Hid - Fuse keeps blowing on wire harness

[geminiz]

I am using a relay harness with fuse on my hid kit. My hid kit is a 35 watt kit. The 20 amp fuse on the relay harness burnt out on me within a month of usage. I replaced it with another 20 amp fuse and it just burnt again last night. I replaced it with a 15 amp fuse for now and it works.

Has this happen to anyone before?
Should I replace it with a higher amp fuse?

[Gadgetjq]

Gemini,

Members who've added HID's will be able to help you with your troubleshooting. I'm thinking you have a short someplace since two 35 watt lights should only be pulling about 5.5 amps. I just wanted to warn about upsizing the fuse.

To pull 20 amps (the fuse that keeps blowing) you should be running at least 16 gauge wiring. If you went to a 25 amp fuse you'd need (an absolute minimum) 15 gauge. That's along the entire high amp path from your power source, through the relay to the lights. Wire any smaller and you risk the harness becoming the fuse which at best can result in burned insulation and at worst an under hood fire.

BTW if the problem 'is' a short you only need 22 gauge wire for the 5.5 amps. Chances are excellent you're already using something substantially larger than that so no worries.

Cheers

[geminiz]

On the relay terminal post, the 30 connection to the battery is a 14 gauge. The 87 connection to the ballasts to the lights are 16 gauge. The 85 and 86 connections are 18 gauge. The fuse is only connected to the 30 connection to the battery.

What fuse amp to you recommend?
Do you think the fuse is burning out from a grounding issue?

[Gadgetjq]

Do you think the fuse is burning out from a grounding issue?

As I mentioned in the previous message I have no experience installing an aftermarket HID system on the Solara (many forum members do though).

That said, if your lighting is only pulling 5 amps and you're blowing a 20 amp fuse it's a pretty good indicator you have a dead short someplace. If the lights work for awhile but the fuse goes when you're moving down the road it could be a wire that's moving or somehow touching the frame or, are you sure the relay is fastened securely and none of the posts are grounding?

Based on the expected current draw you should be able to use a 10 amp fuse.

Cheers

[boaclub923]

did u install in on low beam or fog light?
if it's low beam, then i have no idea... cause i have no trouble with it so far (thx god)
if u install it at foglight, make sure u put 15amp fuse.
dont' bother to change fuse to higher amp,
cause it's ganna blow no matter which amp u put.
just try NOT to turn it on/off too often within a short perioud of time, like within 1 min.
also, i found out that fuse tends to burn out if u turn HID without engine running.
don't ask me why, cause i have no idea too!

[geminiz]

This is for my low beams. Anymore suggestions?