CQ HID Lights install problem

[klennop]

Hello Everyone,

I ordered both the high and the low kit, got them all wired up and then tried them out. Well when I turn my key on, the low beam flickers really fast for about a second and then shuts off completely. It doesn't matter if the bike is running or not. However my high beam works fine even with the low beam not working. Also that little parking light lights up fine too.

So this is what I did:

I swapped ballasts and that other piece from side to side, one at a time=no change

I measured battery voltage with bike off=12.87volts

I then measured the voltage with the bike off coming out of the low beam(flicker one) after everything is wired up=12.7volts

I then checked continuity between the factory harness and the new wiring and everything looks fine.

Then I hooked up my hi-beam side wiring up to the low beam inputs for the lights and flipped the switch for the high beams=Same result of flicker for a second and then turn off.

So now it is late and I called it quits.

Any suggestions?? I think I have a bad bulb. Tomorrow I will draw up how I have it wired and post it on here.

Thanks for any help.

[zimm]

What bike? On my R1200S, the low flickers for a second when the key is turned on. That part is normal. Then after starting the engine, the bulb should fire up. If you have the R1200S, the bulbs are the same and you can swap them over and see if it's the bulb or not.

Mine had a problem of not lighting either, and the display would read "front headlight fail" or something like that. Turns out it was the little red and blue connectors- they aren't the highest quality pieces and one of them wasn't snapped all the way together.

[klennop]

It is on a R1100S so the bulbs are different between the low and high.

I understand the flicker when the fulbs first start up, however mine is like a dull fast strobe for just a second and then nothing. It almost is like the gasses will not ignite in the bulb??

I actually tried starting up the bike for a bit also to see if it needed a little more juice but it made no difference.

This morning I swapped some connections to see if I could narrow it down to the bulb. Well using the wiring for the low beam, I hooked up the high beam light to it and turned the key, it lit fine. So this makes me think the low beam bulb is junk.

I am going to call them and see what they can do.

[klennop]

Here is a quick drawing of my wiring setup, is this how everyone else wired theirs up?

I am waiting to hear back from CQ lighting on what they can do/help me with.

mg]http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads11/Wiring1189181074.jpg[/img]

[zimm]

Yup, sounds like a bad bulb- try a new one.

[klennop]

Originally Posted by zimm

Yup, sounds like a bad bulb- try a new one.

That is what I am thinking also but I wanted to see if everyone else was wiring them up like this. Is there any way you can look at a HID bulb to see?

I can't get a hold of that CQ lighting, anyone know what kind of hours they have or how this place is run? I have emailed, left a message on their site and called about 10 times.

[klennop]

Well I finally got a hold of Tim at CQ Lights and he is sending me out a new bulb. He was very nice and explained some other things that may cause it. However we both thought it may be the bulb.

I will let everyone know how it goes but if you guys see anything else that I could have wrong, let me know.

Thanks!!

[klennop]

So today I was going to finish up the rest of my install today and just wait for my new bulb. Well I pulled the rubber protector off the back of the bulb so I could see what I all had to do in order to change the bulb when I get the new one. I noticed the black wire was pulled out of the bottom of the bulb. I put it back in but it is pretty loose, however when I push on it a little and turn on my key.....BAM!!! I have light!!!! So it turns out I have defective wiring from the back of the bulb, not the bulb itself. You can see something around the spot where the wire goes in, something went wrong during the manufacturing.

So now I am wondering when I get this new bulb from CQLights, do you have to pull the wires off the bottom of the bulb and slide them into the new one or do you get new wiring? Because it doesn't seem like those wires are supposed to come out of the back of the bulb because that is where I am having all my problems. There aren't any connectors or anything to just plug the new light into, it is a really odd way of connecting a bulb.

I tried calling CQLights without an answer so I just emailed them, I also took some pictures but they are hard to see.

Someone with these lights check yours out once and let me know what you think?

[jackbunce]

When they sent me my new bulb it came as a complete assembly: bulb, wiring, grommit and connectors.

It looks like someone forgot a couple of steps when they re-based your bulb. The wires should not pull out of the bulb.

[klennop]

Originally Posted by jackbunce

When they sent me my new bulb it came as a complete assembly: bulb, wiring, grommit and connectors.

It looks like someone forgot a couple of steps when they re-based your bulb. The wires should not pull out of the bulb.

I got the new bulb yesterday and it contained the wiring, gromet and connectors. I hooked it up last night and everything is working now.


I will also add that for the people that said they can flash their high beam with the HID, yes you can, however it isn't at even near full light power.
Once the high beam bulb has been warmed up for a bit, then you are able to flash it at full power. I haven't road tested to see how bright the initial flash is but by the looks of the reflection on my garage, it isn't that noticeable. The bulb has to get warmed up first and then it is bright.

[jduke]

I have both the high and low HID's on my bike. When I flash the high beam, it's really more of a flicker than a flash, but it gets their attention.

[klennop]

Originally Posted by jduke

I have both the high and low HID's on my bike. When I flash the high beam, it's really more of a flicker than a flash, but it gets their attention.

I agree there is a flicker but the bulb isn't up to full power immediately. I remember reading some posts where people said they can flash their high beam.

That is kind of bending the truth because I think that a normal bulb would get more of a reaction initially compared to the HID because the normal one is at full power immediately. Which in turn the typical bulb is brighter than the HID. However after a couple seconds, the HID blows the typical bulb out of the water!