HID kit problem - baffling

[Hammerhead]

A couple of months ago I fitted a HID kit to my E34 540. All went well & the lights worked brilliantly. The only minor gripe was the OBC giving me the 'dipped beam' message/bong.
Recently however, the offside dipped beam is not illuminating. I've been supplied with a new xenon bulb and ballast but have had no joy apart from a quick flash before it went off again (same thing happened when I used the old ballest and bulb on reconnection). Voltage into the ballast is reading at 11.5v and all three 7.5amp fuses (number 2, 10 & 11) are fine.

Any ideas what's going on? Any ideas on a rememdy?

Cheers,

Steve

[E30M3SE]

Sounds like you need to supply a separate 12V feed to the ballast via a relay, that should cure you problem.

[Hammerhead]

I understand the relay is used to bluff the OBC into thinking that 'normal' bulbs are there, but will it really enable the bulb to illuminate? I don't understand why the nearside one does but the offside one doesn't (even with new ballast/bulb in place). Stumped!

[phelix]

11.5 volts with the engine running? That may not be enough. What's the supply voltage on the other side?

[Hammerhead]

I'll test t'other side tomorrow and let you know

[Hammerhead]

11.5 volts per side, engine not running so there's no problem with supply. LKM a bit dicky perhaps? I've just looked at the LKM board (nothing obviously physically wrong with the relays) but the rest is chips and surface mount stuff so no idea if they're fine or not.

Stumpage continues.

[Hammerhead]

Sorted! It was a bad earth so new earth lead fitted and all back to normal. Phew!