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Right HID not turning on

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by pamantea, Oct 1, 2013.

  1. Oct 1, 2013 at 2:16 PM
    #1
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hey guys,

    I have had the HID's from DDM Tuning in my truck for nearly two years now without many problems until recently. I have the HIDs in the headlights, fog lights, and in my grill in some hellas. The lights in the grill are controlled on a completely separate switch. Recently, I noticed my right headlight (right from sitting in vehicle) not working. I replaced the light, no change. Replaced the ballast, no change. I turned the switch off and then back on, and it turned on. Thought it was strange. Now, the light will only turn on about 60-70% of the time when I turn my lights on. I can literally turn my lights on and off and sometimes the right light will turn on, sometimes it wont. Does anyone have any ideas??

    Thanks!
     
  2. Oct 1, 2013 at 2:23 PM
    #2
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    Could be a grounding issue?....have you looked into that?
     
  3. Oct 1, 2013 at 2:28 PM
    #3
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Ahh, good idea. How should I best tackle that? And why now over two years? Would rust or grime just have built up?
     
  4. Oct 1, 2013 at 2:30 PM
    #4
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    Yeah its very possible. I'm not sure how your setup is but I have seperate grounding wires for each of my HID headlights off the ballast I believe so try and check that. I've had grounding issues before where it wasnt making good contact.
     
  5. Oct 1, 2013 at 2:38 PM
    #5
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Ok. I will check both and clean the spot and wire again to ensure contact. Thanks for the advice. hopefully that solves the problem!
     
  6. Oct 1, 2013 at 2:46 PM
    #6
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    Let us know if that solves it. ;)
     
  7. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:34 PM
    #7
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hey, So I still have not been able to solve this. I have tried changing the ground twice, and just when I think it solves it, it goes off again. Today I tried stripping the wire back and putting a new ring terminal on it and drilling a new ground which was close to a different ground. It turned on, but when I started my truck, it turned off while the left one stayed lit. I turned the lights on and then off again and it worked. Ideas??
     
  8. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:46 PM
    #8
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Could it possibly be the relay?
     
  9. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:50 PM
    #9
    Konaborne

    Konaborne Pineapples on pizza Hawaiian does not it make.

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    if it was the relay, both would probably have gone out
    I've had two relays take a dump on me and they left me with no lights at all

    try swapping ballasts, they can go bad after awhile

    edit:
    just reread OP.. ballasts werent it eh

    sounds like a ballast problem though...
     
  10. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:52 PM
    #10
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    no, unless the ballast i used to replace it with was bad too. Unlikely I think!
     
  11. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:54 PM
    #11
    pamantea

    pamantea [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Maybe I should try running the ground right to the battery?
     
  12. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:57 PM
    #12
    SeminoleTRD

    SeminoleTRD Well-Known Member

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    Unless you got bad ballasts back to back. If possible, swap a known good ballast and bulb, say driver side to passenger side. If the problem continues then there has to be a short somewhere. Either a wire is stripped from rubbing against an edge or something and is drawing power away from the ballast causing it not to cut on. My HIDs did that before and I traced wires. I hope it's a quick and easy fix.
     
  13. Feb 26, 2014 at 6:58 PM
    #13
    InSight Retrofits

    InSight Retrofits Closed

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    Mine was out the other night and I was like damn another bad ballast! Swapped ballast and same thing.

    Traced it to the ground wire and the bolt I used to hold the ring terminal in actually broke :confused:
     
  14. Feb 26, 2014 at 7:07 PM
    #14
    SeminoleTRD

    SeminoleTRD Well-Known Member

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    Ya, try and bypass all the switches and relays. Run the ballast straight off the battery.
     

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