My Civics HID DIY Installation

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by 200HP EP

Bad ballast???
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.

uhh I'm just giving you answers as to what may cause that. I'm not saying that is your problem.
OEM harness uses 18ga wire and has a fuse to protect them.
Some Ballasts need a huge amount of power to get them to work but some don't. That's why a relay harness was created. It is universal for any type of ballast and provides protection with a 14ga wires and a relay.

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

uhh I'm just giving you answers as to what may cause that. I'm not saying that is your problem.
OEM harness uses 18ga wire and has a fuse to protect them.
Some Ballasts need a huge amount of power to get them to work but some don't. That's why a relay harness was created. It is universal for any type of ballast and provides protection with a 14ga wires and a relay.

I know that Stricker! I think that if I use the relay harness, high current will pass from battery to ballast directly without passing by multiplexer and than eliminate the damn flicker!!!

[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 harness is able to support this.... Maybe the multiplexer or an other part of the circuit has difficulties.

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

[Orient Express]

If this retrofit is the typical Chinese kit, then the ballast startup surge current is less than 8.5 amps. In that case a relay harness will have no effect.

Have you hooked up a meter to the lamp circuit to see if there is a voltage drop associated with the flicker? Also is the flicker timing consistent? i.e, can you time it, and it happens at some fixed time every time after the lights are turned on? Does it happen when the car is cold, or warmed up or both? Is the air-conditioner state have any effect? Do you have fog lamps? Are they turned on or off?

While I have not seen this flicker first hand, I would suspect that since it happens on both lights at the same time that it is not the ballasts or lamps at issue, but rather something else on the car that is drawing a high current.

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by Orient Express

If this retrofit is the typical Chinese kit, then the ballast startup surge current is less than 8.5 amps. In that case a relay harness will have no effect.

Have you hooked up a meter to the lamp circuit to see if there is a voltage drop associated with the flicker? Also is the flicker timing consistent? i.e, can you time it, and it happens at some fixed time every time after the lights are turned on? Does it happen when the car is cold, or warmed up or both? Is the air-conditioner state have any effect? Do you have fog lamps? Are they turned on or off?

While I have not seen this flicker first hand, I would suspect that since it happens on both lights at the same time that it is not the ballasts or lamps at issue, but rather something else on the car that is drawing a high current.

The flicker timing is consistent and it happens about 2 minutes after the lights are turned on. Like I said before, I don't think that ballasts or lamps have a problem.

Sometime , the left lamp flicker 2 seconds before the right one, sometime the right lamps flicker first... sometime they flicker in the same time. But it always happen about 2 minutes after I turn them on. And then, I can ride 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours.... they never flicker again... until the next cold start up!!!!

[Orient Express]

I take it then that it only occurs after a cold start-up of the car? Does it do it after the car is warmed up and has sat for a while? (like you went in to a store or something like that?) How long does the flickering last?

Does it matter if the A/C is on or off? Do you have the stock radio?

[200HP EP]

Originally Posted by Orient Express

I take it then that it only occurs after a cold start-up of the car? Does it do it after the car is warmed up and has sat for a while? (like you went in to a store or something like that?) How long does the flickering last?

Does it matter if the A/C is on or off? Do you have the stock radio?

No! I mean a cold start-up of the HID. Here is a situation: I start my car, turn on lights, 2 minutes later they flicker one time, during the ride to my parents (35 min), no more flicker. I stay 10 min with my parents, restart the car, and come back home. 2 minutes later, they flicker one time. No more flicker until I turn off the lights when I'm arrived! It's always the same pattern. No a/c, stock sound system.

[shutter13]

maybe you shouldnt even worry about it... is it worth fixing? i mean there could be a problem developing but it doesnt seem like a big deal

[supreme x jdm]

sweet write up, i was going to drill the ballast to the bottom of the headlights, but i guess this is a better idea

[shutter13]

Originally Posted by supreme x jdm

sweet write up, i was going to drill the ballast to the bottom of the headlights, but i guess this is a better idea

drilling into a new car is never a good idea

[Bandit03]

i just got my kit in today and am prolly gonna install it tomorrow morning, im obv. not gonna bother with the relay harness but what are the 2 capacitors for and do i need to use them?

[asndragonboii]

... it came with capacitators? Pics of those please

[GETxERxDONE]

yeah..id like pics of those too

[Bandit03]

it says on it WARNING CANCELLER CAPACITOR In 9-16V

[GETxERxDONE]

hmm..what kit did you get? mine didnt come with that

[Bandit03]

the same every1 else has, its 8000k 9006, if you guys dont have it i assume its not needed?

[GETxERxDONE]

well..since everything is packed in there..mind taking a pic of the whole kit?

[Bandit03]

this is the kit i got with everything it came with


[img=http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2368/cimg0818uw8.th.jpg]

[img=http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4416/cimg0819sg7.th.jpg]


[img=http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9459/cimg0825tf3.th.jpg]

[img=http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3716/cimg0826et4.th.jpg]



[img=http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4161/cimg0827fp9.th.jpg]

[Bandit03]

sry for the links , im new to this uploading pics thing i cant seem to get em to ever work

[T117]

Originally Posted by 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)

hey congrats on the install.. i just ordered the same kit yesterday, did you remove your wheels to get access or was there enough room with them on?

and how long did it take for you to get your tracking number, because he hasnt sent me anything yet?