Odd lighting issue

[posttal]

I'm curious if anyone has run into this issue. I installed a set of HID lights...not the bulbs but the complete kit with the ballast for each light.. Mind you I've done this conversion in a few vehicles . When finished I turned on the lights and they work fine..perfect...or so I thought. I went out tonight to the park with the dog and while walking back to the truck hit the remote start and the truck started..the lights came on..and then they went off. When I got to the truck I manually started the truck and only one light was one...while fooling with it(jiggling the harness) the other side went out. WTF.. Well I only live a mile from where I was and I have super whites in the fogs so I drove home. I got in the drive and shut off the truck then popped the hood to check the lights again..I turned them on and both came on and worked fine...then I reached in and started the truck and they flickered and went off. I did this half a dozen times..the light are fine with the truck OFF..but as soon as you start it they flicker and go off.....strangest thing I ever saw. I have to assume that at 12volts they work fine but at charging voltage of 14v they go off for some reason.... I'm open to ideas or suggestions ... Now in full disclosure ..the HID lights them selves I just bought...the ballasts are from my ford I just sold...The ford lights were different so I just bought a set of replacement HID bulbs for a dodge and not the ballast for the dodge...but hell that shouldn't make a difference ?????

 

[posttal]

OK...after doing some research this morning I see that dodge has this issue and that in order to solve it you need to either install a relay harness to draw power directly from the battery...or add a resistor to the harness...at least this is what I've read. So...which do you guys prefer...the relay harness to the battery or adding a resistor in line ? ? Of course if anyone has and easier way please let me know...

 

[sbarron]

I've always preferred relays. Pretty much a completely separate circuit from the factory wiring so it's easy to remove, also less heat to deal with than a resistor.

But I'm old school, and haven't installed HIDs, just added plent of AUX lighting so as to not NEED to deal with HIDs lol

 

[posttal]

I tend to agree being old school myself...relays have been used for off road and fog lights for years. The thing I'm curious about is that if the electrical draw of the light is monitored by the computer..and the computer lets you know if a light is burnt out by a warning on the info display...would running a relay...which is going to show a much less amp draw...going to make the computer think a bulb is out and flash a warning ? ?

 

[sbarron]

I tend to agree being old school myself...relays have been used for off road and fog lights for years. The thing I'm curious about is that if the electrical draw of the light is monitored by the computer..and the computer lets you know if a light is burnt out by a warning on the info display...would running a relay...which is going to show a much less amp draw...going to make the computer think a bulb is out and flash a warning ? ?

Likely. That's the whole idea of the resistor and the whole reason I haven't changed the OEM headlights in any way other than using them as triggers for other lights.

 

[posttal]

Yeah I've used stock lighting circuits as a trigger for DRL's in the grill and spot lights before using it to activate a relay....but in older cars that weren't being monitored as close as the 4th gen dodge. I've read some posts that say using a relay is set a error code...and others that say it wont...depending on the exact year..all 4th gens..so I guess i'll have to find out the hard way and wire in a relay and see what happens. I was hoping to find someone else with a 2011 that has put in HID's... but so far no luck.

 

[adurm]

Get a relay. It has resistors and will go from the positive battery to the headlight harness, from the harness to the ballast and to the bulb, then goes back to negative battery. Get the proper relay and it should be canbus so you do not get a bulb out warning or flickering. Go to retroshop, a site sponsor, and either email him or browse his gear if you have not already.

 

[posttal]

I wish I had gotten this earlier. i already ordered the relay harness to run them directly off the battery. We'll see if it sets a warning.. some say on a 2011 it wont...if it does I'll put in a resister to trick the computer to thinking I have normal headlights.

 

[sbarron]

Yeah I've used stock lighting circuits as a trigger for DRL's in the grill and spot lights before using it to activate a relay....but in older cars that weren't being monitored as close as the 4th gen dodge. I've read some posts that say using a relay is set a error code...and others that say it wont...depending on the exact year..all 4th gens..so I guess i'll have to find out the hard way and wire in a relay and see what happens. I was hoping to find someone else with a 2011 that has put in HID's... but so far no luck.

I've used both the fog light circuit and the high beam headlight circuit as triggers for aux lights and have had no issues with my 13, Quad HL sutup.