[livewiremaxx]

First time posting here I just thought I would look at some suggestions before going out and getting new lights. I am using the Opt7 HID lights Conversion.

Originally I had no issues with them and then started to see some blinking going on, just quick short bursts here and there. So after research IO got the capacitors that were supposed to solve the issue. Few weeks no issues. But now big issues - When pressing on break (doesnt happen all the time, mostly when driving for a few minutes) The left headlight goes out, and then the right and the take a few to come back on.

Any suggestions? Do I need to go with a different set of conversions?

I had gone with these after some recommendation on threads here, but also see some other recommendations. I hate the idea of going back to regular lights

 

[livewiremaxx]

This is in a 2013 Mazda 3 Hatchback itouring. Sorry forgot to say that,.

 

[Hyperion]

My recommendation, don't use crap hid's.
Get these and never look back.
H11: Morimoto Elite HID System - Single Xenon - HID Systems
H11B, max temp 5500k.
HD Relay recommened, no need for capacitors.

 

[snowy8171]

What hyperion said. check out theretrofitsource or lightwerkz for your hid need. I would highly recommend retrofit though. world's difference

 

[jt2414]

My recommendation, don't use crap hid's.
Get these and never look back.
H11: Morimoto Elite HID System - Single Xenon - HID Systems
H11B, max temp 5500k.
HD Relay recommened, no need for capacitors.

What wattage do you recommend?

 

[Hyperion]

What wattage do you recommend?

35 is enough. 55 will cook your projector bowls.
35 will too, but in half the time lol.
Technically the best option is a complete projector retrofit, but that gets pricey.

 

[kms1990]

Technically the best option is a complete projector retrofit, but that gets pricey.

I agree with him here. HID bulbs are not designed to go in Halogen housings, they put the light off in a different pattern and also run warmer and can cook the internals of the projector if not done right, you also run the risk of not passing inspection in certain states/counties as they look for beam pattern and HIDs in Halogen housing will not put out the needed pattern. granted using them in a projector not meant for them is not as bad as just popping them in a regular reflector housing, as those are the ones that blind the crap out of everyone in front of them for no reason. but just a word of warning, and yes colored hues are illegal in most areas, granted most cops wont stop you for it unless they are bored or just plain hate HIDs or something but deep blue, purple, green etc are illegal in your headlights. you can only have 2 amber front facing lights 2 -4 headlights (fogs count and cannot be on with the high beams) and the fogs can be yellow or orange or light blue or white but cannot be red or deep blue again emergency colors. in texas as most states you cannot have any front facing red lights at all period. you must also have 1 red rear facing light if older than 1963 and 2 if newer rear turn signals can be red or amber and nothing can shine clear to the rear when stopped or in forward motion, but you must have at least 1 white light come on when you back up. that's failry standard across the states but comes out of the texas drivers hand book. they also require a light on the rear tag illuminating it to 50 feet behind the vehicle, some states don't require this. the better informed you are the better off we all are.

 

[Valor_X]

lol it's funny people automatically make assumptions that its 'cheap' HIDs causing the problem and recommend the OP to get a set of overpriced HIDs, because that HAS to be it right?

The post clearly says that the problem happens when he is braking, the left light goes out, then shortly after the right side goes out as well
That immediately tells me it's an electrical issue
The first thing I would check is the cars charging system, battery and alternator.
When you brake you're also lowering engine RPMs, either your alternator is going bad and isn't keeping up with the voltage demand or your battery is really bad

fyi I have multiple sets of opt7 HID kits on my cars and never had a problem with them
My 3 has their $60 AC kit on the fog lights and low beams
I even got their cheap $25 DC set on my Rav4 and even that has been problem free, no flickering, turns on every single time.
Even if you did have a problem with the HIDs just email them, they will send you replacement ballasts or bulbs for free
One of the fog lights on my 99 Trans Am went out and got it replaced, but it was because moisture got in the old ass fog light and ruined the bulb

 

[kms1990]

lol it's funny people automatically make assumptions that its 'cheap' HIDs causing the problem and recommend the OP to get a set of overpriced HIDs, because that HAS to be it right?

The post clearly says that the problem happens when he is braking, the left light goes out, then shortly after the right side goes out as well
That immediately tells me it's an electrical issue
The first thing I would check is the cars charging system, battery and alternator.
When you brake you're also lowering engine RPMs, either your alternator is going bad and isn't keeping up with the voltage demand or your battery is really bad

fyi I have multiple sets of opt7 HID kits on my cars and never had a problem with them
My 3 has their $60 AC kit on the fog lights and low beams
I even got their cheap $25 DC set on my Rav4 and even that has been problem free, no flickering, turns on every single time.
Even if you did have a problem with the HIDs just email them, they will send you replacement ballasts or bulbs for free
One of the fog lights on my 99 Trans Am went out and got it replaced, but it was because moisture got in the old ass fog light and ruined the bulb

