HID problem????

[wedivebc]

Is a new HID bulb, with a fully charged battery suppose to flicker occasionally and change colour? The light seems to be inconsistant and is changing from blue to purple. I just got this back from the shop and thought I would do a bathtub test just to see how it would last. My previous one lasted 3 seconds before the bulb popped.

 

[H2Andy]

well... mine's never done that, and i have never seen one of my buddie's lights
do that...

sounds like a bad connection or something? or a bad bulb? sorry, i don't know
much about lights

 

[Rick Murchison]

Is a new HID bulb, with a fully charged battery suppose to flicker occasionally and change colour? The light seems to be inconsistant and is changing from blue to purple. I just got this back from the shop and thought I would do a bathtub test just to see how it would last. My previous one lasted 3 seconds before the bulb popped.

I do believe you have a bad ballast...
Rick

 

[Uncle Pug]

Not sure... but it could be dirty or loose contacts causing a voltage drop. If so cleaning the contacts/plug with alcohol or contact cleaner might solve the problem. Depending on the light design another reason for the problem could be that the bulb is not fully seated in the socket... same problem just a different cause with a different solution: make sure the bulb is securely in the socket.

 

[Nocturnal Lights]

HID's can sometimes flicker during startup, but after about 15 - 30 seconds it should reach its full brightness and not flicker or shift colors. HID components are very sensitive to voltage changes. It could be your battery, are you using NiMH or Li-Ion? NiMH tends to be more stable, Li-Ion is finicky. Aside from that, your ballast or igniter could be the culprit.

 

[wedivebc]

HID's can sometimes flicker during startup, but after about 15 - 30 seconds it should reach its full brightness and not flicker or shift colors. HID components are very sensitive to voltage changes. It could be your battery, are you using NiMH or Li-Ion? NiMH tends to be more stable, Li-Ion is finicky. Aside from that, your ballast or igniter could be the culprit.

It was doing it for about 5 minutes after start up. It eventually stopped flickering but you could see a definated colour change in the light after that. This is the first run after a rather expensive servicing and when I got it back from the manufacturer the first time it went DOA in 3 seconds. 2 weeks later my unit is back but I am maybe just paranoid. I would hope the connections aren't the problem since they replaced the cable. The contacts on the battery look clean but I will clean them all the same. I think they checked the ballast on the first visit to the hospital.
Thanks for all your input guys.

 

[padiscubapro]

It was doing it for about 5 minutes after start up. It eventually stopped flickering but you could see a definated colour change in the light after that. This is the first run after a rather expensive servicing and when I got it back from the manufacturer the first time it went DOA in 3 seconds. 2 weeks later my unit is back but I am maybe just paranoid. I would hope the connections aren't the problem since they replaced the cable. The contacts on the battery look clean but I will clean them all the same. I think they checked the ballast on the first visit to the hospital.
Thanks for all your input guys.

Dave be sure to NEVER run your bulbs for a short time it is not good for them.. The minimum time should be about 15 minutes

 

[wedivebc]

Dave be sure to NEVER run your bulbs for a short time it is not good for them.. The minimum time should be about 15 minutes

I had heard 5 min. I guess more is better. I wonder if that is why the flickering stopped after 5?

 

[padiscubapro]

I had heard 5 min. I guess more is better. I wonder if that is why the flickering stopped after 5?

The whole key is that the bulb is supposed to get very hot otherwise you get oxidation buildup.. You can probably get away with a bit shorter but remeber the more startups you do the more you decrease the life of the bulb.. Its a bad idea to just "test" the bulb then shut it off..

 

[Nocturnal Lights]

It was doing it for about 5 minutes after start up. It eventually stopped flickering but you could see a definated colour change in the light after that. This is the first run after a rather expensive servicing and when I got it back from the manufacturer the first time it went DOA in 3 seconds. 2 weeks later my unit is back but I am maybe just paranoid. I would hope the connections aren't the problem since they replaced the cable. The contacts on the battery look clean but I will clean them all the same. I think they checked the ballast on the first visit to the hospital.
Thanks for all your input guys.

Well, we've had a lot of experience with HID's, in both use and manufacturing. Sometimes flickering occurs on startup, due to voltage/current drops in the battery. However, it shouldn't be doing that for more than say.. 15 seconds at most. Like you said, I'd check to make sure that each connection is nice and solid. Try discharging/recharging the battery to full, and try again. If all else fails, you'll most likely need to get the components swapped a second time.

And about the bulb, HID capsules last thousands of hours (if treated right). If you turn on/off (rapidly) the bulb a few times its not going to hurt, but yes, it does reduce the bulb life. I can check with our techs, but I don't believe there is a minimum time that the HID's should be on, just don't turn them off/on like a machine gun.