Best Cold Weather Ballasts
 

I'm running a set of Morimoto ballasts from TRS, and they always have a hard time lighting in cold temps. Today it is -36c, and it took around 20 re-starts to get both projectors up and running. Yesterday, I couldn't get em both to fire, and had to commute to the mine with one headlight. I believe they are the older style, without the replaceable ignitor cords. Are the new style ballasts any better? Should I be looking at OEM? Which ones?

Hey.

Any of the three OEM's they carry , or you can try the new Mori XB ballasts. All are comfortable in the cold (but like anything else, there are limits).

Bear in mind that none of the OEM's are sealed - you will either need to pot them yerself (or pay $$$ for same), or mount them inside yer housings ( not possible with the Denso's in most Ford housings - too big ). XB's are fully potted / sealed.

FWIW -Frequent, multiple restarts are very, very bad fer ye HID capsules - expect shorter life.

FWIW #2: remember that initial ballast ignition is quite power-intensive. If ye electrical system isn't outputting the requisite amount (and extreme cold only exacerbates same), reliably lighting off can be problematic with any ballast. Try using a batt warmer blanky and a quality intelligent batt maintainer in those conditions.

FWIW #3. If ye have autolamps, DRL, etc, try defeating those - and don't turn on the HID's until after the truck is up and running fer ~ several seconds (you can implement a TDR to do that automagically).

We've hit a few -35's to -40's - no problems at all.

FWIW #4: How old are ye current ballasts? They have warranties - call TRS and see if they can do a swap - or a discount against the newer XB's. Never hurts to ask.

MGD

All of that. Good OEM ballasts that for into your headlights would be the matsus.hitas. great ballasts that's what I use.

Yup, I read that multiple restarts are not good, but I have the ceap Morimoto bulbs in there now, so thats a good thing.

I run the big amp alternator, it's a couple years old, and I run an Odessy AGM battery, the biggest one that fits. I don't have a battery blanket or trickle charger. My buddy used to run a blanket and charger on his truck, and one day while parked at camp, the blanket took a dump, and started to smoke. Someone noticed it and was smart enough to unplug it before all hell broke loose, so I'm not cool with the blankets.

I have the DRL's disabled at the resistor, and don't have the autolamp option. I usually start my rig and let it warm up for 20 mins in that super cold temps, without the lights lit up. I only light em up, when I go to leave for work.

The ballasts are from 2013, so not sure about warrenty, Ill check into that. It sounds like I will try the new style XB ballasts, as I will need them to be well sealed.

Thanks for the info

Mornin' fellow Hoser;

TRS ballasts are warranted fer 2 years, so depending when ye bought them, ye may still be covered. If so get 'em to replace wif the XB's is ye best bet.

Hmmm ... have run blankies fer many years - you need quality ones, not the crap Princess Auto sells :lol:

FWIW - a good intelligent batt maintainer will also elevate the batt's internal temp by virtue of the charging chemical reaction. These will also prolong ye battery's life.

Oh - I remember our 'discussion' concerning idling fer a half-hour, :lol: Wif a blanky, maintainer, oilpan heater, block heater and interior heater, it's still 30 seconds max - from start to drive-off, and no winder-scrapin' - fer Ol' Bubber. :banana:

MGD

Yeah, my buddy's blanket was a canadian tire special, so that could have been his issue. I ain't a fan of interior heaters either. At a mine in the next town over, an interior heater in a guys rig, caught it on fire, and the ensuing fire took out multiple vehicles, on night shift. Imagine your surprise, when you came up from underground, to find a burned out shell.

I was gonna do the oil pan heater this fall, but I left it too late in the year, and winter caught me first. Its still on the to-do list. I do have a CTEK battery charger, but I don't have a battery tender hard wired.

Once the weather warms up, I'll swap out to the new XB's and try that. I wanna work this issue out before I grab some expensive CBI's

^^^ Good plan.

MGD