HID flicker question

[wildcat08]

Well I installed the Xentec 6000K kit, and the passenger side bulb continues to flicker for awhile after I turn them on. Sometimes for 15 minutes or so. I think it is normal for them to flicker a little when they are first turned on, then stop soon after. Is that correct?

Since it is such a PITA to get to the ballasts and bulbs, I would like to get it fixed in one try. Do I need a capacitor somewhere in the wiring? Or is it likely that I have a bad bulb? I was also wondering if one of the SBD grounding kits would help with the flicker.

I just installed them plug-n-play, no relays or any of that stuff.

Any help you guys can give me is appreciated.

[Heels1010]

they are not supposed to flicker at all. Not really sure what it means when they do. I have xentec 6000K and just plug and play and they never flicker. Someone on the forum will chime in on what the problem exactly. I bought a relay harness but didn;t end up using it. A relay harness would put less stress on your oem line and draw some powr from the battery.

[fadij]

swith the ballasts from one side to the other so you can figure out if its the defected ballasts....and if it still flickers switch the bulbs and if the problem goes to the other side that means its the bulb.

[rjdmmfl1]

I think your problems would be solved with a relay harness...

i have a Xentek 5000k HID kit installed in my wife's headlights... looks great and does NOT flicker

i have a Xentek 5000k HID kit installed in my fog lights... looks great, but has always had a wierd very subtle flicker since I installed them... not an off and on flicker, but more of a glimmer of a flicker, if you weren';t directly staring at it, it would barely be noticeable...

anyway, one of my buddy's made a relay kit for me, and I installed it yesterday... the relay kit only has one input (from the factory power source) and two outputs (going to the OEM ballasts) ... the passenger side light flickered for about 5 seconds when I first hooked it up, but after that, its been just fine... and the stubtle flicker is COMPLETELY GONE...

so a relay harness may very well solve your problems... ask HEELS1010 if he'll sell you his for cheap, and that may solve your issues (other folks on this forum in the interior/exterior thread have reported this exact same issue in the past, and their flicker issues were also solved by a relay harness

[D-Roll]

I think your problems would be solved with a relay harness...

i have a Xentek 5000k HID kit installed in my wife's headlights... looks great and does NOT flicker

i have a Xentek 5000k HID kit installed in my fog lights... looks great, but has always had a wierd very subtle flicker since I installed them... not an off and on flicker, but more of a glimmer of a flicker, if you weren';t directly staring at it, it would barely be noticeable...

anyway, one of my buddy's made a relay kit for me, and I installed it yesterday... the relay kit only has one input (from the factory power source) and two outputs (going to the OEM ballasts) ... the passenger side light flickered for about 5 seconds when I first hooked it up, but after that, its been just fine... and the stubtle flicker is COMPLETELY GONE...

so a relay harness may very well solve your problems... ask HEELS1010 if he'll sell you his for cheap, and that may solve your issues (other folks on this forum in the interior/exterior thread have reported this exact same issue in the past, and their flicker issues were also solved by a relay harness

I did the same

[wildcat08]

Sounds like a good idea. Mine just has the subtle flicker as well, not completely on and off. I looked up the relay kit online and it doesn't look like it would be difficult to make, if one had the connectors available. I suppose I could rob the parts from the kit I already installed (except for the relay), but I would have to spend some time on it to make it look clean.

The website I looked at says that the relay kit solves the following problems:

•Headlight Warning when illuminated on European vehicles•One light out in cold weather and where trouble is experienced with Auto-on systems.•Lights not turning when connecting your HID kit, found on many GMC/Chevy/Saturn vehicles and others

But then again, you guys are pretty good at fixing problems so this seems like a good place to start.

If I decide to make my own relay harness, what relay (part number) did you use?

[rjdmmfl1]

Sounds like a good idea. Mine just has the subtle flicker as well, not completely on and off. I looked up the relay kit online and it doesn't look like it would be difficult to make, if one had the connectors available. I suppose I could rob the parts from the kit I already installed (except for the relay), but I would have to spend some time on it to make it look clean.

The website I looked at says that the relay kit solves the following problems:

•Headlight Warning when illuminated on European vehicles•One light out in cold weather and where trouble is experienced with Auto-on systems.•Lights not turning when connecting your HID kit, found on many GMC/Chevy/Saturn vehicles and others

But then again, you guys are pretty good at fixing problems so this seems like a good place to start.

If I decide to make my own relay harness, what relay (part number) did you use?

don't recall, as i said, my buddy made mine...

but this

http://cgi.ebay.com/H11-Relay-...95cb5

should work great and only costs $30 shippped

[super_dn]

yeah they're not suppose to flicker at all. and for this our car it does not require a relay harness. Big vehicles like chargers, 300c etc needs them.

[rjdmmfl1]

yeah they're not suppose to flicker at all. and for this our car it does not require a relay harness. Big vehicles like chargers, 300c etc needs them.

does not and SHOULD NOT are not the same... clearly, folks here have shown that the relay harness fixes this flickering issue... I just gave two examples of this

[wildcat08]

lol...thanks Doc. Not looking forward to taking the bumper back off.

[rjdmmfl1]

lol...thanks Doc. Not looking forward to taking the bumper back off.

man, you gotta check in with us more often... you don't have to take the bumper off to install HID kits... one of the old moderators did a write up on how to install the kit through the wheel well... you just turn the wheel all the way in.. its easier if you jack the car up and take off one wheel, but you don't have to.... you can reach everything by just turning the wheel inward, and removing the plastic protector covering the wheel well... that's how I installed my wife's HID kit!

here it is...

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=294364

[wildcat08]

I had looked at that write-up. It kind of looked like you had to contort your hand to get in there, but you have to do the same even if you take the bumper off. I realize now that I should have put the ballasts where they would be accessible from the wheel wells. Instead I put them further forward. Oh well. I'll just get a buddy to help me line the bumper up to put it back on.

I don't know if this is just on the 2009's, but there are also 5 of those pop-up clips on the bottom of the bumper that have to come out that the bumper removal write-up doesn't mention. They hold the 'skid plate' to the bumper. They're fun because sand and grit gets in them and then the centers don't want to pop out.

[LongBeachCoupe]

LIGHTING SECTION!

[rjdmmfl1]

I had looked at that write-up. It kind of looked like you had to contort your hand to get in there, but you have to do the same even if you take the bumper off. I realize now that I should have put the ballasts where they would be accessible from the wheel wells. Instead I put them further forward. Oh well. I'll just get a buddy to help me line the bumper up to put it back on.

I don't know if this is just on the 2009's, but there are also 5 of those pop-up clips on the bottom of the bumper that have to come out that the bumper removal write-up doesn't mention. They hold the 'skid plate' to the bumper. They're fun because sand and grit gets in them and then the centers don't want to pop out.

yeah I know all about that.. those extra clips sucks when sand gets in them!!