing, with all the aside thoughts.

 

SSCULLY, sorry for the confusion, I'll try to take some pictures in a minute so you get a better idea of what I'm working with.


^ That's sounds like it. I assume there is a relay internal to the "brain box", as ELVATO said. I was just unsure of what terminology to use. I'll get some pics in the next hour or so to clear it up.

 

If you have time, I'd call DDM (not sure if they're open right now, though). Someone else had a problem with their relay, and they just sent out another one.

 

I may do that. There are a lot of wires running into this thing but it only has a single harness connection. Should be an easy replacement if they offer one.


Here are those pics. Excuse the wiring....I pulled it all out the other day, so right now it's just all laying loose in there being tested.



The "brain box".





Another shot of the harness that plugs into it. Hopefully direct replacement?





This guy plugs into the passenger headlamp connector.





Coming from the HID bulb itself.





The two from the HID bulb to into the "brain box". Then from the "brain box" into the ballast.





Driver's side. SSCULLY you are right...parallel of course. I only assumed series because I had a small problem in the past where both headlights acted together. Same deal here. If it's a problem with this "brain box" then that would explain it.