DIY xenon hid ignition unit repair

There are several reasons for the breakdown of xenon ignition, here they are:

1) There is no tightness in the unit itself, dust or water can get inside. This can be determined by opening the device. There is a malfunction in the blinking of the headlight. Or it doesn't light up at all.
2) Rust, due to which the adhesions of some elements of the block may come off. The parts themselves may fall out of the solder due to rust.
3) Problems with transistors.
4) "Punching" the windings of the multiplier or transformer.
5) There is no control signal from the controller.

The sho-me block burned out, opened it - I see a burnt resistor at the transformer. I looked in the net - a common problem, but no solution is written. I took up a soldering iron and a tester.
Disclaimer:
In the unit when the lamp is factory, a voltage is generated across the multiplier of about 25-35KV. Can kill. When turning on the unit without a cover, put it away on non-conductive surfaces, away from flammable things and living people. Switch on only with the lamp connected. Do not stick the claws into the working unit, let the unit just turned off lie down a little. (a minute somewhere). Do not touch the board unnecessarily, and especially the high-voltage part.
In order:

I flew both blocks that were on the car, the first block flew from the fact that the Chinese, crankshaft them in a hollow, forgot to solder the contacts of the power connector to the board, by the way, the inspection of the block showed the disgusting quality of soldering, the contacts of a number of parts fell out of solder, soldering points were with holes, shells. Therefore, first, we pick out the sealant from the back of the board near the power connector, evaluate and solder the contacts, after which we start the block (by connecting a lamp to it. ) and, perhaps, rejoice. You can safely poke power into the pins of the connector - the unit is protected from incorrect “inverted” switching on (plus and minus can be confused - it will not light up). If it doesn't start, read on.

1. We open the covers, pick off the sealant.

2. We see a burnt resistor, not far from 4 transistors, in the TO220F - MDF4N60 package - mosfets Vds = 600V, Il = 4.6A Vgs = 30V, P = 35W. We call a tester for a breakdown of the 3rd transistor (or better - everything). If there is a breakdown, we rejoice and run after a new field worker, ideally 4N60, ​​I found such an FQPF 4N60 with IL = 2.5A, which is 2 times less, but soldered - it works. (For MDF 4N60 in Datashit (product passport), the current has a footnote, they say the current strength depends on the cooling, you can see the transistors are the same, they just measure differently at different factories). If the transistors are not 4n60, it is better to change everything, otherwise the light may flicker.

3. We call the burned resistor, most likely it survived, if not, we change it. I don’t remember the denomination, in the net I heard the figure 2.2K. judging by the size - 5 watts.
3.1. An extremely desirable, if not required, item. We remove the sealant from the soldering side, solder EVERYTHING. soldering points in a new way with an inactive flux, which we wash off, or if the flux can not be washed off, we do not wash it off. I use a pink indicator flux-gel TT, which becomes transparent when soldering, which can not be washed off. Only if you solder them - do not leave pink spots of the gel, warm it up.

4. Getting started. Shines - we rejoice. If not, alas, I don’t know.
5. If you find a dead transistor, but there is no replacement, but you want to know if this is the only problem - you solder the transistor and start it. The lamp should turn on and off, and the spark gap will also break through on the board (pink crap, soldered into the slot on the board). Just do not hold it for a long time, you saw it and knocked it out.
6. Everything was soldered, the transistor was replaced, checked - it works, great. Fill the board with paraffin. You can't use silicone sealants, because you rip it open first, and secondly, acetoxy, which decomposes into acetic acid, and other type of sealants (such as neutral ones) emit chemistry that destroys contacts. The board filled in this way will process a maximum of a year, alas (checked on myself). I read that in the USSR it was poured with paraffin, I tried it - it works great and insulates from water, I highly recommend it.One drawback - when the module is working, it slightly flows out of the power connector, but this is garbage, it does not affect the speed, before plugging in the chip, you will need to clean the contacts and that's it.

Repair cost = transistor price = 45 rubles.

P.S.
Do not put xenon in the high beam and do not drive around the city like that - there is little use for it, but it is blinding with a bang.

Regular ignition units, no matter how high-quality and heavy-duty, productive and with extended service life, they sometimes become unusable. It so happens that worn-out ignition units can be reanimated, which we will tell you about in this article.

Ignition units are high-voltage devices for igniting xenon lamps, and therefore must be in good working order. These are devices that are constantly under high voltage, therefore, when repairing them, you need to be very careful, since there are life-threatening moments:

• When opening the ignition unit, you can get under a high voltage output, that is, current and be damaged.
• If you decide to repair the ignition unit, be sure to do it with rubber gloves and only dry ones, so as not to get an electric shock.

