I just installed some HIDs in my fog lights and I know HIDs have to heat up before they reach optimum output but are they supposed to start up bright and instantly die down and heat up? Here is the video.





The car is not running and I am sure that is why they dim slightly at the end of the video, but they start up the same regardless.

 

Oh yeah, that's a 5000K kit, I didn't think it would be THAT blue, but the output is great when they are fully heated up and you're driving down the road.

 

The factory HID's in my fathers Lincoln does the same thing. I don't think there's anything to worry about.

 

The "bright" you see at startup is the initial "spark" as the bulb is lit; then the bulb settles out; easiest way to explain it.

Technical explination:
The 1st bright part is the "startup" phase of the bulb, a very high voltage is applied to get the spark to jump the gap and start burning (30K volts, like a sparkplug); the bulb is running at a VERY high wattage to get this going. The Ballast then "turns down" the power to a normal level; thus the dim level; then as the gas builds pressure in the bulb the light output then comes up to "normal". Best laymans terms explination I can give.

 

Wow, it's like a wormhole is opening up

 

Yeah mine do the same... As long as you have enough juice to get them fired up they should be fine. This is the reason they don't suggest HIDs as highs, they take a little while to come up to 'Full Brightness'