DRL Question

[r0w]

I was once told by some one that by not disabling the DRL's while having an HID system will over time wreck your ballast? Is this true? When I stalled my HID kit, I didn't notice any strobe like effect or slight flicker to it. So there for I did not disable the DRL. I know that having the HID on all the time will cut done the life of the bulb into half but bulbs can be replaced, I'm worried about my ballast . Any suggestions guys?

[woa_its_j3ff]

ive had DRLs, and my HIDs for about 4-5 months at least now? no problems whatsoever... I dont understand how it'll mess up your ballast in any way, but we shall see..

[Dawgz]

if u have hids, and run the drl's, ur gonna be putting out a low voltage when the drl's are on, and this also keeps the ballasts on all the time, and then on at night time...so ur not only giving it not enough juice for the start up when ur on drl, ur also using it (overtime) at night.

[Dawgz]

why wouldnt u just disconnect the drl?

[r0w]

why wouldnt u just disconnect the drl?

lol I have never been told a good reason to. The main reason why I was gonna do it cause I was told that there might be the chase that my year lara's DRL run on the highbeam volt. but half the power which in turn making my HIDS a strobe light and hurting the bulb and the ballats....

[philosophicaljt]

Actually, it has a LOT to do with how you have the kit installed. If you plugged it together without using a relay, which I am assuming you did, then whats happening is something like this:

Your DRL's are just your high beams, except they are running at half the amperage. So if they normally take 30 amps for full brighness (65 watts etc...), in order to be half as bright (which is assumed, and makes easy math) they now only get 15 amps.

For a normal halogen bulb this is no problem, because as long as you are not applying too much voltage too a halogen bulb, its almost indestructible. However, since you now have a power invertor, a transformer, and a couple AC/DC convertors, this is now slightly risky. Heres why:

That Ballast does a couple things. As soon as you turn on your headlights, it has to supply a high amount of current (amperage) to the bulbs just to get them to initially ignite (Simplified for those who know more...). Once ignited, the bulbs actually require a substantially less amount of power to keep them let, compared to a halogen bulb.

Now lets go back a paragraph or two. If your car wants to only send 15amps to that ballast for use as a DRL, and the ballast wants 35amps just to ignite the bulbs (typical), there is problem number one.

Now, the ballast is being forced to work significantly harder than it should. (The internals of your ballast are going to be running significantly hotter also).

Problem number two could also be that some DRL's actually run cycled. Which I am way too tired to try and explain.

In short, its bad on the HID's because the ballast is going to crap out sooner than normal. Imagine if your computer is suppossed to have a 500W power supply to run efficiently. Then only give it 350W. It will still work. But it will be slow as crap, overheat, and parts will fail faster. The HID ballast works the same way.

Wow. I suck at explaining things, lol.

[facevedo17]

RIGHT on Cue !!!!I have mines installed with an relay no problems at night nor day ....



quote="philosophicaljt"]Actually, it has a LOT to do with how you have the kit installed. If you plugged it together without using a relay, which I am assuming you did, then whats happening is something like this:

[Eye8Pussies]

so if you use the relay, then you will lose your drl, I presume?

might be a problem for us canadians....

[Ruski]

philosophicaljt Great way of explaining .. Thumbs up !
But you should just disable the Drls.. it makes it easier on the components like stated above .. its just cutting one wire.. to disable

[facevedo17]

I use a relay I unplug the DRL but mines would still come on , other members had no problem and work when they disconnected their DRL plug ...In My case it didn't and I wasen't about to start splitting wires although it is a simple task


instead I use a 30amp fuse
+ relay and no problems since they were install ....

[r0w]

so far I have just unpluged that grey plug under my hood and disconnected the light sensor and no more DRL's but some ppl said that it just came back on after a while so they did in the end end up cutting the wire....

[Ruski]

^ yes i tried the same it stayed of for a day or two then came right back on .. so i went under the dash and cut the wire thats in the write up and now no more drls and NO longer have the solara :/

[r0w]

^ yes i tried the same it stayed of for a day or two then came right back on .. so i went under the dash and cut the wire thats in the write up and now no more drls and NO longer have the solara :/

ok well lets hope that I don't have to cut any wires! I did the same thing lets wait and see

[woa_its_j3ff]

so far I have just unpluged that grey plug under my hood and disconnected the light sensor and no more DRL's but some ppl said that it just came back on after a while so they did in the end end up cutting the wire....

mine never came back on even after months of having my HIDs put in.

[Ruski]

Jeff it dosnt matter if you have hids in or stock bulbs the drl can come back as seen on a few peoples cars .. like mine