The relevance of repairing the ignition units is not at the highest level, since often such xenon light equipment cannot be reanimated, therefore you will lose time if you do it yourself or money by contacting specialists.

But sometimes, it also happens that the ignition units can be repaired by replacing the most basic part that has burned out or has expired. If you are sure that you can repair the ignition unit with your own hands, then you should be as careful as possible and know how to do it.

Despite the manufacturer, the ignition units also fail, due to several reasons, for example:

• Water ingress into the unit (resuscitation is almost impossible)
• The microcircuit is burnt out ("the game is worth the candle", you can try the repair)
• Factory defect (send it back to the manufacturer and wait for a new unit)

Repair of a standard unit must be done carefully, in compliance with all safety rules, since you must always remember that this is a device that is constantly under high voltage. In order to reanimate the ignition unit, it is necessary to manipulate the microcircuit, which is very neat to get to.

• Open the hood.
• Find where the ignition block is located.
• Make sure the vehicle's generator is not running.
• Remove the ignition unit carefully.
• Disconnect all wires.

• Remove the protective film from the ignition unit, which is very easy.
• Open the device only with a flat screwdriver to avoid damaging the integrity of the case.

In order for the ignition unit to work again, it is necessary to unsolder the microcircuit located in the black small case. For example, the Valeo 12 pin ignition unit is a microcircuit with the number SLA2402MS. Be careful when you unsolder this microcircuit so as not to damage the integrity of the board on which it is located.

In no case try to heat the board with a hairdryer, so that the microcircuit falls off faster - this can completely ruin the board of the ignition unit and then you will no longer be able to repair the device.

• Take some 60-100W soldering irons.
• Warm up the microcircuit in the places where the mounting holes are.
• You will have to heat for at least 5 minutes.
• After the expiration of this time, the microcircuit will begin to slide slowly on its own.

A new microcircuit should not be glued, since this will not make any sense and, moreover, can damage the board, reducing the performance of the ignition unit.

• Take a 3.0mm drill bit.
• Drill through the board very carefully in the places where the microcircuit will be screwed.
• Fasten the microcircuit with ordinary m3 screws.
• To ensure high-quality operation and performance in the future of the ignition unit, lubricate the microcircuit with thermal paste, which is used in processors.

• Screw the board to the back of the ignition unit with standard bolts.
• Check that it is securely fastened.
• Attach the outer casing, make sure it is properly sealed so that moisture does not penetrate into the ignition unit and spoil it.

It is not enough just to repair the ignition unit and remember the correct connection of the wires, circuits, you also need to adhere to precautions that can affect the efficiency and performance of all xenon equipment.

• When installing the ignition unit into the optics of the car, together with the lamps, do not touch them with your bare hands.
• If your hands are dirty in oil or wet, it is strictly forbidden to touch any devices or wiring.
• If you are going to check the operation of the lamps and their light with the updated ignition units, then do not look closely at the light from the lamp for a long time without protective glasses, so as not to affect your vision.
• When connecting the ignition units to the standard car wire and to the lamp, be sure to completely and securely isolate the wires so that they do not pass current.
• In no case should you touch the high-voltage wires of either the lamps or the ignition units during their functional check.

In order for your "reanimated" ignition unit to serve for a rather long time, you need to know the rules for its competent installation on a car.

Thus, as practice shows, the ignition units can be repaired, if it is not a factory defect or the board is not damaged. If a microcircuit burns out in the ignition unit, then it can be easily replaced with an identical working one and continue to use the device. Repair of ignition units is carried out only on standard devices, since they have the best quality and a design that will allow you to get to the board. In Chinese, that is, universal ignition blocks, you will not get to either the board or the microcircuit, since inside they are completely filled with black or gray sealant. Thus, the universal ignition units cannot be repaired and if they fail, you just need to replace it with a new device.

It is quite easy to repair standard production ignition units. You just need patience, accuracy, a new microcircuit and a few soldering irons. If you are sure that you can do everything yourself, then it will take you no more than an hour, if not less. Thus, you can save money on the purchase of a new ignition unit and will still use the old one with a replaced microcircuit for a long time.

The issue of good roadway lighting is relevant for any driver, especially if trips are mainly made outside the city. In order not to get into an accident, you need to be confident in the reliability of the headlights, regardless of their type. However, many believe that the standard optics does not provide sufficient illumination and therefore install a xenon ignition unit with appropriate lamps (if the device is not included in the factory configuration). How does such a system work, and what are the benefits?

