My Civics HID DIY Installation

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by Yodums

1 - Does it happen on both sides?

It happens both side but not in the same time. Nobody here noticed this problem?????

[Orient Express]

That is not a problem, but a characteristic of HID lamps. Do a search on how HID lamps warm-up and you will find that it takes 4-6 seconds for a HID bulb to become fully functional, and the flashing you describe is part the warm-up transition.

[GETxERxDONE]

mine came in today!cant wait to install them in like..9 days

[Gnatman]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

it's 10 amp for each low and relay harness comes with a 30amp fuse as well as the relay itself being 30amps to begin with.

Thanks Striker for the reply! It made me double check the capacity of the low-beam circuit.

The owner's manual for my 2006 Civic EX and the fuse in the panel states the headlight low main fuse is 20 amp, and the fuse in the panel is 20 amp. However, I am curious about the relay kit shipped to me. The relay is rated at 40-amp max, but it was shipped with a 20-amp fuse.

I know that someone out there has the same relay kit that I do. I wonder what fuse is installed in the line going to the relay.

Thanks!

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by Gnatman

Thanks Striker for the reply! It made me double check the capacity of the low-beam circuit.

The owner's manual for my 2006 Civic EX and the fuse in the panel states the headlight low main fuse is 20 amp, and the fuse in the panel is 20 amp. However, I am curious about the relay kit shipped to me. The relay is rated at 40-amp max, but it was shipped with a 20-amp fuse.

I know that someone out there has the same relay kit that I do. I wonder what fuse is installed in the line going to the relay.

Thanks!

i mean when ballasts go faulty, they do two things:
1)malfunction drawing less power thus either not working at all or making the bulb flicker
2) malfunction drawing more power and

[Gnatman]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

i mean when ballasts go faulty, they do two things:
1)malfunction drawing less power thus either not working at all or making the bulb flicker
2) malfunction drawing more power and

I guess I didn't ask the right question. For the others with the relay kit, what amp rated fuse is shipped? Is it 20 or 40?

Thanks!

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by Gnatman

I guess I didn't ask the right question. For the others with the relay kit, what amp rated fuse is shipped? Is it 20 or 40?

Thanks!

it was shipped with a 20amp but i changed it to 30amp for spikes that may go on. Relay came with a 30amp fuse. Gauge was 18gw though so i redid the whole thing with 14ga wires. Our OEM harness are 18ga wires so yeah that's not too strong:

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by Orient Express

That is not a problem, but a characteristic of HID lamps. Do a search on how HID lamps warm-up and you will find that it takes 4-6 seconds for a HID bulb to become fully functional, and the flashing you describe is part the warm-up transition.

I did a real retrofit with bi-xenon projectors/ballast from a E55 mercedes on my last car. And I installed it with home made harness and relays because in this case, a plug-and-play is impossible. So I know how HID operate. I know that the warm up time is a couple of second.

But why do you think my lamps flicker about 2 MINUTES after the warm-up??? They flicker like voltage drop.... and after, no more flicker for hours....

[shutter13]

received my HIDs today... i thought it was funny how the guy signed the shipping form as "Mr. Li"

i bet there are hundreds of thousands of Mr. Lis in china hahaha

anyway, going to install soon, wish me luck!

[shutter13]

installation went well... taking off the wheel well liner/jacking up/putting on stands and taking off the wheels was the majority of time spent... the actual lighting part is pretty quick... the OP shows very good places to mount the ballasts

i like them, they're pretty and bright havent driven yet or seen cutoff though (dad's mustang was parked right in front of my car in the driveway)

[GETxERxDONE]

nice glad it went smoothly. hopefully mine will too! one question.

is the place you and the OP mounted the ballasts accessable if i just take the bumper off? because im going to clear my headlights at the same time so im just gonna take off th bumper.

thanks

[Driversound]

I'd buy it. Thanks for the DIY how to.

[shutter13]

Originally Posted by GETxERxDONE

nice glad it went smoothly. hopefully mine will too! one question.

is the place you and the OP mounted the ballasts accessable if i just take the bumper off? because im going to clear my headlights at the same time so im just gonna take off th bumper.

thanks

yea that will be fine i think... i mean obvioulsy i havent tried it but i think to do this DIY you either need to a) remove the bumper b) remove the wheels/peel back the well liner ........ not both

worse case scenario you have to take your wheels off and break those damn liner clips

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by 200HP EP

I did a real retrofit with bi-xenon projectors/ballast from a E55 mercedes on my last car. And I installed it with home made harness and relays because in this case, a plug-and-play is impossible. So I know how HID operate. I know that the warm up time is a couple of second.

But why do you think my lamps flicker about 2 MINUTES after the warm-up??? They flicker like voltage drop.... and after, no more flicker for hours....

Unsurprisingly, nobody want to answer the question??? ORIENT EXPRESS, STRICKE1818 where are you????

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by 200HP EP

Unsurprisingly, nobody want to answer the question??? ORIENT EXPRESS, STRICKE1818 where are you????

SORRY! lol
bad/loose ground will cause your lights to flicker.
Same exact thing as when you grab a small bulb, wrap it around with a wire, then below it, facing upwards, add to AA batteries one on top of the other.
then, from the wire you had all wrapped around the bulb, make that touch the bottom of the 2nd battery. Your light will turn on. If it doesn't (not making connection) your lights will turn off. if it's not a solid touch, then your bulb will flicker.

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

SORRY! lol
bad/loose ground will cause your lights to flicker.
Same exact thing as when you grab a small bulb, wrap it around with a wire, then below it, facing upwards, add to AA batteries one on top of the other.
then, from the wire you had all wrapped around the bulb, make that touch the bottom of the 2nd battery. Your light will turn on. If it doesn't (not making connection) your lights will turn off. if it's not a solid touch, then your bulb will flicker.

I understand what you say... But the flicker happen only one time, 2 minutes after I turn my lamps on! For the rest of the time, they doesn't flicker anymore!!!

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by 200HP EP

I understand what you say... But the flicker happen only one time, 2 minutes after I turn my lamps on! For the rest of the time, they doesn't flicker anymore!!!

bad relay? bad ballast?

[olieebur]

i get that too sometimes, one short quick flicker, and then after that, its all good.

[Englishe30]

I get it as well, and opt'd not to install the relay...

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

bad relay? bad ballast?

Bad ballast???

Because the flicker happen at the same time on both sides, I don't think I have 2 bad ballast that cause 2 flickers at the same time!!! And always 2 minutes after they are turned on!!!!

Bad relay?

I think you are wrong and right at the same time!!! Wrong, because I didn't use the relay harness. I just plug-n-play. Right, because the OEM harness has relays... and maybe it is the car's circuit that causes this issue. Or maybe the multiplexer. When we turn on the HID, the warm up period sucks a lot of juice... Maybe the car's harness is able to support this (like ORIENT EXPRESS said).... Maybe the multiplexer or an other part of the circuit has difficulties.

I think that using the relay harness is a safer way.