HID Fog Light install: question about ground wire

Kris.R · 01-13-2013, 11:43 AM

Hey guys I just received my TRS 9006 morimoto kit for my fogs and I'm not really sure as to where I should mount the ground wires. Each ballast has a ground wire and its not that long in length.
I've attached a pic to show what I'm talking about.

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christiandflores · 01-13-2013, 12:25 PM

Loosen up a nearby bolt that's connected to themetal on the frame. Then tighten back up

Kris.R · 01-13-2013, 12:28 PM

^ Do you think the bumper carrier itself be a good source for ground?

RKiepper · 01-13-2013, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris.R

^ Do you think the bumper carrier itself be a good source for ground?

No.

Run an extra wire with the fog light harness to a ground point that is part of the frame.

Kris.R · 01-13-2013, 12:50 PM

^ Ok sounds good. Thanks guys!

BWOODM3 · 01-13-2013, 01:01 PM

Lets us know how it's turns out

loffa · 01-13-2013, 01:53 PM

There is an easier way

you can just unplug the harness at the hid ballast (on the other end of the gnd wire you are holding in the pic) and plug the hid ballast directly to your OEM fog light harnesses connector. And then you can throw away the harness you removed from the kit, it is meant for cars that do not have 9006 bulbs to begin with.

If anything was unclear, throw me a message and I'll draw you a pic in paint

Sent from my HTC One S using Bimmer App

Kris.R · 01-13-2013, 05:04 PM

^ would you mind drawing a diagram?

Kris.R · 01-13-2013, 06:43 PM

UPDATE:

Ok guys so what I ended up doing was joining the two ground wires from each harness and ran a longer wire to the negative battery post to the terminal. Everything fired up!

P.S. I tried loffa's method (of which I appreciate the input) but in my case, I got the infamous instrument cluster light flicker/blip. If you have ever experienced this you know that the cluster's high beam icon flickers once very quickly, and in turn can possibly cause damage to the ECM.

Tchleung · 01-16-2013, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris.R

UPDATE

.S. I tried loffa's method (of which I appreciate the input) but in my case, I got the infamous instrument cluster light flicker/blip. If you have ever experienced this you know that the cluster's high beam icon flickers once very quickly, and in turn can possibly cause damage to the ECM.

And that's precisely why one should never wire HIDS directly to both positive and negative leads of the factory fog harness. Everyone always tries to go the easy way about things but it usually doesn't pay off :p

Glad you got it working well!!

loffa · 01-17-2013, 01:43 AM

The instrument cluster flick happens because of a bad connection in one of the connectors (possibly connector not correctly seated or oxidized. Could also be on the other end of the factory harness (oxidized OEM ground)). In theory, the factory harness has enough wire thickness to deliver the needed amount of current to start up the hids correctly. I have managed to get all the hid kits working with the OEM harness (I've installed them on about 5 different E46) by cleaning the OEM connector and ensuring that it is seated properly.

But if you got it working with a separate ground its all good

Solidjake · 01-18-2013, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tchleung

And that's precisely why one should never wire HIDS directly to both positive and negative leads of the factory fog harness. Everyone always tries to go the easy way about things but it usually doesn't pay off :p

Glad you got it working well!!

Shouldn't be running HIDs in the fog lights period.

rizwan1377 · 01-17-2013, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris.R

UPDATE:

Ok guys so what I ended up doing was joining the two ground wires from each harness and ran a longer wire to the negative battery post to the terminal. Everything fired up!

P.S. I tried loffa's method (of which I appreciate the input) but in my case, I got the infamous instrument cluster light flicker/blip. If you have ever experienced this you know that the cluster's high beam icon flickers once very quickly, and in turn can possibly cause damage to the ECM.

I used the ground from the bumper carrier(reinforcement), there are 2 13mm nuts on each side of the carrier.
I have the same issue with the high beam icon flickering.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Bimmer App

Tchleung · 01-17-2013, 10:41 PM

It's not the wire gauge that is the issue, it's the LCM not being able to handle the fire up of HIDS.

rizwan1377 · 01-18-2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tchleung

It's not the wire gauge that is the issue, it's the LCM not being able to handle the fire up of HIDS.