Xenon lighting implies the use of not only the appropriate lamp, but also the ignition unit (BR), which ensures the normal operation of the entire system. Its purpose is to generate a current of a certain strength so that the gas in the flask begins to burn and subsequently shines with a constant power. The standard electrical equipment of the car cannot produce the required voltage, which predetermined the use of the unit. It also automatically adjusts the level of light flow depending on the level of illumination of the road.

All devices are a step-up transformer enclosed in a housing. Their task is to convert pulses from the on-board network into a voltage of up to 25 thousand volts. Powerful start makes xenon glow. In the future, the unit delivers 85 V, which is necessary so that the gas does not go out. Factory-installed products are characterized by high operational stability, reliability and long service life.All of them have a special marking - OEM codes. They are needed in order to check the compatibility of the car, headlights and the ignition unit itself. The supply voltage of the unit is 12 V for cars, and 24 or 36 V for trucks or SUVs.

Universal (adaptive) ignition units are used to independently change the optics. Available in two versions:

1. DC. Constant current device. It is distinguished by the absence of a stabilization unit and a relatively low cost. However, the lamps working with it flicker: the combustion is not very stable.
2. AC. AC device. Provides a high-quality glow of the lamps. The use of a stabilizing block guarantees an even voltage - there is no flicker. The downside is the higher cost.

There are no OEM codes on the universal ignition units. All products are connected to a standard 12 V car on-board network, have a power of 35 W and output a voltage of 23 thousand volts.

If everything is clear with the factory devices: it is necessary that its code matches the characteristics of your car model. And how to buy a universal BR and what should you look at first of all?

First, make sure that the supply voltage of the unit matches the on-board network of your car. Manufacturers produce blocks designed for 12, 24 and even 36 volts. Other parameters (average data):

• power: 35-75 W;
• starting and operating current: 5.8 and 3.1 A;
• ignition voltage: 23 thousand volts;
• arc stabilization time: up to 20 seconds;
• working temperature: from minus 30 to plus 105 degrees.

Editions, incl. and on the Internet, regularly publish ratings of companies producing xenon kits. Among the most frequently included in the "tops" are several manufacturers:

1. MTF. Differs in high quality products - the percentage of rejects does not exceed 1%. Most popular kits: MTF-Light Slim Line, MTF-Light Slim Line MSP with noise suppressor. Of the minuses, one can note the original connectors (not suitable for blocks from other companies) and the high (5500 - 5900 rubles) cost.
2. Optima. The ARX304 units manufactured by the company belong to the 5th generation of devices. The average price for a set is 3300 rubles. (maximum for trucks - 4800 rubles). It is advisable to change lamps every year and a half.
3. SHO-Me. The most widespread set in the Russian Federation. There is a standard design and slim. It is recommended to replace lamps after 12 months. The average cost is 2800 rubles.
4. APP Digital Ultra Slim. Japanese manufacturer specializing in the production of lighting devices for cars. It has an extended operating temperature range suitable for Russian conditions: from minus 40 to plus 125 degrees. Average price 4000 rubles.
5. Interpowre. High quality and reliable unit. Lamps last up to 2 years. The cost of the set is 2500 rubles.
6. Xenotex. This is a product in the creation of which 3 countries participated at once: Japan, China and South Korea. The set is characterized by an affordable price - an average of 2300 rubles.

In most cases, especially if a standard xenon unit is used, the reason lies in the failure of the lamps (they gradually change color and fade away). They can be restored using special equipment - an automatic corrector, or simply buy new ones. What signs indicate that the device of the xenon ignition unit is out of order? They can be:

1. The glow of the lamps is interrupted. The reason lies in the deterioration of the car wiring or the power supply circuit of the ignition unit.
2. Constant flashing of lamps (can be weak or bright, interfering with seeing the road). This indicates a poor contact of the unit with the "mass" of the car, or a wiring malfunction. Ballast can also corrode.
3. Headlights fogging. It can occur in cold weather or frost. Here the whole thing is in the absence of cold air inside the headlight housing, which is heated by the engine. To remove the temperature difference, thin long tubes can be put on the intake channels, which are led out behind the front bumper.
4. When the unit is turned on, the motor may stall or slow down.You can solve the problem by installing a relay between the lamps and the unit.

If the lamps are in order, but the light still does not correspond to the parameters declared by the manufacturer, the problem may lie in the ignition unit itself. The most typical reasons for its failure:

1. Ingress of dirt or moisture, which is caused by poor tightness of the ignition unit. As a result, the lamps start blinking or there will be no ignition at all.
2. Malfunction (breakdown) of the unit transistor or its transformer.
3. Corrosion. The junction points of the electronic components of the ignition unit are oxidized. The poor-quality assembly at the factory and constant humidity are “to blame” for this.

