SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

Hello, I recently purchased the Xentec HID kit for my 7 they also sell these kits on ebay backed with a 2 year warranty. I was wondering if anyone else had installed these type of kits, bulb and ballast kit that attaches right onto your stock wiring with no splicing required.

This is my problem: My passenger side headlight does not always turn on when the kit is installed. With stock bulbs there is no problem at all but ever so often the passenger side does not turn on. It would require me to turn the light on and off repeated a few times then it turns on. At first I thought it was a defect so I returned the kit and got another kit from the same vendor. It works fine the first few times then it's back to the struggle turning it back on. I brought the car to the shop to see if there is anything wrong electrically with my 7 and the results were perfect. The fuses were fine as well.

My question: For some odd reason it is always the passenger side headlight problem only, never the driver side. I tried reversing the kits as well, installing the passenger side light to the driver side and it works fine :\ Is there something I'm missing out on? Was wondering if anyone else had this problem before?

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

I did a search prior and I created this thread b/c no one who had a similar problem as I did posted their final results of the solution. Even with the new replaced ballast it is showing the problems just not as often. Would anyone enlighten me?

NewbernD

iTrader: (1)

Did you run new wiring or use the existing wires? Stock wiring is inadequate for the higher current draw of HID startup. Sometimes you can get away with it but it sounds like in this instance, you can't. I wonder how hot your wiring is getting..

RLaoFD

iTrader: (6)

My cousin has the same problem in his Civic. He sits there and he claims the ballast has to "warm up" before it starts working correctly. Mine works fine, although it isn't the same kit as yours.

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

I looked into this prior to purchasing and the description was clear, the ballast apparently reduces the power usage then the stock lights, in return it converts the amp up to support the bulbs. I'm no expert but to my understanding the ballast stands in between as a amp converter. There was also a write up about how the kit itself produces less heat then the stock setup, I don't know how true that could be considering the bulbs are higher wattage.

The stock wires are the ones that power up the ballast then the ballast connects to the bulb. What I'm not understanding is how does the driver side work without problems yet the passenger side always seems to have this problem? I'm hoping that it wouldn't require me to rewire the entire stock set up to get it to work properly, that's what this kit was for to prevent any complications in the stock wiring...

When I purchase the vehicle few months ago it came with the setup already installed, the previous owner told me he never had an issue for a year since he owned them. The light stopped working on the passenger side after 2 months so I purchased a brand new pair. It worked for a few weeks then it stopped working again, so I got it diagnosed at the shop for ground and power. The conclusion came to that the ballast was shot and wasn't functioning. So I returned the passenger side and received a new ballast 2 days ago. Upon installing this new ballast the light worked properly even when I turned the lights on and off repeated about 10 times. When I went for the drive to test the lights out I stopped by Target for 15 minutes, the passenger side won't come on again! So I flicked the light on and off twice and it turned on! Could it be that the stock wiring setup cannot handle the 2 ballasts or perhaps the power is being cut automatically?

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

The ballast has to warm up? lol interesting... I always warm my car up for 10 minutes prior to driving so I assume that should be enough "warm up" time for the ballasts no?

NoPis10

iTrader: (29)

LOL...
the ballast will "warm up" once you turn the lights on..... NOT your motor..

either way it sounds like your wiring to the HID bulb is not properly seating itself to the ballast. My sons 93 had the same issue and I used a pair of needle nose pliers to SLIGHTLY squeeze the connector so that it makes good contact.

BTW... his kit is NOT the same name brand BUT it's all the same ****..

L8R

Force13B

iTrader: (19)

^Yeah sounds like a connection issue. I would cut the lights on and off tell the passanger light stays off then get out the multimeter and start checking.

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

lol that's what I figured, but here is the thing when I bring it to the shop to do some testing it doesn't happen! The light keep f'in with me lol I'm going to try to leave it on for it to warm up then wait a few and flick it on/off to see if this myth is true. As for the connector to not work, do you truly believe that I have that much bad luck to go through 3 ballasts with connector issues? lmao... *knock on wood
but I'll try it out anyways and let you know the results

Fd3stouring

iTrader: (2)

I had the same problem with my driver side. and yes its a connector issue. the rubber boots in between the male are a bit big and won't snap into the females slot, so i just got rid of the rubber boots and hooked it up. it snapped right in and problem solved. look for non snapping connections that could be the problem.

oo7arkman

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, it does sound like a loose connection somewhere. And after reading this I am impressed, I looked those up on ebay and ~$35 and $30 shipping, that is a HID kit for under $70....

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

Went for a drive last night and had no problems so far, I will consider removing the rubber boot between the connectors when the problem occurs again thank you for chiming in

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

It isn't a bad deal, you get what you pay for but in this case I think it's worth the little trouble shooting with these kits

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

HIDS always warm up before being fully operational.

It takes seconds though, not minutes lol

Another thing to watch out for is dont flicker your hids on and off repeatedly, that will also ruin the life of the bulb.

RLaoFD

iTrader: (6)

Unfortunately, my Xentec kit gave out on me after a few months.

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

there is a 2 year warranty on those lights, get a replacement.

Nateness

iTrader: (7)

I'm interested in this kit, could any of you guys who are using this kit post up any pictures?

Thanks!

oo7arkman

iTrader: (2)

Oh, I did not mean that in such a way to say the kit is a "cheap" kit, more so that I was impressed it was so inexpensive. I really considered ordering one but decided I have other things to spend that money on at the moment and I don't drive the car that much at night to really care.

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

lol no biggie, it is a cheap kit poor man's HID kit haha but I figured its backed with 2 years warranty and I got my replacement within 4 days which is pretty quick. The seller on ebay also replies to the emails right away which is very nice

Kento

HID bulbs are not "higher wattage" (if the Xentec is indeed an HID light setup). They actually use less current than standard incandescent (i.e., halogen) bulbs because they are a "discharge" lamp, meaning they create light by causing gases to "glow" instead of forcing current through a filament and causing it to heat up and glow. A ballast is not an "amp converter"; it is a regulator in a simplistic sense. It "starts up" the discharge lamp by giving it the current it needs, then regulates the current so that the bulb only gets what it requires.