HID flickering problem... - Exterior Forum

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HID flickering problem...
Monday, May 24, 2010 10:30 PM
Okay, I installed my 35W, 6000K DDM kit today and the lights were working beautifully. I came back from dinner and the passenger side light won't come on now; instead it just flickers/strobes. I checked all of the connections and everything is fine, and the driver's side is working like a charm still though. Any suggestions? And I have a video on my iPhone but the phone doesn't want to open up on my PC...

(Here's an iPhone/facebook pic of both lights working...)

and in addition, the cheaper ebay foglight kit I got (didn't realize 880 and 881 bulbs were the same or I would've ordered all DDM stuff...) is doing the same thing. The driver's side works, but the passenger won't. Again, all wired the same way...

Anyone else have this problem? any tips?




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Re: HID flickering problem...
Monday, May 24, 2010 10:35 PM
im having the same problem except mine is cause i havent installed relays in it yet, will be doing that in the next week or so, but back to what i was saying did you put relays on them?



2010 Lonestar Bash 2nd place J-Body Street Class
Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 4:06 AM
From what you said I see 2 problems

1. Wiring kit

2. Disable DRLs? (was not mentioned)

If you have not disabled the drl and are not using a wiring kit I suggest dong so before you ruin the ballast. Been there done that and had it pop the first day that I had them. Also turning them on and off before they are warmed up will ruin the ballast to so if during the install or testing you keep flicking them off and on that will kill the ballast.



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Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 7:19 AM
the DRLs run off the high beams though, and I only did HID low beams, 9006 bulbs. And does anyone have more pictures on how to remove the DRLs? Half of the ones in the sticky are gone...



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Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 9:34 AM
You still need to disable the DRLs. My first set did the exact same thing yours is doing and I added a relay, and disabled drl's for the new set and they worked perfectly for 2 years.



Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 9:35 AM
mine always flickered before i did the drl disable as well...
pretty sure its just cutting the one wire and grounding it.
it may also be the ballast if it keeps happening so you may want to contact the company to see what they say ( or cover)



Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 10:07 AM
Mine did the same thing and I replaced the ballast. It's worked fine for two months now



Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 10:08 AM
98z24ragtop wrote:the DRLs run off the high beams though, and I only did HID low beams, 9006 bulbs. And does anyone have more pictures on how to remove the DRLs? Half of the ones in the sticky are gone...


They do drain off the high beams but they also under power the lows to get that dim lighting. That alone is what kills the ballast. They do not like being under powered it will have enough to try and ignite the light but it wont have enough in turn burning it out. Disable them asap before you do some serious damage. If your ballast is dead just call DDM and tell them it wont light do not tell them you didn't disable the DRLs since that is all on you if you didn't do that.


Disclaimer: Dey see me Trollin' Dey hatin' for trollin dey trying to catch me ridin dirty.

Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 1:09 PM
Gotcha! Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help! I'm still kind of a noob with this stuff. I will disable the DRLs later and try that again! Hopefully I Didn't kill the ballast...



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Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 1:38 PM
Not prob, if its still trying to come on then most likely you didn't completely kill it. But if you do disable them and it still flickers then you might want to call DDM and let them know what is going on. But for the love of god don't tell them you installed them then disabled the DRL tell them you disabled it then installed them. I am not sure if that is a fine print thing in there about the DRL since it is common knowledge that they ruin the ballast.


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Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 1:53 PM
i did not have to disable my DRLs for my HIDs to work... perhaps something is different on 00+... i used a relay that supplies power to my HID Ballast, and my DRLs only supplied power to hi beam bi-fil. the only part of my car's electrical system to touch the HIDs were on to the on/off terminal on the relay, there-in not allowing any other power to be supplied to the ballasts besides from the battery through the relay...

the only reason why i disabled my DRLs is due to a low resistance code i got. I suspect this is in the DRL system as it worked with the HIDs for a while before randomly failing. I set my BCM to think it is in mexico with a Tech 2 only so i did not have to see the check wrench light... if i felt like going through the wiring, BCM forward, i would gladly fix the DRLs as i see no real need to disable them (only a cosmetic desire by most)...




Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 3:12 PM
I don't have experience with HID on the J-body platform my experience is from my Silverado. I have no clue what relay keeps being mentioned I'm guessing its one of the code eliminators on their site? I just disabled my DRL and used the Wiring kit to run power off the battery as mentioned above and only used the stock wiring as a trigger to kick the relay to turn them on. From my understanding I was wrong with leaching power off the highs it should leach off the lows to run the highs at a lower power. That is what kills ballasts at least on my truck that's how it worked or how I was explained to how it works on my truck forum.