It should be noted right away that a full check is possible only with an oscilloscope and a tester. In a garage, you need to inspect the block body for cracks. If you smell a burning smell, then the device will have to be replaced. You can also remove the cover and look at the transistor, other electronic components: their blackening indicates the need to purchase a new device.

First, make sure that the corresponding fuse is intact, then disconnect the negative terminal from the battery and the ignition unit itself. Remove the cover from it. If there are traces of moisture or rust, wash the electronic board with alcohol. If you see that some components are loose, you will have to remove the sealant from the back and solder the problem leads. Further verification is possible if you have experience with electronic components and a tester. In this case, check the transistors and resistors. After soldering the parts, fill the board with molten paraffin.

In conclusion, we can say that xenon lamps guarantee better illumination compared to conventional halogen lamps. However, if you decide to install the system on your car, you should give preference to the factory kit, which works better and lasts longer. And the second point: a complete repair of the xenon ignition unit with your own hands is possible only with special equipment and experience. Otherwise, buying new equipment is inevitable.

Such operations as repairing the xenon ignition unit with your own hands cannot be classified as everyday, but they do happen. The option of replacing the block with a new one is not always good for the reason that it is expensive. Sometimes minor repairs cost mere pennies.

Let's first analyze the problems that can arise with bi-xenon in a car. The problem may be not only in the ignition unit, but in the lamp itself. More precisely, in a coil. Here is a tester to help.

The next probable malfunction is the ingress of water into the unit.

Finally, there is a defect in the multiplier. Green microcircuit - pulse generator (by analogy with a computer - OS). In the photo it is designated by number 1. Number 2 is the multiplier. It is in it that most often there is no contact with the lamp.

If the previous electrical circuit is in good order, then the multiplier must be changed entirely, or look for faulty diodes, solder it, install new ones.

Now we will consider the most common case of repairing a xenon ignition unit with our own hands. The repair algorithm is as follows.

Corrosion of joints and soldering points.

Water ingress into the housing of the xenon ignition unit.

Breakdown of a coil, controller or multiplier.

1. Rinse the unit with alcohol and allow to dry. In case of water ingress or corrosion, the device may work. Do not touch the board with your fingers, the voltage value can be very high.

If it does not help, it is very likely that one of the four transistors is faulty.

Calculate with a tester, solder, install a new one.

1. Another possible defect is a blown resistor. We also change. Almost one hundred percent chance that after that the lamps will work. It is only necessary to pour paraffin on the circuit board before reassembling.

Such repairs will cost several tens of rubles.

Well, in pursuit. We already treat the products of China with due respect, the country has learned to do something.But in the case of repairing the xenon ignition unit, we do not recommend purchasing products from the Middle Kingdom, this is not the case. Finally, to clarify: if the knowledge in electrical engineering is completely zero, it is better not to go into the block with your own hands. Let the special work.

Repaired a Chinese ignition unit. SHO-ME has its own specifics. I changed the transistor to FQPF 4N60, ​​the parameters are not the same, but pulled. Special thanks to the Chinese comrades - the soldering is disgusting. The parts may be intact, and the problem lies precisely in the places of poor-quality soldering.

As a rule, the unit burns due to our negligence. I burned out because there was moisture inside. All 4 IRF840 teristors are covered with a pelvis. So prevention is the best method.

Some car enthusiasts are very familiar with such a block. This is a gas lamp ignition system. High voltage passing through the gas (in this case xenon) causes the latter to glow brightly - to flash. The light turns out to be dazzlingly bright, so this system is mainly used for lighting. Several years ago, such lighting became available for a car, but now xenon is banned in many countries.

Xenon lamps have a high luminous efficiency, so high that the brightness of a single xenon bulb is several times greater than the brightness of a similar area of ​​the sun! It is for this reason that their use has been banned in many countries.

Statistics show that most accidents occur precisely because of the too bright light output of such headlights; on highways, they literally blind the drivers of oncoming cars, as a result. Therefore, this diagram of the xenon ignition unit is provided for informational purposes only.

A xenon light bulb requires a high voltage of about 25-30 kV to operate. To obtain such a voltage, the unit under consideration is used, which is also called the xenon ignition unit. In fact, this unit is a high-voltage voltage converter.

