BlazedUp Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I am having an intermittent problem with retro-solutions HID kit. At night, when I unlock the car via fob, both lights come on.......after starting the car, the friggin' passenger light goes out ! This doesn't happen all the time. I do have the relay kit installed. I did not expect these issues from $200.00+ kit. I do not know what else can be done because everything is obviously installed correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 (edited) Todd @ retro replied to my e-mail within an hour of me sending it. Great customer service from this company. He is sending me a tap-in capacitor to try and resolve this issue. I thought that by installing the relay, this eliminated the issue of voltage drops/fluctuations (pulsing) negating the need for a cap. I know some used the kit w/o the relay and it worked fine. I have the relay installed and it seems I need another piece to make this kit work. Can anyone here explain to me why I need a cap in conjunction with the relay harness ? Edited October 9, 2009 by BlazedUp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpeckinp Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 (edited) If you would have done a quick search you would have found you need a Cap added on the Edge because Ford uses switched headlights. You can't see it but your lights are switching on and off very fast. It helps increase the life span. The Cap keeps the charge up on the relay by basically acting as a battery in the line to keep the voltage up above a certain point. Most of us only needed 470uF 35V or better to do the trick. Edited October 9, 2009 by jpeckinp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 (edited) If you would have done a quick search you would have found you need a Cap added on the Edge because Ford uses switched headlights. You can't see it but your lights are switching on and off very fast. It helps increase the life span. The Cap keeps the charge up on the relay by basically acting as a battery in the line to keep the voltage up above a certain point. Most of us only needed 470uF 35V or better to do the trick. OKay Mr. Edsel, why do some people on here have A: No relay, and B: no capacitor......and their hid kit apparently works flawlessly. I do not understand why some work on some Edges and not on others. Please explain to me why this HID kit works on some and not on others. If you can answer that question, I will send you a buy one get one free coupon for a 3-pack of hanes boxer briefs.....BTW, what ,if any, HID kit do you have installed and do you have the auto-on feature on your edge. Voltage is voltage, I have the relay hooked directly to the battery, so why would the voltage "switch on and off" when it is hooked to a direct 12volt source ? Even if the voltage "dips" why does the light go out and stay out.......don't tell me to do "a quick search" on something you obviously know nothing about. Edited October 10, 2009 by BlazedUp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempie Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 (edited) When I got my HID kit I changed the "Lights on at unlock" so just the interior lights come on. I dont know if this would make any difference with your veh. I did it so that the HID would last longer as I was under the impression that the start up of the HID is what wears out the ballasts. I do have the harness w/a round thing on it (could be a capacitor) and 2 of the LED type resistors. Sorry I dont know more but it's what the Retro people sent for my 35W HID kit. I have had no problems and am very pleased w/the lights. Edited October 10, 2009 by kempie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks for the reply kemp, sounds like you do have a cap in-line on the harness. I just wish Retro would have supplied this in the kit to make it work properly. How did you turn off the "lights on at unlock" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpeckinp Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 OKay Mr. Edsel, why do some people on here have A: No relay, and B: no capacitor......and their hid kit apparently works flawlessly. I do not understand why some work on some Edges and not on others. Please explain to me why this HID kit works on some and not on others. If you can answer that question, I will send you a buy one get one free coupon for a 3-pack of hanes boxer briefs.....BTW, what ,if any, HID kit do you have installed and do you have the auto-on feature on your edge. Voltage is voltage, I have the relay hooked directly to the battery, so why would the voltage "switch on and off" when it is hooked to a direct 12volt source ? Even if the voltage "dips" why does the light go out and stay out.......don't tell me to do "a quick search" on something you obviously know nothing about. Well with over 20 years building/repairing electronic circuits I know nothing as you say so I won't bother telling you why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempie Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 I found the info in the "locks & security" section of the manual. Look for "parimeter lamps illuminated entry". There is a procedure for deactivating. Pg. 120 in my manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks Kemp. Thanks Jpeck. I do understand the FET and the pulsing system. You sure you don't want that coupon ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awake33 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 When I got my HID kit I changed the "Lights on at unlock" so just the interior lights come on. I did the same thing for the same reason, and also because sometimes the passenger light wouldn't come on after starting the car. It's a really bad idea to have them come on when unlocking, barely get fully charged up, then turn off for 2-3 seconds and come right back on. I do not have a relay or cap, ballasts are plugged directly into the OEM harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I hear you awake, It's just that the perimeter lighting and headlights coming on are very safe and useful while approaching the car at night in a dark parking lot. Even when you have the knob selector to "off" the headlights still come on when unlocking the car for about 5 seconds. I assume turning this feature off also turns off the puddle lamps right ? I just installed the cap about an hour ago and waiting for nightfall.....to see if this resolves the issue of the passenger light going out upon starting the car. Thanks for the replies ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Talionis Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 why wait for night to test? just cover the light sensor on your dash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazedUp Posted October 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 So thats where it is.....I thought it was the photo-cell looking lense on the back of the rear view mirror. Anyway, just tried it out and I am having the same issue......both lights fire up fine when un-locking and upon starting the car ....passenger light goes out !! :angry2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempie Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Interior and puddle lamps come on at unlock when the headlights are disabled . Try the lights in the manual position as opposed to the auto lights. May be a bad/weak ballast. PIA no matter what.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinzII Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 So thats where it is.....I thought it was the photo-cell looking lense on the back of the rear view mirror. Anyway, just tried it out and I am having the same issue......both lights fire up fine when un-locking and upon starting the car ....passenger light goes out !! :angry2: I recall going through the same thing twice last year. Turns out that both of my ballasts (Low Beam) were bad and had to be replaced. My High Beams worked normally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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