Hey guys, I bought a set of the el-cheapo ebay xenon HIDs that were mentioned in another thread recently on this forum (from ebay user mototekc I think) the brand on the box is Helligkeit. I installed them today and although I only had time to run them for maybe 5 mins they seem to flicker, kinda like a flourescent light that can't quite fully light up? Both lights in the kit do the same thing. Do they take a while to get going or are both ballasts/globes fcuk*d? Please let me know your cheap xenon experiences so I know whether or not to get onto the seller. Thanks in advance, Dan
First of all... +8 for Grammar lol Okay. If these are the ones Bluecube was telling us about then yea they were the set I bought. First thing I noticed when I hooked them up was this weird flicker. Slowly went away after a few nights. The thing thats pissing me off now is even though they turn on, they feel as they are some fluorescent not turning completely on. For example when I first flick them on (first time for the night, not off and back on again, wont do it), for a split second they are VERY bright like frickin highbeams then back to normal. I have yet to re-do the wiring. Might try hooking them up to the battery as the manual suggests to troubleshoot but I couldnt be bothered, Fevers = not cool. MoulaZX
It's the usual story, you get what you pay for(there are good HID's and there are cheap HID's. There are very few good, cheap HID's).
i think a Lil bit of flicker would not bother me wile driving and id be amazed if i could even notice it...as long as their brighter then the stock bulbs then that's the main thing
Those eBay ones have a one year warranty... however you'll probably get stung with shipping costs on swapping the screwed ballasts.
When you turn them on they should flash brightly to kind of get kick started and then warm up over a few seconds. If they've been on for a while and you turn them off then on there should be no flash as they are already warmed up. If you still get a brighter flash when they've been on for a minute or so then yes they are probably not at the full brightness they should be. The flickering is usually because they don't have enough power... mine flicker in my Celsior if I turn them on with a flat or low battery. Check that all the wiring and connections are allowing them to get as much juice as possible as that's maybe why they are flickering and there's not enough power to maintain a proper steady glow. If working properly there should be no flicker. Ben
Ok lets get everyones facts straight! HIDs are SUPPOSED to take a few seconds to warm up. They are not instant on like halogens. This is a well known phenomenon and is PERFECTLY NORMAL. Secondly, you need to break the lights in. You need to drive them for a few hours until they get to full brightness. Thirdly, if your lights are flickering badly, then you may have a poor power connection. Check your wiring. If you'd actually read the instruction manual that came with the lights you would already know this! Geez I love it how everyone looks for a scapegoat straight away rather than doing some actual research into their problems.:bash: I bet if these HIDs cost $200 there would be no question on quality. There seems to be an unfair perception that expensive = quality. Which is certainly not the case all the time. Just for those who are interested: mine have no flicker at all.
Thats what i've been trying to tell people. Also the flicker is a wiring thing. Mine just got better after use. I believe it says somewhere on the manual to be fully worn in they need something like 50hrs? I will be re-wiring them as soon as my bloody Fever goes away. I read the manual that came with it. It actually lists a few things you can do to help. I completely agree with the whole price thing too. If these were +$200 there would be no 'you get what you pay for' instead it'd be 'you got screwed' or nothing at all. Seems pretty unfair. MoulaZX
Sorry if i seemed a bit short. I was not intending the above at you in particular. Just trying to inform the mob thats all. I think that an idea might be to attach the GROUND wire from the HIDs directly to the chassis. Would be a good avenue to persue incase the stock headlight ground wire is inadequate. Then if it still doesnt get better than perhaps the stock +12v headlight connection isnt the best. I would try the ground option first though! [note: this is assuming that the headlight relays use the 12v POSITIVE connection to switch the headlights and not the NEGATIVE connection - you would have to check first - coz im pretty sure the stock nissan thermofan relay have live 12v positive all the time and switches with the negative connection.]
Im glad you posted, because I was thinking the exact same thing.. ..and yes I think I do remember reading on ebay about them reaching their full potential after 50hrs of use..When I go to install mine I will be reading over the instructions very carefully..
ive got a set of these,no dramas at all and the same as the ones simon bought for 200 1/ upgrade your fuse to 20-30 amp 2/ they will flicker if your battery isnt a very good one or a new one 3/dont turn them on without the motor running,they need more than 12v to start up properly,if you do you will destroy the ballast,globe or both !!!! 4/xenons take up to 50 hours to get the correct colour and brightness,this is due to the gases in the bulb mixing correctly over time,
I brought a set of these lights and I must say, they are the best $70 I have spent, I cannot notice a difference. Don't start insulting the product if you don't have it. I'd be happy with people saying "You get what you payed for" if everyone here was having problems, and the person who said it had a pair themselves. Some people have given bluecube nothing but crap since he posted about them, all he is doing is telling us what he got, and where from. And another question, how common is it for a ballast or HID globe to play up? Did anyone take those factors into account, is that not a downfall of the HIDs to begin with? Thank you bluecube for letting us know about them.
Firstly, my comment about "getting what you pay for" is a well founded remark, gained from a lifetime of paying for quality and avoiding crap(sometimes unsuccessfully). Secondly, I have two sets of HID's in my car(so I can speak from experience), and neither of them ever flicker, nor did they have to be "broken in". Yes, like all such lights they start up slowly at first, and then brighten after a few seconds. As for comments about price, there are two basic things that determine low prices, 1: Huge volume production and sales, 2: Low cost, less reliable components(so that it is cheaper to replace than to repair). No one heaped crap on bluecube, nor should they have done so(he was just trying to be helpfu,l at that stage). He just got tee'd off because I mentioned that there were other members on this forum already supplying these products(to mostly satisfied buyers), and he then decided to make defamatory remarks about those members being "Rip offs". END OF STORY!
lol chilli. i wasnt tee'd off that there were other members selling these products. i was merely trying to inform the general populus that they can buy the generic ebay hids and they dont need any special type for Z's. Im glad that so many people have followed my thread and have bought some HIDs. They really improve the 300zx lighting by heaps. I'm thinking of installing some into my fog lights. This should provide awesome light but maybe too bright for everyday use.
The change to HID's is well worth whatever you have to pay, so no argument here. Just remember that the Fog Lights DON'T have proper shaped reflectors to produce a beam of light, so they are useless as Driving Lights, and when fitted with brilliant white globes/HID's, they are totally screwed as Fog Lights(need yellow/orange frequencies to be effective as Foggies).:zlove::zlove:
i got my cheap ebay ones a week ago, the first 2 days they flickered like crazy and was really noticible but since then its stopped. i love them i think its the best $70 ive spent on a car:biggrin::biggrin: thanks to bluecube for bringing it to our attention i can now see in the dark:zlove:
Just tested mine... One side is bright and steady, the other a little dim and flickering. Hopefully it will resolve itself with a few drives. It is strange how one side flickers, and the other doesn't. (for the record, my battery is less than a year old)
We rarely get fog up here in Brisbane, so I had a spare set of 4300K HIDS, so in the foggies they went. Now with 6 HIDs on the car, Night driving is great for me. Other drivers probably have to scratch their eyeballs out though On a serious note, only used on the Highway at night, and is great for country roads like when we drive back from Gympie at night etc etc.
