headlight out again

[mightyjimny]

had this posted in the suzuki section without realising there was an auto electrical section:

notice a few days ago that low beam on the drivers side is not working AGAIN . thats 3 times with 3 different globes in 5 months though high beam and passenger side work without a problem. each time its been a case of low beam working for 2 months then it goes out. cant be wiring then the lights would never work, cant be globes as filaments are all intact. can anyone shed any light on the problem?

[mickyd555]

the lamp holder needs to be replaced. It is making a poor contact and coroding the lamps connection prematurely.

[mightyjimny]

will check it out. would surprise me if this was the case as my jimny is just over a year old

[Oscars]

have u tried a new bulb or the other side bule. filements can look intact but can still not be. when replaceing the bulbs are you touching the glass? u will be able to see if the plug needs replaceing as it will be discoloured or black around the conections.

[mightyjimny]

the lamp holder needs to be replaced. It is making a poor contact and coroding the lamps connection prematurely.

thanks micky555 you are right. pulled all the rubber bits off the headlight assembly and had a closer look at the connection to the globe. one of the lamp holder connections is covered in black stuff. passenger side clean as a whistle. what is this black stuff? any way to clean it or does it have to be replaced? do you reckon this is a warrantable item or 'wear and tear'?

[drivesafe]

Hi mightyjimmny, That’s one for the books and a good pick.

What you have on your terminals mightyjimmny, sounds like rust proofing and if it is, it can be easily cleaned off with turps.

If you use turps, don’t put the globe back in until the socket is completely dry, that way the terminals will scratch together and give a good contact.

Cheers.

[ausoops]

or it might be carbon deposits from arcing, it will wipe off with a rag and some windex/spray n wipe or isopar/solvent cleaner.

[mightyjimny]

will try and take a pic and post it if this weather clears up

[mickyd555]

dont bother trying to clean it, just replace it.........unless of course you enjoy having trouble with ya lights all the time.........

[mightyjimny]

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/ ... C02233.jpg

heres a pic. odd that it hasnt happened to any other terminals. what is that black stuff? causes? how can i prevent it from happening again?

[drivesafe]

Hi mightyjimny, what does the headlight socket on the other side look like.

Bit hard to say but this one looks like it has melted.

Cheers.

[chimpboy]

Hi mightyjimny, what does the headlight socket on the other side look like.

Bit hard to say but this one looks like it has melted.

Cheers.

Looks that way to me too; as if the slag in the middle used to form walls that supported the terminals/held them in place?

[mickyd555]

coulda been a million things, but id say one particular lamp you had in there caused the problem and it escalated from there. Replace the lamp holder and then take care when installing new lamps.

[mightyjimny]

what does the headlight socket on the other side look like.

just the same but without that black stuff on the terminal. that melted look is just the way the plastic is moulded.

i might experiment and give it a clean and see if it reoccurs. my hunch is that it will and the lamp holder will need to be replaced though, as mickey555 said.

cheers for all the responses

[Oscars]

A bad connection will generate heat, which will only continue to get worse and hotter. We sell the connectors for like 8 bucks. Is it worth the messing around and cost of new bulbs?

[drivesafe]

Hi mightyjimny, have tried simply tightening the suspect terminal by squeezing the brass together using long nose pliers.

Weak contacts can cause heat and by tightening them, when you push the plug back on to the globe, you will not only end up with a secure fitting but you will most likely clean the contacts as up push the plug on.

Cheers

[mightyjimny]

was having a read of the H4 globe thread http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=77188 and wondered if the black stuff on the terminals was caused by heat due to the extra wattage of the fatboy globes. the standard globes are 55/60W and fatboys are 60/80w. should i upgrade the headlight loom and/or alternator? and what if i fit 2 spotties down the track?

[pongo]

Well, To eliminate problems the easy way, Run you head light wires into a RElay and go from there. I just use Spade connectors instead of the plastic 3 way plug as ive seen a few get melted. SOmetimes simple is better. Also a few more volts to the lights are a bonus.

Cheers

[drivesafe]

Hi mightyjimny, first off, the existing terminals are good for 15 amps ( around 200w ) but they must be a tight fit.

If the headlight socket has been removed and replaced a few times then there is a good chance the terminals may now be a bit loose.

If your vehicle is not equipped with headlight relays then a headlight wiring upgrade will be a big benefit as it will make your lights brighter.

For a bit of info on headlight and driving light wiring upgrades, check out these links

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/forumdisplay.php?f=126

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php?t=27808



Next, what is the size of your existing alternator.

Cheers

[mightyjimny]

thanks drivesafe, will have a read of those links after work.

the alternator is the factory one. which im almost sure is 12V 70 amps.

[drivesafe]

Hi mightyjimny, although borderline, providing you aren’t powering too much else and don’t have a second battery, that alternator should be able to run all your lights, including a set of 100w driving lights.

Cheers.

[mightyjimny]

although borderline, providing you aren’t powering too much else and don’t have a second battery, that alternator should be able to run all your lights, including a set of 100w driving lights.

now i have next to no electrical knowledge, how did you work that out? by simply using volts= watts/amps ? so lets say if on a rainy night ive got the high beams, spotties, heater, a/c, wipers, stereo all on i would probably be draining my battery as the current alternator wouldnt cope? that would seem pretty poor for the alternator to come from the factory already close to its limits

[drivesafe]

Hi mate, my last post could have been a little clearer.

If you have all your lights on including a set of driving lights, you’ll need around 30 amps for the lights so you still have a fair bit left over for everything else.

The thing to watch out for, is loading the alternator to it’s max, this will shorten it’s operating life.

Another point most people miss is that the more power you pull from the alternator, the more power the alternator pulls from your motor and I take it, your jimny is not running a V8, so putting a bigger alternator on may and I repeat that, MAY reduce your engines power, even though it would be minimal.

Hope this helps a bit.