Fake Light bulb?

[Zachpins34]

Alright, this is kind of a long shot, but I have a question and was wondering if I can get some input. Whenever I ask anyone at any parts store, they just give me weird looks and say " I dont know".

1. After installing my HIDs, the fog lights don't work. This is because there is a relay that connects to one of the sockets where the old halogen bulb went, and the other socket for the halogen bulb is unplugged. So the computer thinks a bulb is out, and doesnt allow me to turn on the fogs. I put a halogen bulb in the open socket to complete the circuit and the fog lights work again! But the problem is......the halogen bulb is just exposed in the engine bay and gets way too hot and melted all the plastic around it.

Is there a fuse of some sort, or a trick fake bulb I can put in place of the stock halogen headlight bulb to complete the circuit that wont get hot and/or melt in the engine bay?

 

[Stick Figure]

You shouldn't need to have a bulb plugged in to make it work. I don't remember doing anything more than using the original headlight power to feed the HID ballast, and the output for the high beams to trigger my PIAA relay. neither were grounded through the headlight harness. I also have the DRL module removed.

 

[Antman]

Connect the 2 wires leading to the bulb socket with one of these...



Do not reinstall the bulb, but insulate that socket somehow to reduce the possibility of a short. Electrical tape will work fine.

 

[Zachpins34]

Ok cool, thanks. So by clamping one of those on before the socket, it is kind of an alternate (shortcut) route for the electricity to travel before it reaches the socket? So it can travel through the wires, and not need a bulb in the socket right? I know Im making this way more complicated than it should be lol, im just horrible with electricity.

Im gonna go pick up a pack right now, hopefully it works. Thanks

 

[4R99JB]

Two things come to mind. 1: on my Audi the fogs and high beams are mutually exclusive; one or the other. 2. When I removed the front turn signals on my motorcycle I had to install a resistor so that the circuit was complete; Shorting the wires didn't work.

Hope this helps.

 

[Stick Figure]

Connect the 2 wires leading to the bulb socket with one of these...

View attachment 66094

Do not reinstall the bulb, but insulate that socket somehow to reduce the possibility of a short. Electrical tape will work fine.

Don't take this too hard, but that is the worst advice ever. "Scotch locks" are universally known to be terrible for making a good electrical connection. At worst, I've seen them not even pierce the wire shielding and never make a connection at all. At best you end up a cheap piece of metal that doesn't conduct as well as the wire itself does. If they do work, they often fail over time be loosening or breaking the wire strand itself.

 

[92-SR5]

I would try wiring a resistor to it

 

[Zachpins34]

So I went to an auto parts store and got a pack of those clamp on wire connector things. I tried it a few different times and it was a no go. The fogs wouldnt turn on, and instead it would just turn on the high beams. Thank you anyways for the advice.


What can I plug in there to complete the circuit. Ideally it would be some type of connector with a fuse attached, so in case something goes wrong, it just blows the fuse. Any ideas?? The guy at the store suggested jamming a paper clip in the socket. WTF! haha

 

[KidVermicious]

So I went to an auto parts store and got a pack of those clamp on wire connector things. I tried it a few different times and it was a no go. The fogs wouldnt turn on, and instead it would just turn on the high beams. Thank you anyways for the advice.


What can I plug in there to complete the circuit. Ideally it would be some type of connector with a fuse attached, so in case something goes wrong, it just blows the fuse. Any ideas?? The guy at the store suggested jamming a paper clip in the socket. WTF! haha

What 92sr5 said. Measure the resistance through the lightbulb, then cut out the socket and wire a resistor in its place. I would definitely fuse it at just over whatever your HIDs are drawing. If you want to wire so you can easily put it back to stock, use spade or bullet connectors.

If you wanted to get insanely snazzy, you'd break open a lightbulb and find a way to wire your fuse and resistor into the base of the lightbulb, then stick that in the socket. But that might be more effort than it's worth.

 

[Zachpins34]

PROBLEM SOLVED!


Thanks for the help guys. I went ahead and got some resistors and just as I started wiring them in, I remembered the "fog light mod". Where you disable the fog lights from being powered by the headlights, and wire the fog light power to the tail lights instead. So the fog lights are constantly getting powered and can be turned on/off independently of the headlights. It worked! Kind of a 2 for 1

Just wanted to say thanks anyway and reply on this thread in case someone in the future comes across the same issue.