HID causing processor resets

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1868ccMGB
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HID causing processor resets

Post by 1868ccMGB »

Guys, need to lean on your expertise some. I have a MS1 on a V3 board, harness is from DIY auto. This is about a 10 year old install which has run great.

Last month I put a set of HID's in the car, when first turning the lights on they will cause a processor reset. If I turn the lights on with the engine off, turn the lights back off, start the engine, and then turn the lights back on all is well with the processor. It only seems to be the first time the lights turn on for the day.

The wiring harness is away from the MS harness, they don't share a common +12V lead, lights are grounded several feet away from the MS grounds.

Any suggestions on noise filtering for this?

Thanks!
-Robert
1969 MGB
DaveEFI
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by DaveEFI »

Is MS grounded to the engine or body?
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1868ccMGB
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by 1868ccMGB »

Sensors and MS ground to the same point on the body.

HID also ground to the body several feet away from MS grounds.

MS+12V is supplied from the battery lug on the starter - this is the factory +12V point on the car. Battery is behind the seats.

HID +12V is supplied from the lug on the alternator.
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by DaveEFI »

HIDs take pretty well the same running curent as tungsten - and are voltage compensated - so any reason not to run them from the original dip circuit? They do take quite a bit when striking so wonder if you've giving yourself problems by having their feed so 'close' to the main battery one?
I have them on my SD1, and used all the original wiring. But had to alter the headlamp relay logic to stop them switching off when cranking.

When you say sensor ground and MS grounds go the same part of the body, do you mean just that? Rule of thumb is that is any sensor still has a ground with MS unplugged, it's not right. Sensor and power grounds must only be linked within MS itself.
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Matt Cramer
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by Matt Cramer »

Try grounding the MS to the battery instead. Our rule of thumb is that a good chassis ground is usually bad, and a bad chassis ground is horrible.
Matt Cramer -1966 Dodge Dart slant six running on MS3X
1868ccMGB
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by 1868ccMGB »

Thanks guys,

Allow me to clarify. The sensors all return ground to MS. All MS grounds are connected to the same lug which is soldered to the uni-body. The engine connects to ground through a ground strap, which links the upper engine mount to the chassis.

I can try moving the power source for +12V to the OE connection. I avoided the original wiring to reduce the load on the lamp switch.
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by spyder »

I'm not at all surprised at the problems you are having. I fitted HIDs to my Peugeot 407 despite hearing rumours regarding a link between HIDs and wiper failure. Bad mistake. Occasionally only one would strike. On one occasion neither struck up so I switched them off then back on. They both came on but so did the wipers and there was no way to switch them off. Even turning the ignition off didn't stop them. If I locked the car they stopped after a couple of minutes but as soon as the car was unlocked they came back on. Long story short... Main dealer diagnosis, twice, new wiper ecu and a new fuse board. Oh, and a £440 bill.
If I was you I would get rid of them or they might eventually bite you in the ass!
You could try fitting clip on ferrites to the sensor inputs and a ferrite ring suppressor to the 12V line. I made one from a 50mm ring through which the 12V cable is looped about 40 times. This strategy stopped my reset issues (subsequently traced to a noisy alternator.)
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by Matt Cramer »

1868ccMGB wrote: Allow me to clarify. The sensors all return ground to MS. All MS grounds are connected to the same lug which is soldered to the uni-body...
Try relocating that ground to the battery and see if that fixes the problem.
Matt Cramer -1966 Dodge Dart slant six running on MS3X
1868ccMGB
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by 1868ccMGB »

Thanks for the suggestion Matt! I will give that a try, although it may be a few days before I have an opportunity to run the wiring.

Luckily I don't need the car - yet....
1868ccMGB
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by 1868ccMGB »

Thanks for the help guys. I finally got around to running the MS grounds to the (-) terminal at the battery. I also made sure the case was isolated from the chassis. Unfortunately I am still getting intermittent processor resets when first turning the lights on. The new ground did help, but didn't cure the issue.

Any thoughts?

Is this something that I should add a capacitor to the +12V line on the lights? Or maybe the grounds?
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by DaveEFI »

Is MS powered from the vehicle loom - or direct from the battery via a relay?

I have a similar setup. MS is powered direct from the battery via a relay controlled by the ignition switch. MS is grounded to engine block.
After market HIDs are fed from the original headlamp wiring, with the ground for the PS to car body.

Not had any problems.
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DaveEFI
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Re: HID causing processor resets

Post by DaveEFI »

spyder wrote:I'm not at all surprised at the problems you are having. I fitted HIDs to my Peugeot 407 despite hearing rumours regarding a link between HIDs and wiper failure. Bad mistake. Occasionally only one would strike. On one occasion neither struck up so I switched them off then back on. They both came on but so did the wipers and there was no way to switch them off. Even turning the ignition off didn't stop them. If I locked the car they stopped after a couple of minutes but as soon as the car was unlocked they came back on. Long story short... Main dealer diagnosis, twice, new wiper ecu and a new fuse board. Oh, and a £440 bill.
If I was you I would get rid of them or they might eventually bite you in the ass!
You could try fitting clip on ferrites to the sensor inputs and a ferrite ring suppressor to the 12V line. I made one from a 50mm ring through which the 12V cable is looped about 40 times. This strategy stopped my reset issues (subsequently traced to a noisy alternator.)
If one of the HIDs wasn't striking reliably , perhaps the supply wasn't up to the current needed for this?

If the wiper problem was a known one, adding some decent filtering to those electronics might have been a good investment. Car makers tend to keep costs down wherever possible.
Rover SD1 3.5 EFI
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