Kauai;
...nice article...
General Comments:
If the insulation is intact and flexible, age is no reason to replace wires. Wires do not go bad or loose their ability to conduct . Terminations, crimps and switches on the other hand can develop resistance due to corrosion or having loosened...this resistance will result in a voltage drop when current is drawn, and this voltage will not be available at the intended load...slow motors, dim/yellow lights, etc., result. A hint of an unwanted voltage drop is heat...any heat at a connector, crimp junction is a sure sign of a voltage drop, wasted power, and should be eliminated!
If you suspect a low voltage condition at a load like you lights, always verify voltage right at load with a voltmeter. Compare with voltage at battery. If there is a drop (of more than a few tenths of a volt), work back toward the supply and remedy...you will typically find the drop someplace where there is a termination of some sort...RARELY along an uninterrupted wire!
The "ballast" in the case of your HID lights is a special case...it contains electronics which supply the high ignition voltages required to start the gasses in lamps conducting, then regulates the current...as such, it MAY generate some heat of its own...check for this after it has been ON for a minute or so...if you feel it heating, I suggest it must be mounted to vehicle sheetmetal to sink away this heat (with thermally conductive heat-sink grease), else they may overheat and be damaged and fail. This should have been mentioned in instructions if necessary.
Cheers from Connecticut!
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