Lamp failures?

[NinjaNanna]

Hi There

Not at all bike related - but some clever cookies here so I'll ask.

I've got an old Mitsubishi Truck (1981) and it keeps blowing the sealed beam driving lights.

Question is what typically causes this?

1. Excess Vibration
2. Over Voltage
3. other????

Bloody thing has blown 4 cheap chinese sealed units (2 low beams and 2 high beams) in less than 3000kms.

What should I be checking before spending the $260 to convert to H4/H1 type halogens?

oh yeah truck is a 24V system.

Cheers
Shane

[Motu]

I'd look to over voltage first - see what the charge rate is.Then look at earths.

[CookMySock]

What should I be checking before spending the $260 to convert to H4/H1 type halogens?

Check you have your cheque book in your pocket. Thats it.

You are completely wasting your time with sealed beams. As you observe, the junk chinese ones are, junk! Surprise surprise!

Just upgrade them. I'm surprised to hear you say $260. Try Repco perhaps.

Steve

[NinjaNanna]

I'd look to over voltage first - see what the charge rate is.Then look at earths.

Thanks will do

[NinjaNanna]

Just upgrade them. I'm surprised to hear you say $260. Try Repco perhaps.

Steve

That is for 4 of them - $210 of that is for the housings (52.50 ea) the rest is for the lamps.

Do you think that still sounds expensive?

[CookMySock]

That is for 4 of them - $210 of that is for the housings (52.50 ea) the rest is for the lamps. Do you think that still sounds expensive?

Well I did what you are proposing, and the difference was night and day, so in hindsight I'd say the result is much better and over time it worked out cheaper, so I'd say do it tomorrow - especially if you do a lot of night driving.

If you are strapped for cash, just replace the stuffed sealed beam units as they crap out. It is possible they won't all be exactly the same type if you do that.

Steve

[NinjaNanna]

Funnily a Auto Electrician that I spoke to yesterday got back to me this morning with pricing and his source of Semi-sealed housings are almost half the price of what Part Master quoted me. But his lamps (he uses Philips) we're double the price.

Never fear, he's getting the housings in for me and I'll buy the lamps (Narva) from Part Master.

$155 instead of $260 - needless to say I'm happy with that.

[CookMySock]

Sweet deal! The philips bulbs will be good though, and will last really well.

Do the conversion. It'll be great.

Steve

[CeeBee]

I agree that the Philips lamps are good lasting quality, Narva don't seem to last, Had that issue with my daughters Mazda Capella semi-sealed head lamp bulbs, Narva would last about 1-2 months, eventually switched to Philips, still going strong for the last 3 months.

[Brian d marge]

I'd look to over voltage first - see what the charge rate is.Then look at earths.

+1

then Jupiter and mars are good viewing tonite
Stephen

[NinjaNanna]

We'll I finished the change over - took a bit longer than it should have because the new semi sealed housings were bigger than the bracket, grrr

Simple fix cut the ring which holds it so that it could expand. Also replaced all the rusted screws at the same time.

I measured the Voltage across the fuses with the motor running and it was 27.2V so doesn't seem too high.

I guess I'll just wait and see how the new halogens go and if it blows those as well then I'll go looking for the different earth connections.

[FROSTY:Me]

I'd suggest you do test your regulator though ol son.
I'm currently dealing with a GN250 that had a reg issue.
Overcharging and podding the fuse. --Owner just bipased the fuse --next stop the bulbs --then the gutless switch wiring--finally melted the cdi box--messy