Thats why i used a relay to handle the fire up.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Bimmer App

01-13-2013, 11:43 AM	#1
Kris.R Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nor Cal, USA Posts: 3,588 My Ride: 2012 Dodge Charger View My Garage	HID Fog Light install: question about ground wire Hey guys I just received my TRS 9006 morimoto kit for my fogs and I'm not really sure as to where I should mount the ground wires. Each ballast has a ground wire and its not that long in length. I've attached a pic to show what I'm talking about. __________________ - Kris - *"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."* -Abraham Lincoln-

01-13-2013, 12:25 PM	#2
christiandflores Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Encinitas, CA Posts: 301 My Ride: BMW M3 E46 View My Garage	Loosen up a nearby bolt that's connected to themetal on the frame. Then tighten back up __________________ - Christian BMW M3 E46 \| Carbon Black Metallic \| Gray Nappa \| ZCP \| SMG \| 40% Tint \| LED Interior/Exterior Join Us at the San Diego North County Monthly BMW Meet

01-13-2013, 12:28 PM	#3
Kris.R Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nor Cal, USA Posts: 3,588 My Ride: 2012 Dodge Charger View My Garage	^ Do you think the bumper carrier itself be a good source for ground? __________________ - Kris - *"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."* -Abraham Lincoln-

01-13-2013, 12:50 PM	#5
Kris.R Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nor Cal, USA Posts: 3,588 My Ride: 2012 Dodge Charger View My Garage	^ Ok sounds good. Thanks guys! __________________ - Kris - *"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."* -Abraham Lincoln-

01-13-2013, 05:04 PM	#8
Kris.R Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nor Cal, USA Posts: 3,588 My Ride: 2012 Dodge Charger View My Garage	^ would you mind drawing a diagram? __________________ - Kris - *"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."* -Abraham Lincoln-

01-13-2013, 01:01 PM	#6
BWOODM3 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Brentwood, CA Posts: 380 My Ride: 2002 M3 convertible View My Garage	Lets us know how it's turns out

01-13-2013, 01:53 PM	#7
loffa Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Tallinn Posts: 78 My Ride: 2001 330ci View My Garage	There is an easier way you can just unplug the harness at the hid ballast (on the other end of the gnd wire you are holding in the pic) and plug the hid ballast directly to your OEM fog light harnesses connector. And then you can throw away the harness you removed from the kit, it is meant for cars that do not have 9006 bulbs to begin with. If anything was unclear, throw me a message and I'll draw you a pic in paint Sent from my HTC One S using Bimmer App

01-13-2013, 06:43 PM	#9
Kris.R Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nor Cal, USA Posts: 3,588 My Ride: 2012 Dodge Charger View My Garage	UPDATE: Ok guys so what I ended up doing was joining the two ground wires from each harness and ran a longer wire to the negative battery post to the terminal. Everything fired up! P.S. I tried loffa's method (of which I appreciate the input) but in my case, I got the infamous instrument cluster light flicker/blip. If you have ever experienced this you know that the cluster's high beam icon flickers once very quickly, and in turn can possibly cause damage to the ECM. __________________ - Kris - *"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."* -Abraham Lincoln-

01-17-2013, 01:43 AM	#11
loffa Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Tallinn Posts: 78 My Ride: 2001 330ci View My Garage	The instrument cluster flick happens because of a bad connection in one of the connectors (possibly connector not correctly seated or oxidized. Could also be on the other end of the factory harness (oxidized OEM ground)). In theory, the factory harness has enough wire thickness to deliver the needed amount of current to start up the hids correctly. I have managed to get all the hid kits working with the OEM harness (I've installed them on about 5 different E46) by cleaning the OEM connector and ensuring that it is seated properly. But if you got it working with a separate ground its all good

01-17-2013, 10:41 PM	#14
Tchleung Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 457 My Ride: 02 M3 View My Garage	It's not the wire gauge that is the issue, it's the LCM not being able to handle the fire up of HIDS. __________________ 02 Carbon Black M3 6MT 456whp/312wtq @ 8psi, No #'s yet at 9.5psi 4.10 / Headers / ESS VT2-550+ / Tuned by Evolve

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