[dogger37]

Im very confused. None of the variation that people are having with HID's makes any sense at all? How can some installs need the relay and Capacitor but others work just fine without them? Its wiring, not magic, and each vehicle is the same so there has to be an explanation. Are there any Electrical engineers on the board that can figure this out? I posted this in the XenonDepot section to get Steves thoughts but wanted to post it in the general section as well since it has the highest traffic.


Thanks,
Donny

 

[cottonseed]

All you will need is the capacitor and not the relay that connects to the battery. The cap is the base fix which does work, been running mine that way for over a year. The relay is just another fix on top of that fix. If those who run the relays disconnect them and just use the capacitor they will see the lights still work.

 

[RAW2u]

All you will need is the capacitor and not the relay that connects to the battery. The cap is the base fix which does work, been running mine that way for over a year. The relay is just another fix on top of that fix. If those who run the relays disconnect them and just use the capacitor they will see the lights still work.

I agree
I did a install with and without the relays, BUT only the low beam used the canbus fix.I ended up putting in the relays just for the heck of it.And tomorrow I am taking the relays out.

I have replaced the relays now 3 times. They are very very noisy and just get louder.The relays stop making noise once the lights come on switching from day time running lights.

My wife said today fix the noise or take them out. So tomorrow out come the relays.

 

[pmoravec]

I tried the install without the relays, only using the capacitor. My lights did not work until the relays were installed. The relays do not make any noise and the lights work great!

 

[cottonseed]

I tried the install without the relays, only using the capacitor. My lights did not work until the relays were installed. The relays do not make any noise and the lights work great!

you sure you are not confusing the two?

 

[WD80PD]

Hey All- I am very interested in HID lights for my 11' Terrain. Any pictures, brand names, how many Ks you have or info for me?? Thanks!

 

[RAW2u]

Hey All- I am very interested in HID lights for my 11' Terrain. Any pictures, brand names, how many Ks you have or info for me?? Thanks!

See Steve he has a forum here
http://www.terrainforum.net/index.php?board=21.0

his site is here
http://www.kbcarstuff.com/Xtreme-Digital-HID-Kits-s/21.htm

 

[Dave25]

There are two types of ballasts. One type, they are referred to as "digital" will not work without the relay or capacitor. The other type of ballast is a "canbus" which from my research is "smart" ballast. It gives the proper resistance to make the headlights work, but the DRLs cause issues without a cap.

I personally wouldnt install HIDs without relays because of what the relays do. Your factory wiring to your headlights are designed to pass a certain amount of current. HIDs generally run on a higher current and this could mess up your factory wiring.

If you buy from Steve (the site sponsor) he only sells the Canbus style ballast, and if you specify that you have a nox or terrain he will include the proper stuff to make it all work right.

I bought from a more expensive other vendor and got the crap "digital" ballasts. They worked for all of 1 day, but when they did work, the 4300k looked great.

 

[RAW2u]

There are two types of ballasts. One type, they are referred to as "digital" will not work without the relay or capacitor. The other type of ballast is a "canbus" which from my research is "smart" ballast. It gives the proper resistance to make the headlights work, but the DRLs cause issues without a cap.

I personally wouldnt install HIDs without relays because of what the relays do. Your factory wiring to your headlights are designed to pass a certain amount of current. HIDs generally run on a higher current and this could mess up your factory wiring.

If you buy from Steve (the site sponsor) he only sells the Canbus style ballast, and if you specify that you have a nox or terrain he will include the proper stuff to make it all work right.

I bought from a more expensive other vendor and got the crap "digital" ballasts. They worked for all of 1 day, but when they did work, the 4300k looked great.

Have a look on the forum link and you will see I have installed both the HID kits from Steve in our Terrain. One set in the low beam and the other set in the fog lights.

Xtreme Digital Xenon HID Conversion kits due not have a built in canbus, rather if you order from Steve he makes sure you receive the canbus fix (capacitor) this just clips inline with the ballast.
His kits come with relays.

Do not have to use the relays and wiring with these.I have done both sets in our Terrain with NO relay wiring.Just the ballast and the canbus fix.That is it no wiring of relays.

You unplug the stock headlight
remove the light bulb
plug the canbus (capacitor) into the ballast
clip the ballast to the factory wiring
install HID bulb
clip other end of ballast to HID bulb
DONE call it a day.
NO WIRING is needed.

I have installed with the relays and without.The lights work just fine without the relays.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157625249280147/

Here is were the relay wiring is that came from my kit from STEVE.

 

[dogger37]

The Variety of the posts goes back to my point. How can some peoples vehicles work with the relays while others wont and/or click like crazy? ???

