Need HID help

[Arr MiHardies]

Both of the HID headlights in my 2011 Spyder RT stopped working recently. I don't know if they went out at exactly the same time or if one died first and I simply didn't notice. As far as I can tell, my fuses and relaysare good (in the frunk. Not sure if there are others). I know there is power going INTO the ballasts. But ballasts do all their special crap, so I don't really know how to go about testing them on the outbound side. I pulled out one of the headlights to look at the bulb. There is a slight puffy look to the glass near the top of the central chamber, and a very slight darkening to the bottom of it. Is this fairly normal, or are these indications the bulb is bad? These bulbs are about 1.5 years old with about 30,000 miles always on run time. Since these came from a kit at Xenon Depot, the connection is proprietary, so its not as simple as just grabbing another bulb to test with.Can anyone tell if this bulb is bad? I'd hate to order replacement bulbs to find out it's the ballasts or something else.

 

[bruiser]

I didn't know the connection was proprietary. I thought they were standard 9005 HID bulbs. I can't tell if the bulb is bad. Good luck. Keep us posted.

This might help you.

 

[Arr MiHardies]

I didn't know the connection was proprietary. I thought they were standard 9005 HID bulbs. I can't tell if the bulb is bad. Good luck. Keep us posted.

This might help you.

9005 bulbs connect to an L shape base with the connector immediately attached. This has wires that go out from the base and through the rubber seal that fills the holes you make in the back of the headlight cap. Also passing through this seal are other wires that... do... something... The entire assembly would need to be replaced to replace the bulb.

 

[PMK]

The bulb with connectors to mate to the ballast should be available from xenon depot. Probably includes the 1 inch grommet also.

You are correct about the 9005 connector, that is on the oem harness, mates to the conversion wiring, but the ballast to bulb is not a 9005 connector.

No good answer. Probably should try another bulb first and troubleshoot the system. Might be able to use a meter to test the ballast output to the bulb, or even try any form of HID bulb with small jumper cables, assuming you have an HID buld kicking about to try.

PK

 

[Arr MiHardies]

The bulb with connectors to mate to the ballast should be available from xenon depot. Probably includes the 1 inch grommet also.

You are correct about the 9005 connector, that is on the oem harness, mates to the conversion wiring, but the ballast to bulb is not a 9005 connector.

No good answer. Probably should try another bulb first and troubleshoot the system. Might be able to use a meter to test the ballast output to the bulb, or even try any form of HID bulb with small jumper cables, assuming you have an HID buld kicking about to try.

PK

I tried a multimeter on the ballast outputs with no result. Might have been doing it wrong though, and it's entirely possible my meter is no good. Of course, if I was doing it right, it means both the ballasts are bad.

 

[PMK]

I tried a multimeter on the ballast outputs with no result. Might have been doing it wrong though, and it's entirely possible my meter is no good. Of course, if I was doing it right, it means both the ballasts are bad.

Not sure what settings you were on with the meter. Not absolutely certain but I thought HID systems ran voltage in the 400 plus range. Just checked and boy was I wrong, 25000 volts to start and 80 to 90 for operation.

Check this article and you might do better to call and ask about troubleshooting.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/hid_headlamps.htm

PK

 

[Arr MiHardies]

This really doesn't make any sense but...
Neither headlights worked.
Plugged in an OEM light to confirm it wasn't on the bike side. OEM headlight lit up. Good. That means my fuses and relays are fine. I see power going into the ballasts (tested with LEDs). Nothing seems to be coming out, but i fully suspect my multimeter is bad. At this point, I think I have one of the following
-two bad ballasts
-two bad bulbs
-two bad ballasts AND two bad bulbs
or
-One bad ballast and one bad bulb (one on each side)

Pulled the other headlight out. Reinstalled the HID bulbs on opposite side, expecting either only one to work (indicating the fourth possibility) or neither one to work (meaning one of the other three possibilities). What happened was a fifth possibility. BOTH lights started working after swapping sides.

 

[bruiser]

Electrical issues can leave you scratching your head and saying :hun:

 

[PMK]

Something to consider, are you wired using the xenon relays or the oem relays?

My guess, is if you are NOT using the xenon depot relays, your oem relay is acting up. It will pass voltage but no load. When you connected the 65w oem light, it temporarily "cleaned" the relay contacts, making it all work.

Also, if you are using the xenon relays, you are double relayed. With this configuration, the oem relay is switched on, then this relay switches on the two additional relays.

If all the wiring connections are tight and clean. Nothing else looks "funky"I would replace or try another oem style relay. It is now the common item from your troubleshooting.

I read on here a while back that some people carry spare relays. They had eve found a replacement at the auto parts store, but may have been less peak amp load or something. Your HID will use less amps so this may be a worthy replacement.

PK

 

[Arr MiHardies]

Something to consider, are you wired using the xenon relays or the oem relays?

My guess, is if you are NOT using the xenon depot relays, your oem relay is acting up. It will pass voltage but no load. When you connected the 65w oem light, it temporarily "cleaned" the relay contacts, making it all work.

Also, if you are using the xenon relays, you are double relayed. With this configuration, the oem relay is switched on, then this relay switches on the two additional relays.

If all the wiring connections are tight and clean. Nothing else looks "funky"I would replace or try another oem style relay. It is now the common item from your troubleshooting.

I read on here a while back that some people carry spare relays. They had eve found a replacement at the auto parts store, but may have been less peak amp load or something. Your HID will use less amps so this may be a worthy replacement.

PK

I had swapped relays in the fuse box though with no luck.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Just throwing this out there, is it possible that they were overheated and had a chance to cool off when you switched them?

 

[PMK]

The entire problem should be a simple troubleshoot. Unfortunately, rather than isolating and removing possible problems, the list is growing.

Sorry to say, but maybe you should opt in for a new HID kit, install it and be done. As you install, test your existing bulbs. If they fire, then it is the ballast and triggers.

I don't have a good answer at this point.

Myself, I would make a patch cable and isolate the hid system entirely from the Spyder, including the battery. If the id works on its own, the Spyder is the issue and I would again lean towards the oem relay. If the hid does not work isolated from the Spyder and the oem still work normal, the hid system failed.

Also, I never saw it mentioned, are you using the oem relay to run the entire system, or the oem relay is the switching relay and the xenon depot relays are used to run the system direct form the battery.

Still will help if needed, but all the best with it.

PK