HID Ballast causing fire

[dboss]

Has anyone ever had the ballast overheat and catch fire? I've heard stories in the past of bikes catching fire because of the ballast.

[icecube172]

i have HIDs in my car, never had a problem

[CruisnGrrl]

i suspect with some of the cheap crap from china you risk any part overheating and catching fire.

[redlinerush]

everything from china explodes, phone explodes next to your face, no lie

[usdm_b18]

I agree. everything from china explodes eventually... Anything that doesn't gives you cancer.

[chiller]

* knock on wood *

I have had a set of Ballasts and HID's in my touring bike for 5 years and 130k on them, they have no problems. They were bought online, I forgot where but a recommended place for HID's is what I remember.


I have installed a set of HID's onto my mom's car 3 years ago. These were from pacific mall. One ballast died in 6 months. But they replaced it under 'warranty'. Since then we have had no problems.

[kamikaze]

i've got 20,000km on a set of DDM HIDs and they are fine. I have mine attached to a metal part of the frame tho, so it may act as a bit of a heatsink.

[JohnnyP636]

Ive had 3-4 120$ sets stop working, but no fire or damage to the bike at all...They just stop working due to the ballast failing...

[Stewart]

i have repalced alot of stators over the past 3 years. r6's dont like hid lights or higher wattage bulbs and at 500$ for a stator, i would just leave it stock. the other manufactures are in the same boat, the wiring isnt large enuff to handle the extra wattage and the bulbs over heat.

[dboss]

My headlights kept turning off while I would be riding - I would turn the bike off and back on and it would work for a while then stop again. I eventually got the company (US company through Ebay - paid close to $100 so it wasn't a cheap Chinese version) to send me a new ballast. I think they sent the wrong one because within a month it overheated and caught fire. My bike was written off. I have since replaced the bike and bought a new HID kit but I'm very hesitant to install. Anyone else have problems? Where is the best place to mount the ballasts? I used velcro and had mine on the inside of the fairings.

[OpenGambit]

I agree. everything from china explodes eventually... Anything that doesn't gives you cancer.

I hope you don't have an iphone, ipod, ipad, blackberry... etc...

[macrider]

Don,t do it yourself.. get a professional to install your new ones for you.
The first time you installed it was not done correctly if it caught fire.
There are relays, connectors and wiring should all be heavy duty.
Personally I would not even bother putting them in.

[jeffjones]

i have repalced alot of stators over the past 3 years. r6's dont like hid lights or higher wattage bulbs and at 500$ for a stator, i would just leave it stock. the other manufactures are in the same boat, the wiring isnt large enuff to handle the extra wattage and the bulbs over heat.

HID's have less wattage then stock other then a short start up period where they pull extra current but the wiring should be fine if your using 35W HID's.
If you have been replacing alot of stators over the years you might want to check your R/R as I would think that would probably be the culprit.

In my truck I had an expensive pair of HID's with a 1 year warranty that burnt out in about 1.5 years and have ordered about 12 sets from www.ddmtuning.com and have had no problems on any set in 3 years and they also have a lifetime warranty.

[BC1100S]

...I think they sent the wrong one because within a month it overheated and caught fire. My bike was written off. I have since replaced the bike and bought a new HID kit but I'm very hesitant to install.....

I guess "Once bitten, twice shy" doesn't apply to HID light installations.

[jeffjones]

My headlights kept turning off while I would be riding - I would turn the bike off and back on and it would work for a while then stop again. I eventually got the company (US company through Ebay - paid close to $100 so it wasn't a cheap Chinese version) to send me a new ballast. I think they sent the wrong one because within a month it overheated and caught fire. My bike was written off. I have since replaced the bike and bought a new HID kit but I'm very hesitant to install. Anyone else have problems? Where is the best place to mount the ballasts? I used velcro and had mine on the inside of the fairings.

I pretty much guarentee they were the cheap chinese ones, you just paid extra for someone to ship them bulk to the states and then ship them out to you, So the only reason you paid $100 is the middle man had to make money as well.