HID/ Autocheck on "flash"

[dan_b]

I've had my HID kit installed for about 6 months now, and blooming marvellous it is too. My old 3B candles weren't exactly bright!

Anyway, last night, I had lights on dipped as per normal, trudling around the South Circular in the pouring rain and had occassion to flash a maniac driver in a 205 Diesel. I held the flash on for about 2 secs and, hey presto, what's this? The Autocheck alert came on?

I don't get the Autocheck when I put the lights in to full beam, but only when you hold the flash for more than 2 seconds.

Wierd? What's going on?

[Fat Audi 80]

IIRC the flash keeps the dipped on aswell, whereas main beam will switch off Dipped and just use mains

Can anyone confirm this? That may be a clue to the Autocheck light.....

Cheers,

Steve

[dan_b]

On my car, full beam definitely keeps the HIDS (H4s) on, and then adds the H1s.
What I can't confirm is what happens when I flash beam as I've not done it in a reflective area yet, but illumination-wise it seems to be the same?

Wierdly, it seems that if you flash without the lights on at all, it's the HIDs that flash on, not the H1s?

[Fat Audi 80]

I am going to check that out on my car tomorrow! ( I am in the daily driver Chavalier today...)

I will let you know what a standard ABY does anyway...!

Cheers,

Steve.

[Greg_S]

my autocheck triggers all of the time I have H1 HID's homebrews. Its because of the current draw i think that triggers it. I keep meaning to break leg of autocheck relay to stop it triggering.

Greg

[Fat Audi 80]

Can HID's be fitted without interfereing with the Autocheck or do you have to break the leg on the Headlamp relay? (I am assuming the meant the headlamp relay not an Autocheck relay??)

Cheers,

Steve

[dan_b]

Well you see I fitted it without fiddling with any relays, and until now it's been absolutely fine, and as mentioned above it doesn't happen when using full beam on full-beam mode. What is different about the circuitry that would confuse the Autocheck when on flash?

[Fat Audi 80]

I don't know.

[dan_b]

Cool, nor do I!

[Greg_S]

Can HID's be fitted without interfereing with the Autocheck or do you have to break the leg on the Headlamp relay? (I am assuming the meant the headlamp relay not an Autocheck relay??)

Cheers,

Steve

Steve,

The vagparts one are a soft start so they dont affect autocheck but arent quite as bright. I have extra relays wired in to give a good supply to the ballasts hoping it would solve problem but it doesnt so you have to break a leg off the autocheck relay for the headlight bulbs. Not a huge problem but not had time to do that yet.

Greg

[Fat Audi 80]

Ahh, I am after the VAGparts kit eventually so it sounds like I will be okay....

Cheers,

Steve.

[Pete_RS2]

The vagparts one are a soft start so they dont affect autocheck but arent quite as bright.

It depends. When fitted to my old S2 I didn't have any Autocheck problems for the first month after fitting. But then I had to break the relay terminal as it started coming on all the time. And it came on straight away after transferring the kit to my RS2. I'm not the only one either. It just seems to depend on the car. Some do & some don't. It's no big deal though. Breaking the relay pin is an easy fix.

What colour temp are your's then Greg ? I think the VAGParts ones are 6500k...

[dan_b]

When you say it "started coming on all the time" do you mean even when just turning on dipped beam, or only when going to full beam, or was it like mine when only flashing?
Just for reference, what is the Relay Trick again?

[Pete_RS2]

Mine came on with just dipped beam. See here for the relay trick.

[Fat Audi 80]

I was right, my main beam work in conjunction with the dipped for a flash but the main beams work on their own if the stalk is flicked forward for continual use.

Is that information helpful at all??