[Arena Motor Dude]

Sooooooo, I had a buddy of mine who sells HIDs get me some nice, water-proof, mid-sized ballasts and 3000k bulbs. We tested everything before we put them in. After install we fired up the fogs and let them fully warm up. Once warm only one fog was the golden color it was supposed to be and the other was just kind of lime green. So we switched off and then back on and then the one that was green turned gold and the gold turned green! We flip it again and the colors flipped again as well. Then we took it for a drive and which ever one was green just completely shut off and I got a bulb out warning light. I have seen the "CANBUS proof" ballasts and cancelers but I am not sure if this is what I need or not?!?! Can anybody tell me if the CANBUS system is the cause of this strange problem or if it is something else. To be clear, I have Non-CANBUS ballasts in my HID H8 fogs.

[Arena Motor Dude]

Anyone please?

[jose_sonictuning]

try warning cancelers if he has them, sounds like canbus issue since they are shutting off after 20-30second.

[rollinstone157]

OK, here's my post-rant:

1. Yes, you need a "CAN-BUS" kit for our cars. Our cars will check every bulb to see if it's out on start up (and periodically while you're driving, maybe every 30ish minutes) and without a "CAN-BUS" compliment kit (i.e. resistors wired in) you will see the major flickering and error codes.

HOWEVER, if you want to use a non CanBus kit, you will need to "code" your car. What this means is that you use a special cable and free software to modify the software in your car--basically telling it to skip over your fog light bulbs when it does a "bulb-check". It's not terribly difficult, and the cable frequently recommended is around $100. If coding is intimidating, you can find another enthusiast/indy shop who can do it. And there's a lot you can do with coding, check out the coding sub-forum. BUT, I digress...

2. I would avoid using "cheap" HID kits. Maybe it's the way I was raised, but I grew up with the value that any job worth doing should be done right the first time. I see it the same way with car mods. While I am budget-conscious, I am willing to spend for quality. So I turn to HighPerformanceBulbs.com for all my lighting needs. I've been nothing but satisfied with my products so far. Also, the HighPerformanceBulbs.com HID kits have the best track record for being error free, even on picky 2006-2007 cars. http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/bmwhidfoglia.html Check out these kits they offer, I'm not sure what bulb your car uses for the fogs, but just get the proper kit in the "canbus" style, and you'll be good to go!

[matrix76]

You pretty much have to go with this setup,

http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/hipexeh8plan1.html

[Alpineweiss e90]

This has nothing to do with the bulb check system. It's the pwm signal lowering voltage.

Use a Bosch relay. More wiring, but no coding. Pull 12v directly from battery....jump point under hood, top left red cap. Underneath, you find a cap to remove that will expose a nut you can secure to using a O ring terminal.

[reddemon73]

Originally Posted by matrix76

You pretty much have to go with this setup,

http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/hipexeh8plan1.html

+1

I used the kit from this company on my fog light. I have the set up in my car for 2 weeks now. No error code generated. Very easy to installed. plug n play.

[rollinstone157]

Originally Posted by Alpineweiss e90

This has nothing to do with the bulb check system. It's the pwm signal lowering voltage.

Use a Bosch relay. More wiring, but no coding. Pull 12v directly from battery....jump point under hood, top left red cap. Underneath, you find a cap to remove that will expose a nut you can secure to using a O ring terminal.

Yes, but no. His isn't staying on, and he didn't use an error correcting setup, and he performed no coding. So that'll do it...flickering, like you're thinking of, is the PWM signal.

[Arena Motor Dude]

Originally Posted by Alpineweiss e90

This has nothing to do with the bulb check system. It's the pwm signal lowering voltage.

Use a Bosch relay. More wiring, but no coding. Pull 12v directly from battery....jump point under hood, top left red cap. Underneath, you find a cap to remove that will expose a nut you can secure to using a O ring terminal.