Either way you need a wiring kit and I guess relays and prob need to disable the DRL Hope you get it all worked out. I am in the process of trying to get all the info together for doing them on my Malibu so I don't have the issues the truck had at first. DDM isn't just a 15 minute drive down the road for me now that I am no longer in SD.


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Re: HID flickering problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 4:36 PM
basically the DRLS on a j run off the high beams... and if you use a relay, the ballasts get power from the battery, and just use the J electrical system for the "on/off" switch. Teh Jeffie "IsatchmoYOU" hooked me up with the relay + wiring.

if you just splice your low beam wire to the ballasts, you will get a flickering, pass side out problem when the lights are powered up when the motor is not running, or if it stalls...

you need a relay...



Re: HID flickering problem...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 12:32 PM
mine is also an 00+ and i had to disable mine...

to the OP the ballast should be okay if the problem is in fact the drls... i ran mine for a week or so before finally disabling the drls and to this day i havent had a problem with them..

and just to clarify its been about a year since install.



Re: HID flickering problem...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 7:25 PM
^^ Did you run it to a relay, or is the balast powered off your headlight wiring?



Re: HID flickering problem...
Thursday, May 27, 2010 7:15 PM
to be honest i dont even remember!
its been so long! haha! ill take a look tomorrow



Re: HID flickering problem...
Friday, May 28, 2010 10:13 PM
Turns out the problem was a blown fuse and headlight relay. Both of which have been replaced. I went back to stock til next week when my family leaves and my dad and I can install them, disable the DRLs, and get everything done right this time, hopefully! Thanks for your help guys!



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Re: HID flickering problem...
Saturday, May 29, 2010 9:20 AM
98z24ragtop wrote:Turns out the problem was a blown fuse and headlight relay. Both of which have been replaced. I went back to stock til next week when my family leaves and my dad and I can install them, disable the DRLs, and get everything done right this time, hopefully! Thanks for your help guys!


Glad you figured everything out man. Hopefully everything works right when you get it installed right. I am sure your ballast is fine mine might have had a problem to begin with or the DRLs acted quick and killed it either way warranty FTW


Disclaimer: Dey see me Trollin' Dey hatin' for trollin dey trying to catch me ridin dirty.

Re: HID flickering problem...
Saturday, May 29, 2010 5:40 PM
i still say when the HIDs are wired up correctly, DRLs have no effect on HIDs... and if the DRL's are causing a problem, the HID's are wired wrong...

--- Which sounds to me is the case, as you can blow a fuse and headlight relay if you wire the HID Ballasts directly to the low beam wire, and not directly off the battery and controlled by the low beam wire attached to a relay... ---

either way, if you must disable them, go to a chevy dealer and use their tech 2 and disable them the right way, then hacking up your wiring harness

96 - 99 --- disable DRLS under BCM - System Option
99 - 05 --- set the country of use in the BCM to Mexico

1999 is a transitional year so either BCM could be in the vehicle




^^^ Those are examples of an HID Relay... you need one of these to not fry your electrical system...


Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Saturday, May 29, 2010 5:45 PM


Re: HID flickering problem...
Saturday, May 29, 2010 7:45 PM
Speedline02 (GME Chat!!) wrote:

either way, if you must disable them, go to a chevy dealer and use their tech 2 and disable them the right way, then hacking up your wiring harness

96 - 99 --- disable DRLS under BCM - System Option
99 - 05 --- set the country of use in the BCM to Mexico

^^^ Those are examples of an HID Relay... you need one of these to not fry your electrical system...


Easy to do if you a) have access to one or b) or dealership won't do it. Hell the ones here wouldn't flash my computer for the GM SC Tune and refused to change a friends SC pulley.


M62, 42's, ZZP 3", ZZP S3 H/E
214whp 190wtq
Re: HID flickering problem...
Saturday, May 29, 2010 8:29 PM
yeah you gotta find a dealer or someone who works for a GM Dealer who's cool that'll let ya do it.. but i'd always try that option first before hacking the harness




Re: HID flickering problem...
Sunday, May 30, 2010 9:42 AM
good to hear man!
glad you got it all figured out



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