dmk2000 Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Hello everyone.This Thanksgiving weekend I was trying to improve 2013 Cmax SEL headlights output power.I got HID kit and was installing it. What I noticed is a very strange thing. After installing these lights ( low beam H11) when car in Accessories (ACC) state they work beautifully. However when car in a drive ready state, these lights do not work. After trouble shooting this issue I have noticed interesting thing. When car in ACC mode, the voltage on lights is 12.5 V. However, when car in Drive mode, I only getting 8.6 V. Is it normal?Can anyone confirm this.Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPL Tech Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) Try replacing one of the bulbs back with the OEM bulb so you can make sure the headlights are actually on. Also, this car does not have DRL, so if you dont turn the lights on they wont be on. Edited December 3, 2014 by SPL Tech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I did that. OEM light is on and HID is off. It is a voltage thing. For HID to work, ballast must have minimal voltage supplied to it. If voltage is too low, no arch will be produced to create plasma in HID light to work. I wonder if someone had a reading on operating voltage of headlights during ready to drive mode of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 So, are you saying that you get 8.6 V in ready to drive mode with the OEM bulb and everything is fine? Or do you get a higher voltage? The BCM controls the voltage to the low beam bulb but not the high beam bulb. The BCM may be detecting a high start up current with the HID and cutting voltage. You may need an interposing relay that supplies the HID 12 V directly from the battery and not through the Body Control Module. Smiling Jack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiling Jack Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) So, are you saying that you get 8.6 V in ready to drive mode with the OEM bulb and everything is fine? Or do you get a higher voltage? The BCM controls the voltage to the low beam bulb but not the high beam bulb. The BCM may be detecting a high start up current with the HID and cutting voltage. You may need an interposing relay that supplies the HID 12 V directly from the battery and not through the Body Control Module. To these good questions, I would add one that is easy to answer: What is the voltage in the present configuration when "ready to drive" with the headlights off? Edited December 3, 2014 by Smiling Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 So, are you saying that you get 8.6 V in ready to drive mode with the OEM bulb and everything is fine? Or do you get a higher voltage? The BCM controls the voltage to the low beam bulb but not the high beam bulb. The BCM may be detecting a high start up current with the HID and cutting voltage. You may need an interposing relay that supplies the HID 12 V directly from the battery and not through the Body Control Module. Interesting theory.I can tell you when I had one bulb OEM and other bulb HID, OEM worked but HID did not. HID voltage was 8.6. I could not test voltage on OEM bulb at the same time as it was connected and on. That said, does BCM also controls low beam lights voltage when car in ACC mode because in ACC mode, HID works perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 To these good questions, I would add one that is easy to answer: What is the voltage in the present configuration when "ready to drive" with the headlights off? With lights switch in off position voltage would be 0 on low beam lights. System voltage is 13.6 V. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kostby Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Is your car equipped with the DRL (Daytime Running Lamp) option? If it is, it should be listed as a separate item on the Monroney window sticker.(Paste in your VIN in place of the one shown) http://services.forddirect.fordvehicles.com/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=1FADP5BU3DL538695 On my other car with DRL (2003 Pontiac Vibe), it uses a lower voltage to the low-beam headlights when the DRL is active, then switches to the 'full nighttime' voltage when the DRL module on the dash detects sufficient darkness (including garages, tunnels, and very dark clouds!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiling Jack Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 With lights switch in off position voltage would be 0 on low beam lights. System voltage is 13.6 V. I think that pretty much establishes that it is something in the headlight system (presumably with the new setup) that is dragging the voltage down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Is your car equipped with the DRL (Daytime Running Lamp) option? If it is, it should be listed as a separate item on the Monroney window sticker.(Paste in your VIN in place of the one shown) http://services.forddirect.fordvehicles.com/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=1FADP5BU3DL538695 On my other car with DRL (2003 Pontiac Vibe), it uses a lower voltage to the low-beam headlights when the DRL is active, then switches to the 'full nighttime' voltage when the DRL module on the dash detects sufficient darkness (including garages, tunnels, and very dark clouds!) Thanks for a reply. It does not have DRL as an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian_L Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Intriguing. I'd be inclined to go with golfer's suggestion: a 10 gauge wire from the HID to the battery with a standard 12v relay which is energized by the existing headlight wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) Intriguing. I'd be inclined to go with golfer's suggestion: a 10 gauge wire from the HID to the battery with a standard 12v relay which is energized by the existing headlight wire.That is what I am thinking as well. The problem I am afraid would be trying to explain Ford technician, why this car has an additional wire harness. Also due to my car been having 3 dead battery issues, I am afraid they will void warranty. At this point I am not changing light bulbs, and will keep OEM setup as is. That said, I will make an appointment with a dealer ( time permitted) to let them check this issue. The reason I want to go with HID, is not to be cool, but to actually improve low beam headlights performance. OEM's are too dull for me to feel comfortable. Edited December 4, 2014 by dmk2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 The reason I want to go with HID, is... OEM's are too dull for me to feel comfortable. As the driver of an oncoming vehicle, I'm extremely glad that the HID conversion did not work, and you retained the warmer, low-scatter, less-blinding OEM lights. Please consider that your retrofit does little more than shift your discomfort to oncoming traffic. You will also find that in marginal light situations, like fog or snow, when visibility really matters, HID lights will reduce your ability to see the road. The C-Max has excellent visibility, as designed, but you can fix that... The reasons involve color temperature, light scatter and human visual response, plus looking at night diving as a system, rather than individual components. Have fun,Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 As the driver of an oncoming vehicle, I'm extremely glad that the HID conversion did not work, and you retained the warmer, low-scatter, less-blinding OEM lights. Please consider that your retrofit does little more than shift your discomfort to oncoming traffic. You will also find that in marginal light situations, like fog or snow, when visibility really matters, HID lights will reduce your ability to see the road. The C-Max has excellent visibility, as designed, but you can fix that... The reasons involve color temperature, light scatter and human visual response, plus looking at night diving as a system, rather than individual components. Have fun,FrankFrank.I am agree with you when it comes to a poorly done conversions. The HID kit I am trying to install is 3000K light, which is what OEM has and it is on a yellow side. From experience, right HID's with proper beam do improve driving visibility. Personally, I am blinded more by drivers with a high beams on due to bad performance of their low beam headlights rather then HID equipped cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaDadMiami Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 In case this helps, I was looking into changing over to HID. I can remember if it was DrDiesel or somebody else that said this, but he or she said that the Focus HID kit will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmk2000 Posted December 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 In case this helps, I was looking into changing over to HID. I can remember if it was DrDiesel or somebody else that said this, but he or she said that the Focus HID kit will work.Interesting.Thank you for this info. Let me see into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 In case this helps, I was looking into changing over to HID. I can remember if it was DrDiesel or somebody else that said this, but he or she said that the Focus HID kit will work.Somebody was trying to do that to the Fusion Energi. I'm not sure they got it working, but you might try that forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 ...The HID kit I am trying to install is 3000K light, ...You get it. Most folks don't... Thanks for the thoughtful reply!Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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