DEPO projector headlights misting up

[Ryanfsr]

Hi all

 

Sorry to bring up another headlight thread, but having an issue with my DEPO projectors misting up.

 

I installed them this time last week as it was relatively warm / dry, and for a couple of days they all appeared normal. Saturday evening however I arrived home from work in the evening and noticed a small patch of mist in the inner lower corners of both headlights. Coming home yesterday evening the same thing occurred.

 

So today I decided to take them both out again, remove backing plates / bulbs etc, and position a hairdryer on the back of them for 30 mins or so to try and dry them out (of course doing this in doors as it was raining out). I then positioned them in front of a normal desktop fan for another 10 mins to allow them to cool down (didn't want to leave warm air inside the headlight unit, to then walk outside in the cold to refit as I thought this might worsen the condensation issue).
I then put everything back together, double checking that the back plate seal was in contact with the main headlight unit all the way around, and refitted.

 

Just took the car for a quick spin round the block to try them out again, and within a minute or so after the headlights being turned off, low and behold the misting is still forming!   Highly frustrating considering I though I was being so careful so as not to introduce any moisture.

 

Has anyone else here had these issues with their DEPO lights?

 

Rhyan

[DanHam]

Yes, my drivers side one. However, what have you used to block up the square hole in the rear for the ballast wires?

If that is not air tight then moisture is going to get inside the headlight anyway.

[Ryanfsr]

I ended up using the foam packaging my HID kit came with as the circular rubber bungs that were pre-attached to the D2S lead wouldn't hold in place.

Cut a piece of foam slightly bigger than the back plate hole, put a slice in it to allow the D2S lead to pass through the centre of it, and squashed it into place.

[DanHam]

Would you say it's air tight? If it's not air right then it will get in that way mate

[Ryanfsr]

Probably not 100% no, as the angle at which the lead leaves the headlight does leave a very small gap.

I saw the idea on another forum, so thought it might have have been ok.....seems not though.

What are you using? Or has anyone got any recommendations of what to use as a suitable seal?

[vRS Joe]

I had this problem. Have a go at sealing up the rectangular hole in the back of the backing plate or buy new backing plates from Skoda and drill a small round hole for the wire and use a plastic grommet to seal the gap. I did the latter.

[Ryanfsr]

Thanks for that Joe! I'm guessing you can just pick the backing plates up from TPS?

Saying that, I have a feeling I might have difficulty removing the D2S lead from the ballast in order to get a rubber gromet on. Where the lead joins the ballast it has a threaded cap on it, but even after unscrewing it the lead doesn't seem to want to disconnect from the ballast :S  Are the leads suppost to be interchangeable?

[Brimma]

I've had this issue with the Octavia Mk2 version :(

[vindaloo]

Thanks for that Joe! I'm guessing you can just pick the backing plates up from TPS?

Saying that, I have a feeling I might have difficulty removing the D2S lead from the ballast in order to get a rubber gromet on. Where the lead joins the ballast it has a threaded cap on it, but even after unscrewing it the lead doesn't seem to want to disconnect from the ballast :S  Are the leads suppost to be interchangeable?

 

That reads more like a moisture seal than a plug. You could half slice a grommet to get it on the wires. Then if it seats properly, it could do the job anyway. Maybe a blob of sealant on it too.

[Ryanfsr]

Only problem I've get then is to pass the D2S bulb adapter through the backing plate, of which I would have to drill quite a big hole to do so.

 

I guess I could just chop the D2S lead in half, thread through the drilled hole in the new backing plate, attach the grommet, and re solder the wires back together? Unless that is any of you guys think that's a big no-no?  

 

This is the black screw cap I was trying to refer to though on the D2S lead. If only the lead would pull out from the ballast it would make life so much easier...

 

[vindaloo]

No, no, no, no. Seriously don't bugger about chopping up the 14KV wires!

 

J.

[vRS Joe]

It might be worthwhile moving the ballasts?

 

I have the ballasts on the inside of the wings attached with a bit of number plate tape on the backs. Nice and out the way and allows much easier access to replace bulbs.

 

As above dont cut that black wire!!

[Ryanfsr]

Glad I asked first!

 

Forgive the noobie questions but I have seen other people refer to purchasing D2S adapters to use with their existing ballasts, which indicates to me that the D2S lead is removable from the ballast? Or is the kit I've purchased just a D2S kit only?

 

 

It might be worthwhile moving the ballasts?

 

I have the ballasts on the inside of the wings attached with a bit of number plate tape on the backs. Nice and out the way and allows much easier access to replace bulbs.

 

As above dont cut that black wire!!

