How do I know if my xenon ballast is bad?

How do I know if my xenon ballast is bad?

Signs That Your Ballast is Bad

1. Dimming or Flickering Headlights. If your HID bulb cannot produce its full brightness or strobe periodically, this is most probably a ballast problem.
2. Strange Sounds.
3. Headlights Not Working.
4. Changing Light Colors.
5. Constantly Blowing Fuse.
6. Damaged Casing.
7. Burn Marks.
8. Water or Oil Damage.

What is the output voltage of a HID ballast?

The approximate warmup and restriking times of the HID lamp groups are as follows: Ballast Input Voltages Unlike fluorescent lighting which is operated on either 120V or 277V circuits, power for HID lighting in the U.S. is delivered at any one of five voltages: 120V, 208V, 240V, 277V or 480V.

Do xenon lights need ballast?

In order to keep your Xenon HID lights working properly, you’ll need a HID ballast. The ballast is an important part of your HID light setup and is essential if you want your Xenon HIDs to work properly.

What does a xenon ballast do?

What does a ballast do? When the lamp is turned on, the ballast provides a surge of higher voltage to the lamp. This helps establish an arc between two electrodes on the lamp, which is what causes HID bulbs to light up. The other key function of a ballast is to keep your lamp running and make sure the output is steady.

How many volts do xenon lights use?

It is true that xenon bulbs require a voltage of between 18,000 and 30,000 volts to ignite. This staggering voltage is generated from the vehicle’s much lower voltage battery by using an electronic ballast and starter.

Which is better AC or DC HID ballast?

Both types of ballasts take the DC power from vehicles and power the HID bulbs for light. AC ballasts output AC power, while DC ballasts output DC power. With AC ballasts, you can expect longer life in both bulbs and ballasts. Aside from that, AC ballast systems are brighter than DC ballast systems.

What is a ballast for HID lights?

What Is HID Ballast? A ballast is a crucial component of your entire headlight system. Its primary purpose is to control the intensity of your car headlight. It also controls the intensity of the bulbs so that they are not using up all your power.

Are HID ballasts universal?

High Intensity Discharge HID conversion digital ballast are a simple, affordable way to replacement your defective ballast from standard halogens to cutting-edge xenon technology. This ballast is universal fit for all aftermarket HID light bulbs as below.

Do xenon bulbs dim over time?

Do Xenon HID Bulbs lose brightness and dim over time? Yes, over time a Xenon HID bulb can lose some brightness and colour intensity as they begin to age. We find that branded bulbs like Osram Xenon HID Bulbs degrade a lot less than cheap unbranded Xenon HID Bulbs.

How long do xenon bulbs last?

Also known as High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps, xenon headlights deliver a white-blue light, approximately two to three times brighter than a halogen, last approximately 2,500 hours and are energy efficient.

Is 35W or 55W HID better?

A bulb running 55W will usually last about half as long as a bulb running 35W. Brightness: 35W bulbs driven by a true 35W ballast will provide at least 3200 lumens. This is over double the brightness of a factory halogen bulb, and plenty of light for night-time driving.

Can I use 55W HID bulb with 35W?

You can use 55w ballasts with standard 35w bulbs, but the life of the bulb will be shortened a bit, and their color will Wash Out a bit.