they assume cheap HID kits because cheap ones will do this, the voltage fluctuation between idle and moving at 2k rpm is not very much but cheaper ballast don't have enough tolerance in them to account for this and you get that kind of issue. the ballast has to be able to tolerate between 12-14.5 volts as that is what your charging system should always be in-between cheaper ones may only operate correctly above 13.5 or so and the person with the problem maybe getting a drop to 13 at idle for a few seconds and it screws up the ballast for a second causing the issue. HID lights actually consume less energy from the charging system then standard halogens do. the charging system will always be between 12 and 14.5 or so volts in good health. (we have to assume that here) if this is so, then he is supplying 13-14ish volts to the lights no matter what type of light is in the car, if it had halogens the factory H7 and 9006 type bulbs are 55 watt bulbs meaning they consume lets say for our purposes 2 current units at 14 volts well the user installs a 35w HID system it now only consumes 1.57 current units (I don't feel like doing the math on this so this is illustrative only but 55/35 is 1.57 so that's where that number came from) so if the wiring is the same with the same resistance (assuming he used factory plug into the ballast as many aftermarket HID kits do) then there should be less draw on the electrical system with a 35 watt kit than the 55 watt factory halogens, even a 55w HID kit should only use marginally more current then a 55w halogen as the ballast would add resistance to the system, thus raising the current draw. usually when aftermarket kits do things like this it is one of several things or a combo of them, poor installation of the kit meaning power/ground or both are inadequate, the ballast in the kit (one or both) are faulty and need to be replaced, the bulb is the wrong type for the ballast (55w bulb with 35 w ballast) or something is just cheaply made within the kit.

I quit doing aftermarket HID kits in my cars long ago because inspection rules but when I had one in my 98 pathfinder it would always have issues like bulbs flickering or randomly one side going out when I slowed down, I too thought charging system issues but when I put factory type halogens in that used more wattage and therefore more current to power and I had no problems I ended up ripping the kit out and sending it back, bought a different brand and was all good for about 6 months til it did something similar ended up being the spot I chose to ground them was not the best and they would lose ground every once in awhile. having a volt meter and knowing how to use it while installing HID kits is a must as you need to check that the wires are correct, and the ground is good.

 

[Hyperion]

I like you, you know your shit.
Remember, just because they work, doesn't mean the work well.

 

[Valor_X]

they assume cheap HID kits because cheap ones will do this, the voltage fluctuation between idle and moving at 2k rpm is not very much but cheaper ballast don't have enough tolerance in them to account for this and you get that kind of issue. the ballast has to be able to tolerate between 12-14.5 volts as that is what your charging system should always be in-between cheaper ones may only operate correctly above 13.5 or so and the person with the problem maybe getting a drop to 13 at idle for a few seconds and it screws up the ballast for a second causing the issue. HID lights actually consume less energy from the charging system then standard halogens do. the charging system will always be between 12 and 14.5 or so volts in good health. (we have to assume that here) if this is so, then he is supplying 13-14ish volts to the lights no matter what type of light is in the car, if it had halogens the factory H7 and 9006 type bulbs are 55 watt bulbs meaning they consume lets say for our purposes 2 current units at 14 volts well the user installs a 35w HID system it now only consumes 1.57 current units (I don't feel like doing the math on this so this is illustrative only but 55/35 is 1.57 so that's where that number came from) so if the wiring is the same with the same resistance (assuming he used factory plug into the ballast as many aftermarket HID kits do) then there should be less draw on the electrical system with a 35 watt kit than the 55 watt factory halogens, even a 55w HID kit should only use marginally more current then a 55w halogen as the ballast would add resistance to the system, thus raising the current draw. usually when aftermarket kits do things like this it is one of several things or a combo of them, poor installation of the kit meaning power/ground or both are inadequate, the ballast in the kit (one or both) are faulty and need to be replaced, the bulb is the wrong type for the ballast (55w bulb with 35 w ballast) or something is just cheaply made within the kit.

I quit doing aftermarket HID kits in my cars long ago because inspection rules but when I had one in my 98 pathfinder it would always have issues like bulbs flickering or randomly one side going out when I slowed down, I too thought charging system issues but when I put factory type halogens in that used more wattage and therefore more current to power and I had no problems I ended up ripping the kit out and sending it back, bought a different brand and was all good for about 6 months til it did something similar ended up being the spot I chose to ground them was not the best and they would lose ground every once in awhile. having a volt meter and knowing how to use it while installing HID kits is a must as you need to check that the wires are correct, and the ground is good.

Current draw has nothing to do with this. It should be common knowledge that a 35W will use less energy than a 55W factory halogen bulb. (It's in the name)
I stated that he needed to check his charging system because it may not be keeping up with the voltage demand. You did mention that in your first few sentences, and you nailed it on the dot.
That's why I said he needs to check it. Just like you stated, HID ballasts are sensitive to voltage in a certain range, Filament bulbs will just get dimmer as the voltage goes down.

