HID low shuts off

[pete1102]

Hi Folks!
I purchased and installed a CQ low beam about 18 months ago. It lights up when starting the bike or turning the key on, but only remains on a few minutes. Anyone with a similar experience or solution? :confused:
Thanks, Pete in Asheville, NC

[JPSpen]

Sounds like maybe a bad ballast... If you also have high beam you could swap the ballast connections and verify it that way...

Either that or a bad connection somewhere.. But it sounds like the ballast is heating up and then failing...

If you have a meter or test light you could check the voltage to the ballast and be sure...If it still has voltage going into it after it shuts off then most likely it's the ballast.. Don't try to measure the secondary side of the ballast... You might get quite a shock !:eek:



Good Luck,

John

[zippy_gg]

I have a spare CQ ballast you can borrow, just pay for shipping both ways.
PM me if interested.

[pete1102]

Thanks to the folks that helped me with my CQ HID. It turned out to be a bad bulb. I witnessed a cloudiness inside the bulb, replaced with a spare, and behold there was light! Lesson learned: carry a spare bulb!
Pete in Asheville, NC Host to BMWRA this weekend at the Biltmore House!
Visit ACME Motorcycles in Fairview NC, 12 minutes from the Biltmore House out US 74!

[PhantomK12LT]

I noticed mine will blink sometimes while I'm going down the road. Almost like it turns off and back on real quick.

[BushWacker]

Mine is doing the same thing at the same 18 months. I thought these bulbs were supposed to last longer than normal? I email CQ and they have not responded after 5 days.

[JATownsend]

Mine is doing the same thing at the same 18 months. I thought these bulbs were supposed to last longer than normal? I email CQ and they have not responded after 5 days.
Most HID bulbs are rated for about 3000 hours. I have 3 years and 60K on my HID-Online.com low beam. That was a very top-of-the-line rig a couple of years ago (they are still in business).

I have a CQ High beam installed, and it seems to work fine. Not many hours on it, as the low beam is SO good.

But, I suspect all bulbs are subject to vibration and build quality, regardless if they have a filament or not. When the less expensive HID units (like CQ) came out there must have been a reduction in overall quality or robustness to reach their very competitive price-point.

Just my $ 0.02, of course.

[decompressing]

...and don't forget, they'll seemingly last less time used on a bike if (as most do) you ride with your headlight on all the time...

Marc

[cottissnjw]

What you have bought with all of these cheap kits is poor quality unproven Chinese adapted domestic ballast and lamps not intended for vehicle use. The 3000 hours life claim cannot be substantiated as this is simply a marketing claim as it what the likes of Osram and Philips scientifically claim for their OE quality products. I know I have been to many of the factories in China and Taiwan

What people fail to understand with safety related items such as braking and lighting is if you pay cheap you are in the hands of the gods and this is why the car manufactures do not use these products for OE. If they were any good and only cost $80 per system dont you think BMW would use them in their cars and bikes as standard.

We have been offered ECE approved kits to OE standards for $50 and lots of other claims. The reality when we use our experience to prove any of the claims made and ask for proof or buy product to test it NEVER turns out to be what it says on the packet. Sorry

CAVEAT EMPTOR

They also make these claims for Chinese motorcycles but you bought a BMW so ask yourself why , same thing

[sheldan2]

There is no point to e-mailing cq light, if you need to get hold of them the # is 510-402-4270, but they dont useally answer till 1.30 pm eastern

[cccpastorjack]

And Mike (sheldan2) had the very same problem. He is waiting for a bulb now.
Butt...he know knows what HID stands for!!!! Light him up light a light bulb! Be careful fishing around in there with things unplugged! :histerica