w210 Xenon Flickering - OEM parts
 

Folks,

I am in the process of replacing my custom retrofitted Audi D2S projectors from my halogen housings to OEM, D2R lamps, (via transferring internals and ballast from a damaged headlamp to my halogen lamp housings.

In my initial conversion, using Audi projectors, I also used the Hella ballast as the OEM D2R based headlamps use. Although I noticed the driver-side lamp would flicker if the voltage was lower, i.e. 12-12 volts after starting the vehicle. (diesel uses some juice :-) ) Sometimes it would fire up, sometimes flicker for a little until it fired and sometimes flicker and not fire.

I figured that the ballast was on the fritz...

With the same style hardware but different parts ofcourse I am getting the same effect on the driver-side as I was with my prior retrofit. I installed new Philips D2S Ultinon bulbs at the time. I've swapped the bulbs to other side and no real change. I left it alone and ran this setup for about 3 years.

Note: on my old retrofit I noticed that the passenger side would warm up slightly faster and the color output was slightly darker than the driver-side. I always thought this to be the ballast fault.

So.... I am thinking that I may have a corroded ground that needs some TLC.

In addition my vehicle originally came with halogen based units. I have done nothing to the electrical wiring other than increasing the fuses from 10amp to 20 amp I believe. I was under the impression that the wiring for vehicle w/ xenon and w/o was essentially the same, other then the rear axle sensor that controls the auto leveling of the headlamp....

Xenons take less power than halgons.

Normal H7 bulb is rated at 45-55W & most Xenons are rated at 35W.

programming issues.
ck eis programming

how do I do that? I would assume I need someone w/ the STAR Diagnostic Tool?

Headlight switch doesn't require programming! Same part for Halogen OR Xenon.

Most likely a problem with the ignitor.

thats it. i had this problem . it is worth the $ to have it cked
this is why i drive my 83 300td

That's what I understood and figured it was the ignitor in the prior ballast, but a completely separate ballast is doing the same stuff.... so I was wondering also where the headlamps are grounded as potentially the ground is corroded...

the headlight sw is not the issue. its the eis
the central gateway for can communication

Yes the EIS is the interior network gateway!

But on that car has nothing to do with lighting.

The ground point for each headlight is below each headlight.

Not to sound foolish, but do you know exactly where the lamps ground? I tried to track the wiring from the harness (the ground runs inside the loom of wires and I lost track). There was a common grounding point in front of the Positive jumping post. I removed these wires to no different effect.

I appears that the right side wamrs up faster, but while playing with it tonight, I experienced no flickering...

Any thoughts?