 

[cottonseed]

The Variety of the posts goes back to my point. How can some peoples vehicles work with the relays while others wont and/or click like crazy? ???

Trust me and RAW2u, you dont need the relays. We both have HID's and both are different brands. All you will need for a basic setup is the bulbs, ballasts, and the canbus fix (capicator). All of our cars will work with the relays also but they are not needed and can become a nuisance. I had my HID's in my nox longer then most people had there nox on the forum ;D

 

[dogger37]

Ok Cottonseed,
thank you very much for the valuable information. Another question for you is whether you think that philips bulbs/ballasts are more dependable than the aftermarket brands?


Thanks Again,
Donny

 

[pmoravec]

you sure you are not confusing the two?

Not sure what kind of question that is....

if you are suggesting I don't know the difference between a relay and a capacitor then you would be wrong...

 

[Dave25]

Have a look on the forum link and you will see I have installed both the HID kits from Steve in our Terrain. One set in the low beam and the other set in the fog lights.

Xtreme Digital Xenon HID Conversion kits due not have a built in canbus, rather if you order from Steve he makes sure you receive the canbus fix (capacitor) this just clips inline with the ballast.
His kits come with relays.

Do not have to use the relays and wiring with these.I have done both sets in our Terrain with NO relay wiring.Just the ballast and the canbus fix.That is it no wiring of relays.

You unplug the stock headlight
remove the light bulb
plug the canbus (capacitor) into the ballast
clip the ballast to the factory wiring
install HID bulb
clip other end of ballast to HID bulb
DONE call it a day.
NO WIRING is needed.

I have installed with the relays and without.The lights work just fine without the relays.

Im not sure if either im completely out in left field or you didnt understand what I was saying. From my understanding, "canbus" and "canbus fix" are not the same thing. Canbus, from what Ive gathered, is a type of ballast that is "smart". It has a circuit board to find what resistance the vehicle looks for and matches it. There is a regular ballast that is cheaper and does not do that (I dont think Steve offers this kind). The "canbus fix" is exactly that, a fix for the canbus style ballast that fixes the pulsed DRLs by using a capacitor to regulate the voltage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canbus

I am only going over this because the OP was confused and I think this is a HUGE part of the confusion. So many different types of systems and so many different types of issues.

 

[cottonseed]

canbus is the network in our cars that sends data to and from each modual, nothing to do with the hid ballasts in that sense. the canbus ballasts just have a lower starting current but the working current is the same. Alot of companies will sell you these ballasts for say $50 more when all they did was solve a $0.50 solution with huge markups. Alot of people get confused with HID's because of all the false info out there and dealers/suppliers take advantage of that.

Not sure what kind of question that is....

if you are suggesting I don't know the difference between a relay and a capacitor then you would be wrong...

That is what I am saying, the cap is in a sealed box and looks like the relay. If its being connected to the battery its the relay and not the cap.

 

[Dave25]

OK, so now that puts me into the category of the OP, Im confused. I bought a set of HIDs that had "digital" ballasts. I used the single relay system. An hour after install the DS light went out. Ended up being the ballast. I replaced it and it worked. Pulled it out of the garage and the DRLs went on, they flickered, then the DS went out again. I turned the car off then on again and they both worked again witht he headlights turned on.

they both worked for a day like this, and then the DS went out again. what was going on? would the capacitor have solved all of the problems? The guy who I bought the kit from (NOT Steve) claimed that i needed a different style ballast that was intelligent enough to supply the vehicle with the resistance it was looking for from the factory bulbs.

I see people who buy their kits from Steve can install the kit with or w/o relays and the lights work at least without DRLs. There have to be at least two types of Ballasts, and the cap makes sense to me since the DRLs are pulsed.

 

[cottonseed]

OK, so now that puts me into the category of the OP, Im confused. I bought a set of HIDs that had "digital" ballasts. I used the single relay system. An hour after install the DS light went out. Ended up being the ballast. I replaced it and it worked. Pulled it out of the garage and the DRLs went on, they flickered, then the DS went out again. I turned the car off then on again and they both worked again witht he headlights turned on.

they both worked for a day like this, and then the DS went out again. what was going on? would the capacitor have solved all of the problems? The guy who I bought the kit from (NOT Steve) claimed that i needed a different style ballast that was intelligent enough to supply the vehicle with the resistance it was looking for from the factory bulbs.

I see people who buy their kits from Steve can install the kit with or w/o relays and the lights work at least without DRLs. There have to be at least two types of Ballasts, and the cap makes sense to me since the DRLs are pulsed.

Yes you need the capacitor. Did you happen to notice when your setup worked if it was getting dark out or in a shaded area and then wouldnt work when it was in light?