You need to test and find out what's causing the problem, rather than spend money replacing parts, that's dumb.
I would test the HID components separately on a power supply to rule out or confirm defective components as well as check the electrical system for adequate consistent voltage, wiring, check for any shorts, and a good ground.

I have my own 12V power supply that I can plug and test anything on, as well as a voltmeter to measure current draw, voltage, resistance, etc.
But many people don't have these tools and may need to have someone look at it for them.

I actually made a video over a year ago showing current draw on incandescent, halogen, LED, and HID
On the HID it's an OPT7 Ballast that I'm still using, I made a home made HID Flashlight with it in a small toolbox with a 5amp hr 12v rechargeable battery.
And I'm sure you know HID's draw about 4x more power for a very brief moment when first firing up, right?
Mine read 17amps for a brief second @12.44V (~200W) when first fired up then quickly settles down in about 5 seconds to operating current

Here's the video I made if anyone's interested

 

[kms1990]

Current draw has nothing to do with this. It should be common knowledge that a 35W will use less energy than a 55W factory halogen bulb. (It's in the name)
I stated that he needed to check his charging system because it may not be keeping up with the voltage demand. You did mention that in your first few sentences, and you nailed it on the dot.
That's why I said he needs to check it. Just like you stated, HID ballasts are sensitive to voltage in a certain range, Filament bulbs will just get dimmer as the voltage goes down.

You need to test and find out what's causing the problem, rather than spend money replacing parts, that's dumb.
I would test the HID components separately on a power supply to rule out or confirm defective components as well as check the electrical system for adequate consistent voltage, wiring, check for any shorts, and a good ground.

I have my own 12V power supply that I can plug and test anything on, as well as a voltmeter to measure current draw, voltage, resistance, etc.
But many people don't have these tools and may need to have someone look at it for them.

I actually made a video over a year ago showing current draw on incandescent, halogen, LED, and HID
On the HID it's an OPT7 Ballast that I'm still using, I made a home made HID Flashlight with it in a small toolbox with a 5amp hr 12v rechargeable battery.
And I'm sure you know HID's draw about 4x more power for a very brief moment when first firing up, right?
Mine read 17amps for a brief second @12.44V (~200W) when first fired up then quickly settles down in about 5 seconds to operating current

Here's the video I made if anyone's interested

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN_uM2E1foA

I agree, and agreed with the first post you put that I went on into details about afterwards, you are correct anytime you get voltage fluctuations the system maybe drawing too much current, or it is not in good enough health to supply the current needed by the systems components. Having a quick diagnostics done on the battery and alternator are always a good idea when chasing anything electrical, as it could be as simple as a battery going bad. However I wanted to go more in depth then you did on an explanation of basic electronics in a DC system like a car. alternator is AC (name should give that way to anyone unfamiliar) but supplies battery and other components DC current through an internal device that switches the current. I also wanted to inform people with less knowledge than ourselves a little so they don't just go buying any old HID kit and assume its just plug and play. you need to ensure the electrical system is in good health first beforehand, just as I always did when installing aftermarket amps and speakers I always bought a new top of the line battery when doing this and replaced it every 2 years minimum as the amps draw a lot of power out of the system and keeping a good battery in the car assured the alternator was not over working trying to charge a dying battery and keep the system at a high enough voltage for all the demand. HID lights and ballasts by nature are more sensitive to voltage fluctuations but a well built kit will have inbuilt enough tolerance to take the difference in voltage between idle load and running at 2500 rpm on the freeway because the difference in a system in good health is negligible and should not affect things like that.

But you have to take into consideration current draw when talking 55w HID systems as they consume the same wattage at the same voltage, however have a ballast that adds resistance so current draw will increase as the current needed to now overcome this new resistance will be higher and put more strain on the system. Yes a 35w HID system in a 55w halogen equipped car, current should be a non factor hell even at 55w a system in good health should be able to take the difference between halogens and HIDs running at the same wattage at 12-14v dc. however there maybe times when it cannot. and being in disrepair such as a bad component or ground etc will throw a wrench into the entire thing. you have to remember HID ballast only get 12-14vdc supplied to them, they run at much higher voltage with much higher resistances in them and this puts load on your system even running lower wattage HID system. if you get a momentary drop, then the ballast drops voltage and causes the flicker. Yes at warm up the HID bulb uses a lot of current to make bridge the gap as it is cold and the crystals hard but as it does this for a quick second the system heats up and current draw stops being as high. HIDs are just like basic arc lamps from the early times of electricity, and have some of their draw backs like high current consumption especially at warm up ballasts mitigate this some but the car is the power source, if anything is wrong on the car side of the ballast it cannot function as needed

Valor_X me and you would probably be best friends as we can understand the terms just thrown out in a thread on a mazda 3 forum about HID lights flickering, usually these are full of people that suggest things that wont help at all.

Sometimes I think, I am too technically minded and it gets the better of me. Cause I get into these threads about electrics and computers too much