HID question on E30

[PaulZ]

Just wondering how to tell if I have a bad HID bulb on my E30.

I hooked them up and only one of the fired up. The other one kind of sputtered when I first turned the lights on, but never ignited. I then disconected both of them and switched sides and it still didn't work...hmmmm

Anyone run into this?

[Addissimo]

did the ignitor get wet?

[MR 325]

Might have popped the fuse, check it. A lot of HID's require a larger fuse since it draws a lot of currnet, just for a second, during startup

[fritzintn]

I'm a bit confused on what you did to troubleshoot it.

Did you swap only the bulbs from left->right and vice versa? Or did you swap the ballast/ignitors as well? If you did the bulbs only and the same bulb stays 'dead', then chances are it may be a bad bulb.

As mentioned above, check to ensure the fuses are 15A for the left and right low beams. A 7.5 and 10A will sometimes work on one side, but not for the other. The ballasts draw around 13A when they first turn on, then signifigantly less afterwards.

[e30evolution]

ballast/ignightor is toast.

HIDplanet.com

[T.Dot E30]

Ya as the guys already mentioned.

If you swaped just the bulbs and the problem stayed on the same side then it has to be an isolated problem to that side. My guess would be its the ignitor/ballast, but the other guys a right, if the fuse for that side is blown it shouldn't light up at all, if it does that means is it getting power atleast, just make sure of that first before you say its the iginitor/ballast.

If the problem moved to the other side when u swapped bulbs, then u know its the blub.

[parkerbink]

I had to go from 7.5 to 10 amps when I switched to HIDs

[T.Dot E30]

I had to go from 7.5 to 10 amps when I switched to HIDs

I've had my HIDs in for over 1.5 years, and never changed any fuses :S

[PaulZ]

All the fuses are fine. I replaced the low beam fuses with 10amp's and ran an inline 10amp fuse on the positive terminal. I decided to switch the bulb to see if it was the ignitor or ballast, which I probably should have done in the first place, and it looks like a bad bulb. Just placed an order for 2 more...thanks!

[MR 325]

I've had my HIDs in for over 1.5 years, and never changed any fuses :S

Ya, it's strange, only about half the people I have talked to have had to do this

I can't remember if I changed mine or not, I think so though

[parkerbink]

On mine it worked 1/2 the time (one side then the other) so I ended up changing both to 10, been two weeks no problems just bright clean wonderous light!

[ebelements]

Did you make a new, relayed wiring harness for the HIDs that has a direct power wire to the battery? The first set of HIDs I had on my GTI did not have a fused harness and eventually got to that point - not enough juice to ignite.