The guy that installed them suggested it might need to be on a relay. His reasoning was because there wasn't enough power to fully run both bulbs and that is why one never warmed up all the way. I think I might try doing a relay first.

[Arena Motor Dude]

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

Yes, but no. His isn't staying on, and he didn't use an error correcting setup, and he performed no coding. So that'll do it...flickering, like you're thinking of, is the PWM signal.

Maybe I didn't make it clear enough. If I leave my car sitting with the fogs on, both fogs will stay on but one will be lime green and the other yellow. It is random too. So one try the right may be green and the next try the left may be green. One bulb isn't warming up fully. The only time it shuts off is after driving for 5-10 minutes.

[cstmx_ryder]

You want some advise? Return the POS kit you obtained from your buddy, take that money and put it into a REAL HID kit, like Mtec or some other reputable ones........

It obviously isn't that nice since it doesn't work properly.....

What's the point of saving a few bucks if you have to add MORE pieces to your 'kit', when that 'kit' you bought should have been PnP from the get go.....

I don't get people sometimes, do the research on the forum on what mod you're doing. Read the reviews of different brands/options. Go with the one that most people go with WITHOUT issues, period, done! But instead, sometime people wanna be cheap/cut corners, and then end up with something that don't work properly......sigh

[Alpineweiss e90]

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

Yes, but no. His isn't staying on, and he didn't use an error correcting setup, and he performed no coding. So that'll do it...flickering, like you're thinking of, is the PWM signal.

Nope you have that the other way around. Pulse width modulation is used to increase the efficiency and lifetime of a bulb by decreasing voltage. It sends a square wave...basically a rapid on and off signal.

The bulb check system will send small pulses of current to the bulb to check if the filament is intact.

You can buy the most expensive kit money can buy but if it's not wired to a constant 12v, you'll have problems. Most hid kits are designed to operate on as low as 8v. However some cars will lower voltage to 7.7v (via PWM), like my May '06 build 330xi.

How do you suppose the kit will work on 7.7v? In a car, voltage spikes are a normal occurrence...hence why some people see flickering HID kits.

OP, take the positive wire from both your ballasts, connect it to jump point under your hood? They work correctly right? Now wire a Bosch relay so the ballast grab power directly through the battery and not through the existing circuit. To get rid of the error, put a 6ohm 50w resistor across the leads.

Or you can code the car and raise the PWM duty cycle. This will raise voltage to 14.4v ish....which is the output of the alternator. Cleanest way, but you need to buy that cable. You also don't need to worry about errors though as you can code them out.

[rollinstone157]

Originally Posted by Alpineweiss e90

...

Ah yes, we are both talking about the same thing, you just described it far more eloquently than I did!

[Arena Motor Dude]

Originally Posted by Alpineweiss e90

Nope you have that the other way around. Pulse width modulation is used to increase the efficiency and lifetime of a bulb by decreasing voltage. It sends a square wave...basically a rapid on and off signal.

The bulb check system will send small pulses of current to the bulb to check if the filament is intact.

You can buy the most expensive kit money can buy but if it's not wired to a constant 12v, you'll have problems. Most hid kits are designed to operate on as low as 8v. However some cars will lower voltage to 7.7v (via PWM), like my May '06 build 330xi.

How do you suppose the kit will work on 7.7v? In a car, voltage spikes are a normal occurrence...hence why some people see flickering HID kits.

OP, take the positive wire from both your ballasts, connect it to jump point under your hood? They work correctly right? Now wire a Bosch relay so the ballast grab power directly through the battery and not through the existing circuit. To get rid of the error, put a 6ohm 50w resistor across the leads.

Or you can code the car and raise the PWM duty cycle. This will raise voltage to 14.4v ish....which is the output of the alternator. Cleanest way, but you need to buy that cable. You also don't need to worry about errors though as you can code them out.

I have a relay being overnighted. Like I said we tested them on the battery of a running car, everything worked fine. I will post results tomorrow.