 

Unfortunately the D2S lead is not long enough to allow that with the kit I purchased from HID's-Direct, else I probably would have done :(

[i99y]

Hi guys this is unrelated to the topic of misting but i am looking for information on how to remove the backing off the HIDs?? I want to change the sidelight bulbs but have no idea how to remove the ridiculously big power unit thats attached to the back plate??

Can someone help or advise??

Thanks - Ian

[Ryanfsr]

Thought I'd got the misting / fogging sorted after layering epoxy over the makeshift foam packing i'd used as a bung for the backplate hole, however yesterdays drive home in the rain proved it hadn't worked..... got home to find yet more misting behind both headlight lenses. :(

 

I did take a closer look at them and I saw that the condensation was propagating from what seemed like the seam between the clear lens and black plastic, so it does have me wondering whether the moisture is getting through the front of the headlight unit... I may give Wingmirrowman a ring tomorrow to see if they can suggest anything else, or possible even a replacement set of headlights.

 

On another note, what other HID kits are people using? As I mentioned above I purchased the D2S kit from HIDs-Direct, which I now believe is not compatible with any other bulb type due to not having removable bulb leads. Only problem this gives is that the leads are rather short limiting the ballast position to the backplate only, which in my case led to having to drill holes in the back plate to pass through a zip tie as double sided sticky pads just seemed to dry out and fall off with the heat of the engine.

I have read from other users on here that they have been able to mount their ballasts onto the cars inner wings/ chassis which seems to me to make more sense as far as 'space' goes, but due to the shortness of the lead, my ballast just wont extend that far.
Also if anyone else has any pics they could post up of their ballast set-up that would be great

Thanks

[tommccabevRS]

Quick unrelative question lol... When you buy the D2S bulbs do you have I buy an adapter also? If so which one is it ?

[Brimma]

Thought I'd got the misting / fogging sorted after layering epoxy over the makeshift foam packing i'd used as a bung for the backplate hole, however yesterdays drive home in the rain proved it hadn't worked..... got home to find yet more misting behind both headlight lenses. :(

 

I did take a closer look at them and I saw that the condensation was propagating from what seemed like the seam between the clear lens and black plastic, so it does have me wondering whether the moisture is getting through the front of the headlight unit... I may give Wingmirrowman a ring tomorrow to see if they can suggest anything else, or possible even a replacement set of headlights.

 

 

 

That's where I thought it might be getting in, the seal does seem pretty poor

[DanHam]

Quick unrelative question lol... When you buy the D2S bulbs do you have I buy an adapter also? If so which one is it ?

Type in eBay mate D2S adapter. They all look the same think mine were about £8 and they're good quality.

You need the adapter as there's no leads on the rear of the bulbs (well the ones I have seen) then those leads plug into the ballasts.

[Ryanfsr]

That is only if the ballast you currently have is capable of interchanging different adapters.

 

If, like me, you have a kit which doesn't have the ability to interchange leads, then I believe it'll be a case of buying a new D2S kit

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

I thought you plugged the adapter into the lead currently coming out of your ballast then plugged the other end into you're bulb? Like a extension lead.

[Ryanfsr]

Depends on the kit I guess. Mines similar to this one, so no ability to change adapter leads over :(

 

[Ryanfsr]

Just a quick update.

 

Spoke to Wingmirrorman yesterday and explained the condensation problem, and the chap I spoke to simply said to return them and they would exchange for a new pair, no questions asked which I thought was fantastic service!

So yesterday morning was spent swapping the headlights back to the halogens. To minimize any moisture getting into my standard halogen headlights I swapped over all bulbs / adjuster motors inside, and ensured the backplates were fitted and sealed on the halogen headlights before I went back into the garage to fit them.

 

Everything went back together fine, however arrived at work this morning with my colleague greeting me with "your headlights look a bit steamed up mate...."

 

Low and behold the standard halogens are completely fogged up inside! I feel as if I'm trying to fight a loosing battle here!! Definitely feeling the job of headlight swapping should be left to the summer months.

Anyway, this evenings job is going to be back out with a hairdryer I reckon, and possible put some of those silica gels packs within each headlight to see if that drys things up a bit. Fingers crossed! :|

[Tech1e]

I have had really good sucess with large silca gel packs.

[Ryanfsr]

Good to hear!   I'm seriously hoping they work

Saying that, just took the car out for a spin round the block during lunch with my lights on to warm things up, then as soon as I got back popped the clips on both backplate covers to open them up to allow them to vent; thinking the heat from the engine might encourage the moisture to evaporate out.... so far so good as both headlights are clear, but I guess I'll know if its worked properly this evening when the temperatures dropped off a little.

[DanHam]

My depos misted up again today too. Next stop is the silica packs!