DDM Tuning Ballasts Acting UP

[oakrdrs187]

Can someone explain what is happening to me?

I have 55 watt slims on my lows and 35w full size on my fogs, and basically my problem is that the passenger light fires with the rest but cuts out right away. This only happens when the truck is running, Ive tried it many times when truck is off and all come on just fine, but when truck is on it always misses on the first try.I have sent it in and everything checks out, it's kind of weird.

All the ballasts are wired with heavy gauge wires for both power and ground, and with relays. Which is just like using their Harness.

 

[DenaliAK]

What I'd do:

Try another bulb to see if it duplicates. If it doesn't, it's the bulb. If it does, see the following.

Try switching ballasts with one that fires normally and see if it still does it.

I bet it won't.

If it does, check running voltage. Maybe you just have too much on at the same time and it's too much draw when you fire them all up?? Just guessing, although I'm laying odds on either the bulb or ballast.

Also, when you say it's wired with heavy gauge wire, is it wired directly to the battery for power or just to the stock wiring? Sounds like a dumb question, but I've seen people do interesting things.....

 

[vipergtsr96]

I hate it when that happens, you know I see alot of people with HID fogs and lows and whenever I see them turn them on, all four of their lights kick on together with no problem, and it I ask why cant I have that, is it too much to ask? Did I do something wrong?

 

[oakrdrs187]

I have tried moving the ballast, around, another bulb, same thing.
I thought too maybe I had too much going on, but theres no system in my truck yet, except stock bose, and I have an optima redtop. What really throws me off is that it does it when the truck is on and the voltage is in the high 14's, and it works perfect when off in the mid 12's. And my heavy gauge wiring is from battery to relays to ballasts, there is one 8awg from battery split into 2 12 awg for each relay, one fog one lows, and then to ballasts. Only thing I use stock wires for is for relay triggers. Im thinking the guy at DDM was right, he said that the digital ballasts are picky and need 12Volts at just the right time. What about putting in a diode on the relays, maybe the lights are getting some wierd feedback?

 

[DenaliAK]

Damn. Sounds like you've done everything possible right, but the DDM guy is probably right. You might be pushing too much power at first. 14 volts is a bit on the high side for auto electronics. Most things can function, but some get picky. A simple resistor might solve the problem?

I'm not a super-electrician, so I'm half stabbing at this....anyone else with thoughts?

 

[jutte73]

so your passenger light fires then goes out, ok. you switched the bulbs and passenger light still acted up? you swapped the ballest the passenger light still acted up? if thats what going on i would go one step deeper and swap the relays. from there check your resistance of the wires from the resistor to the relay on all four and make sure all the numbers are close to the same.. maybe a bad wire or conector/connection somewhere in there... just a thought..

 

[blueflamed03]

did you switch polarity on the bad/missing side?

 

[oakrdrs187]

The guy at DDM said no resistors, Digitals don't work with them. I'm flabbergasted...LOL. First time using that word in a sentence.

The polarity checks out, cuz I purpously switched it and it wouldn't fire at all.

As for checking resistance on everything, I think it's worth a shot.

Any thoughts on those diodes to solve this? Relays don't buzz.

 

[chip]

I have 6000K HID fogs and they do the exact same thing. I've been trying to figure it out forever. It doesn't seem to be the ballast, bulb, or wiring. I'll let you know if I figure it out first.

 

[dwmmatt23]

I have 6000K HID fogs and they do the exact same thing. I've been trying to figure it out forever. It doesn't seem to be the ballast, bulb, or wiring. I'll let you know if I figure it out first.

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