HID lights affect the wiring?

[kemmer]

I have a 01 silverado and when i got my ultramount installed a couple of days ago they installed a switch instead of running the plow lights of the truck lights. were they confused by the HID ballast unit? can i wire it myself?

[EZSnow]

As long as the switch can handle the load (or it's running on a relay) leave it how it is. You might like the ability to be able to choose between plow lights and truck lights. I know that during heavy snowfall, my truck lights let me see MUCH better than my plow lights do- probably moreso with those HIDs. Try it for a while- if you find yourself never using the truck lights while hooked up, then try to wire it up, but I like being able to choose. Of course... this would only be an option if you can carry your plow off the ground AND below the headlights.

[Snowboy]

Careful with the HID system. What do you have a kit off Ebay?

I don’t know if you can shut your headlights off or if you do shut them off before you put on your plow but it might not be a bad idea as there is some serious juice running thru those wires that go to the ballast.

If you have a HID kit like I used to have chances are the wires from the low beam are fed to the ballast and when your lights go on they trigger your ballast. Having your stock wires to trigger your ballast might eventually fry your electrical system you should run the ballast's off relays instead.

You might have to jury rig something up as the factory harness plugs into the isolation module to send power to the relay in the isolation module.

Can triggering relays/Bi-Xenon solenoid directly from headlight connector harm headlight switches?

Yes. Activating relays is done by connecting voltage to a coil, which in turn creates a magnetic field that pulls over the switch. When voltage is removed from the relay, the energy that is stored in the coil will send current the other way by increasing voltage to several hundred volts, and a small arc will be visible between the contact elements of the headlight switch. Over time, the switch will only work intermittant, and will eventually totally fail. Thats why a serial diode is essential to protect the headlight switch. Both relay and Bi-Xenon solenoid (if equipped) needs to be triggered through diodes. There is no rule of thumb of when to use diode or not without doing a throughout internal study of entire internal headlamp curcuit, which is wasted time.
(An internal study means removing all related wiring, fuse and fuse sockets, connectors, M/F switch and headlamp switch. Then connect it together with 15 amps load at headlamp connector in a lab and let a robot turn it on and off for 5000 times.)
Note that relay needs a minimum 1A/100V diode, solenoid needs a min 3A/100V diode, because of a more powerful coil. Both of them are like $1.50 or something (less than 0.1% of budget), and if inserted at the right time of install, there are no extra time to do so.

Great HID info on this page (http://faqlight.carpassion.info/headlamp-harness.html) or More great HID info on this page (http://www.hidplanet.com)

[kemmer]

ok ill see how i like them, but for you chevy guys, my truck has auto headlights, i know theres a button i can press to make then manual, but that button only works till you turn the truck off, is there another way to make then manual, but only temporarily cause i like then in the off season

[Snowboy]

ok ill see how i like them, but for you chevy guys, my truck has auto headlights, i know theres a button i can press to make then manual, but that button only works till you turn the truck off, is there another way to make then manual, but only temporarily cause i like then in the off season


Ha ha your lucky.. When i read the owners manuel in my book it says in fine print below that section about how you can only do that if the car was made in USA.

I've posted that question here before and you have to jury rig the sensor. If i find the post I'll let you know. When I had my HID kit before I got wise and sold it and before i got wise and bought acura TSX projectors for my headlights only 1 light would fire up not enough juice at start up to power the engine and the HID system. I had to hit the Emergency brake before i started the truck up and once it was going i release it then everything works good. The GM dealer said to me if you ground the system the lights wont come on and thats what the E brake does.

A friend is working or some sort of circuit board that will stop those problems indefinitly and also keep the lights on a few mins after i shut the truck off. You could just wire your HID lights to a seprate switch for the time beeing and turn the HID on and off as you please?

Dave.