The issues of lighting the night road are especially relevant in Russian conditions. In order not to get into unpleasant and emergency situations, it is necessary to have full confidence in the performance of the car headlights. Many today install xenon instead of standard optics. Such light is very effective. But the system consists of several units, including a high-voltage ignition unit. This device sometimes fails. Let's look at how the repair of the xenon ignition unit is carried out, what are the typical problems, how to repair the element without the need to contact specialists.
Ignition block: what is it?
This is called a high-voltage starting device for xenon and bi-xenon automotive lamps. Since the latter are filled with inert gas, a very high voltage is required to start them. The parameter is from 23,000 to 25,000 V. Such voltages are necessary only for starting the lamp. Then, stable combustion will be maintained already due to ballast throughout the entire period of operation of the lighting device.
Typical faults and their causes
Repair of the xenon ignition unit should begin with a diagnosis.
There are several typical reasons why the device fails:
- If there is no tightness in the unit or it is weak enough, then moisture or dust gets inside. To confirm the cause of the malfunction, open the unit case. On a car, this problem manifests itself in a standard way. The optics will blink or will not light up at all.
- The second cause of the malfunction is corrosion. Due to the oxidation of the adhesion of electronic components, they can corny withdraw. The elements themselves simply fall out of the solder. The first and main reason for this phenomenon is a high level of humidity or careless assembly. Chinese devices are particularly poor in build quality. For such an ignition unit (xenon), the price is not more than 700 rubles. Do not buy such devices.
- Also, the control signal from the controller disappears, the windings of the transformer and multiplier break through. There are often cases of problems with transistors.
Self diagnosis
So, the driver gets into the car and realizes that the xenon ignition unit does not work. Do-it-yourself repairs need to start not with replacement, but with diagnostics, especially since it can be done independently.
First of all, you need to make sure that the causes of the failure are identified correctly. Naturally, it will turn out worse on your own than with professionals, but you need to try and you can. The first sign that the unit is out of order is the characteristic smell of burning. It is necessary to find out where the burnt element is located. If an oscilloscope is available, then you can diagnose the device more accurately.
Using this device, we will determine which unit of the block is working incorrectly. It can be a controller, any of the resistors or a transformer. If it was possible to diagnose a controller failure, then in this case there is no likelihood of a positive repair result. In this case, you will need to purchase and install a new xenon headlight ignition unit . Everything else can be done with your own hands.
Do-it-yourself ways to restore the functionality of the block
The very first thing that experts recommend paying attention to before starting any restoration work is to simply rinse the entire electronic circuit board with alcohol or acetone. If the cause of the malfunction was ordinary rust or moisture, then this operation is quite enough. Performance will be restored. If the flushing did not help, it is recommended to disconnect the sealant applied to the back of the board and solder the contacts.
Next, the xenon ignition unit is connected and attempts are made to start the device.
Safety precautions before turning on the unit
It is worth paying attention that the process of switching on and starting should be carried out only in the state when the element is connected to the lamp. The unit must be placed on a surface that does not conduct electric current. The device is placed away from flammable objects. The device multiplier has a very high voltage. It sometimes reaches up to 35 kV - do not touch the switched on device with your hands.
When the unit starts up, it is turned off and then it is allowed to “rest” (cool down) for two to three minutes. If the device refuses to work, continue the diagnostic procedures.
We continue to diagnose
First of all, open the covers, then disconnect the sealant. Next, using a multimeter, you must check all the transistors. There are four of them in the scheme. If a breakdown was found in any of the elements, a new field effect transistor should be purchased and soldered to its rightful place.
The staff transistor can be replaced with 4N60. This completes the repair of the xenon ignition unit. However, if this does not help, further diagnosis should be made. Then check the resistors - perhaps they were left intact. If this is not so, then the burnt parts are replaced with new ones. The power of the resistor must be at least 5 watts.
Block recovery by soldering
Soldering all the places where the sealant was, and the flux was in an inactive state, can also help. The remnants of the latter must be washed off. If the flux is pink, care must be taken to ensure that no pink spots remain during operation. The gel is well warmed up. After that, they again try to turn on the headlamp. If the repair of the xenon ignition unit was successful, then the lamps will light up like new. But if all the actions have not led to success, then you need to further search for transistors that have burned out and failed. Often, the reason is in them. If such an element was detected, it is soldered and the unit is switched on without it. If the system worked, then everything is fine. After carrying out all the measures to restore the unit, experts recommend pouring paraffin on the electronic board. Paraffin is chosen - other analogues will not work. Various silicone-based sealants are very difficult to remove during the next repair. In addition, the chemicals that these compounds release during heating may not affect the quality, strength and reliability of contacts in the best way.
If the problem was precisely in the transistor, and it was possible to restore the xenon ignition unit, DIY repair will cost about 45-50 rubles. It is much cheaper than a new unit.
If xenon is off
The operation to verify the health of the device is not a complicated procedure. Naturally, you will need to be careful and careful. You will need a screwdriver, good lamps and a known working ignition unit. First of all, disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. Then open the safety block and check the element that is responsible for outdoor lighting. If it burns out, then it is replaced.
At the second stage, check the supply electrics. Perhaps the wires leading to the ignition unit were disconnected somewhere. Next, they check how the contacts are fixed. Due to vibration, they could weaken. If the system was installed by hand, then often in the headlights there are adapters from the base of the traditional halogen lamp to xenon. It is necessary to check the adapter data. If there are no positive results, then it is necessary to replace xenon lamps without a firing unit in the headlight with obviously working ones. When all options are checked, but there is still no result, most likely the problem is in the ignition unit. It is necessary to dismantle it and try to replace it with a known worker.
Now on the market there are many products from China. So, for a Chinese xenon ignition unit, the price is up to a thousand rubles. Therefore, it is easier to replace the idle device with a new one. Chinese manufacturers tightly solder these devices, and the board itself is flooded with a compound. Therefore, disassembling the unit does not make much sense.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several options that allow you to repair a broken item. In fact, even inexperienced motorists can cope with such a repair. For diagnosis, you need to have basic skills in electronics. If you know how to check the ignition unit (xenon or bi-xenon, it does not matter), you can significantly save on the pay of a professional auto electrician.