Everything in it is as usual - a driving part on a specialized microcircuit, amplifying switches on field-effect or bipolar transistors (mainly on field-effect transistors), rectifier diodes, storage capacity - a capacitor, a spark gap (spark gap, spark gap) and a high-voltage transformer (coil). After the pulse transformer, the voltage is rectified and accumulated in the capacitor. In this part of the circuit, the voltage is not more than 500 volts. Through the spark gap, the entire capacitor capacitance is discharged to the primary winding of the high-voltage transformer. Thus, electrical discharges with a voltage of 25,000-30,000 volts are formed on the high-voltage winding, it is they who power the xenon lamps.

The safety issue should be the main and paramount issue for every car owner. In the dark, everything that the driver sees depends on the quality of the roadway lighting. The better the illumination, the less the likelihood of an accident. The driver must be sure that the headlights will work properly and provide an acceptable degree of illumination for it, but often, additional headlights are added to the stationary headlights, and this is the right decision, which stands guard over the safety of pedestrians and other drivers. The main types of additional lamps used in headlights: LED, xenon, halogen. Xenon lamps are used in conjunction with the ignition unit. What it is?

Xenon ignition block wiring diagram

The ignition unit is a part of the xenon system that ignites the xenon gas in the lamp cavity.

The ignition unit is a part of the xenon system that ignites the xenon gas in the lamp cavity. This process is carried out through the supply of a powerful pulse, after which the arc in the lamp is activated and, accordingly, the gas in the lamp starts to "shine". The starting voltage value is 250,000 V, further combustion is maintained at only 85 V. Without the ignition unit, there would not be such a bright white glow in the lamp.Also, this device performs the function of strict control over voltage surges and interruptions, which will protect against short circuits. And some cars of the latest generations are equipped with a very convenient AFS option, when xenon ignition units can change the position of the headlights relative to the road, and this protects against unwanted glare and significantly improves visibility even in bad weather conditions.

They are installed by car manufacturers, so the quality is guaranteed and meets all the requirements of lighting equipment, respectively, the price for such models will be high, and the selection is very difficult. All mechanisms of the standard type have a sturdy body, excellent sealing, long operating time with minimal energy consumption, but at the same time, their selection for a car is expensive and problematic.

Universal ignition block SHO-ME

This type of block does not have to be of excellent quality, but it all depends on the manufacturer. For example, the Chinese inexpensive universal SHO-ME work very well, and have established themselves as a good alternative to the regular ones. Another representative of the popular MIXLINE lighting devices has a lot of advantages: safety (since low starting currents are used), reliable electrical insulation, smooth ignition, works perfectly in various climatic conditions. The cost of the ignition unit of this brand is about 850 rubles.
Now it is easy to find comprehensive information about the top models of xenon ignition units. For example, the editors of one online store conducted their own test and identified the leader, this is MTF-Light Slim Line, it is not counterfeit, it has the highest quality, but the price is slightly higher than that of similar other models.

Universal ignition units do not need to be matched to every car, they are compatible with any universal lamps.

All xenon ignition units are of high quality. Often the use of universal blocks leads to flickering, their service life is much shorter than that of the original counterparts. But there are also significant advantages: universal models do not need to be selected for each car, they are compatible with any universal lamps (except for the original), besides, their price is so low (unlike standard ones) that in case of a malfunction it can be replaced with a new one.

To connect the xenon ignition unit, follow the following rules. First, choose the same one (preferably) instead of the old, failed unit. Secondly, the installation should be carried out in a regular place, checking the reliability of fastening and fixing of the wires. Thirdly, the installation must be carried out as far as possible from the heating elements. Fourthly, make sure that water, dirt, dust does not get into the mechanism as much as possible. Usually, Chinese manufacturers' xenon ignition units get very hot. It will be useful to read the reviews before buying. If the lighting mechanism burns out, you will have to buy a new one.

DIY xenon ignition block repair

If a situation arises when the xenon ignition unit does not work, then you should first figure out what the reason is.
Theoretically, malfunctions can occur during corrosion, lack of sealing (moisture, dust, dirt has entered), the transistor has broken, the winding on the transformer has broken through, there is no signal from the controller.

Often, a simple cleaning of the ignition unit from dirt and moisture will restore its functionality.

It is recommended to remove dirt from the electronic part of the device. Sometimes this works if the cause of the problem was only the presence of moisture or dust. Check the contacts, they may need to be soldered. After these simple manipulations, restart the device.
We continue diagnostics. How to check the xenon ignition unit multimeter? Take a multimeter and check all the transistors, if a breakdown is detected, the transistor needs to be replaced. After all the steps, you need to fill the board with paraffin. Start starting the entire mechanism. It is not possible to check the xenon ignition unit without the lamp itself.
We hope that these manipulations will lead to success, and the lamps will illuminate the space around with bright light.