HID Problems

[Obby]

Well that was fast. My HID is only working intermittently now. Sometimes it stays on, other times it flickers off. I sent Andy an email .

[Northman]

Check all of your connections, first. Make sure they're tight, and waterproof. If they can't be waterproofed, then at least coat them with dielectric grease.

[bartonmd]

coat them with dielectric grease and wrap them VERY tight with electrical tape... I need to use electric tape instead of friction tape on mine, and take the factory, middle connector out, because I'm starting to get some light flickering on some bumps some times... usually when it's cold and wet, which means corrosion...

Mike

[Obby]

I check the connections yesturday when the problem started. They looked to be dry and tight. The HID lights up when I turn the key to the On position (every time), then when I start the engine, most of the time the HID goes off. Sometimes I can get it to work, but mostly not. I have about maybe 24 hours of riding time since the install.

[Guest rockmeupto125]

See what your voltage is along with the other checks.

Do you mean the light comes on with the key, goes out with the starter, and stays out once the starter button is released?

Try turning on the key with the starter button depressed if that's the case.

[Northman]

Could also be a problem with the contact in the right hand switch. The one that shuts the headlights off when you hit the starter.

[Obby]

See what your voltage is along with the other checks.

Do you mean the light comes on with the key, goes out with the starter, and stays out once the starter button is released? YEP, and if i repeat the process, sometimes it goes on, but most of the time it stays off

Try turning on the key with the starter button depressed if that's the case.Will Do, but it was working fine. What changed i wonder

[willxx23]

See what your voltage is along with the other checks.

Do you mean the light comes on with the key, goes out with the starter, and stays out once the starter button is released? YEP, and if i repeat the process, sometimes it goes on, but most of the time it stays off

Try turning on the key with the starter button depressed if that's the case.

Will Do, but it was working fine. What changed i wonder

I had the same problem on my CBR1000F the starter switch had corroded and would intermittingly cut out I had to replace the switch at about 80K. :roll:

POS Hondas :roll: :wink:

[bartonmd]

Also, I will say that, if you can't get this fixed by other methods, 24 hours, although being a bit "old" for an "infintile" failure, it's possible... I'd try everything else first though...

Mike

[Guest rockmeupto125]

Your switches may have some contact problems....especially it being a '97.

[sykotek-xx]

Do you have one or both beams?

If you have both beams are both doing it?

If you have only the low beam or high beam, what is the halogen counterpart doing?

[Obby]

Do you have one or both beams?

If you have both beams are both doing it?

If you have only the low beam or high beam, what is the halogen counterpart doing?

Only have the low beam. The high beam works fine.

[Moriartii]

I have the old switch assembly off of my 97 if you want it. The locator pin in the bottom (I think that is where it is) broke so I replaced the switch. The top half should be ok if you want it. Let me know.

Kinley

[Obby]

I have the old switch assembly off of my 97 if you want it. The locator pin in the bottom (I think that is where it is) broke so I replaced the switch. The top half should be ok if you want it. Let me know.

Kinley

Thanks for the offer. I'm pretty sure it's not the switch. If I leave the high beam on with the low beam and turn the ignition on, they will both cut out as expected during startup, but then the high beam is the only one that turns back on. I think it's a faulty ballast.

[Moriartii]

Ok then

[TechnoGecko]

I have the old switch assembly off of my 97 if you want it.  The locator pin in the bottom (I think that is where it is) broke so I replaced the switch.  The top half should be ok if you want it.  Let me know.

Kinley

Thanks for the offer. I'm pretty sure it's not the switch. If I leave the high beam on with the low beam and turn the ignition on, they will both cut out as expected during startup, but then the high beam is the only one that turns back on. I think it's a faulty ballast.

Also keep in mind that the ballasts have protection circuits on them to prevent damage to the bulb. If for some reason it thinks that it might damage the bulb it wont light back up. So if you turn your key on the bulb gets to full warm and then hit start it and it flickers on and off for even a split second the ballast will cut power to the bulb.

Let the bike sit for a while, then hold the starter button in and start the bike. See if it comes on then.

[mrsquirrel]

Keep us posted.

I am got PayPal sorted but want to know what the backup service is like if they fail.

[beondwacko]

Flip the leads over from high to low and low to high. See if it does it then. If it does, it's the lamp.

[Obby]

I have the old switch assembly off of my 97 if you want it.  The locator pin in the bottom (I think that is where it is) broke so I replaced the switch.  The top half should be ok if you want it.  Let me know.

Kinley

Thanks for the offer. I'm pretty sure it's not the switch. If I leave the high beam on with the low beam and turn the ignition on, they will both cut out as expected during startup, but then the high beam is the only one that turns back on. I think it's a faulty ballast.

Also keep in mind that the ballasts have protection circuits on them to prevent damage to the bulb. If for some reason it thinks that it might damage the bulb it wont light back up. So if you turn your key on the bulb gets to full warm and then hit start it and it flickers on and off for even a split second the ballast will cut power to the bulb.

Let the bike sit for a while, then hold the starter button in and start the bike. See if it comes on then.

I did that last night, no luck. I did it again this morning, it worked. Seems to be intermittent, but mostly doesn't work. :?

[Obby]

Keep us posted.

I am got PayPal sorted but want to know what the backup service is like if they fail.

Sure thing. I'm in correspondense with Andy, he is trying to help me diagnose the issue. He stated that the the HID needs a 25amp fuse. My stock one is 20amps. I don't think a 25amp will help, but I'll replace it for argument sake. He also said that the HID has a 5 second delay before restart, so he wanted me to start my bike, then turn on the HID. That would be great if I had a switch for the light.

Anyways, now the HID will only turn on intermittenly with the key in the on position. It use to turn on every time, then die.

Looks like it's getting worse.

-Obby

edited:

Andy informed me that a relay and direct battery connection may be needed as the ballast has a saftey feature that shuts it down if their is a drop in power (like when we hit the starter). Not sure why it ever worked if that's the case.

[John01XX]

When I hooked up my first set I found that there was a problem intermittantly with the bulb coming on or just flickering or not coming on at all.

Problem disappeared once the bike was running. Seemed that there was a voltage issue if the engine was was not running. Hasn't done it since but I do not just turn the key on to show someone the light, instead I always start it up to show the brightness.

Not sure if that helps at all. I guess your problem happens even when the engine is running, but just a thought

[Obby]

When I hooked up my first set I found that there was a problem intermittantly with the bulb coming on or just flickering or not coming on at all.

Problem disappeared once the bike was running. Seemed that there was a voltage issue if the engine was was not running. Hasn't done it since but I do not just turn the key on to show someone the light, instead I always start it up to show the brightness.

Not sure if that helps at all. I guess your problem happens even when the engine is running, but just a thought

So you are holding down the start switch before turning the key, or do you have a switch for your headlamp?

I think I'm going to try a relay. I know absolutely nothing about wiring one, but it doesn't look that hard. From what I understand a Single Pole Single Throw should work. That sound right?

Where the heck is Warchild when you need him?

[pug]

Psst!!

The mate who sold me my HID kit, sent me this diagramm to correct the flickering I noticed.

The '85-87-86-30' is the relay you should use (very common).

Although didn't have the time to try it on my bird, this should be sufficient.

[sykotek-xx]

If the fuse isn't blowing then the fuse isn't the problem.

If you hooked the HID to the high beam leads and it still flickers, but the high beam halogen works fine, it's not the leads.

Sounds like a bad ballast, maybe more sensitive to voltage than it should be.

Keep us posted.

Mine started flickering horribly as I noted in an earlier post here somewhere, but it was the leads that had popped out of the honda factory socket.

[Obby]

Psst!!

The mate who sold me my HID kit, sent me this diagramm to correct the flickering I noticed.

The '85-87-86-30' is the relay you should use (very common).

Although didn't have the time to try it on my bird, this should be sufficient.

Hey! thanks there Pug. I'll give that a try after a few more tests this weekend.

-Obby