#1: headlamps keep blowing Author: bisphenol-a, Location: AntarcticaPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 2:53 am ---- initially I was using Philips xtreme vision fitted last September. drivers side blew first and I saw the bulb blew just as I turned on the lights. I was parked across a glass panel so I saw it blow.
that same night the OS blew too. desperate to continue driving I swapped my hi beam bulbs into the lows. I made sure I never touched the glass. the old high beam ones were fitted long ago and just ordinary bulbs.
so alright that was 2 weeks ago and the drivers side bulb just blew again.I am not sure if it is a case of bad luck or something else is wrong ie electrical fault sending more voltage to the bulbs. I don't wish to keep on buying bulbs.. just want to know what really is wrong.
#2: Re: headlamps keep blowing Author: evilmunkey87, Location: TorquayPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 2:59 am ---- Replace the bulbs, if they go again very quickly, check fuses, earths etc. Usually if bulbs go within a short time of each other it is just because they are old and were replaced at the same time.
Hopefully nothing to worry about
#3: Re: headlamps keep blowing Author: kandlbarrett, Location: SwindonPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:06 am ---- Do some checks but the first step is to ignore the voltage at the bulb.
Check the voltage accross the battery with engine both idling and revving With the engine revving (2000rpm will be enough) you might see as much as 14 - 14.6V and on idle you should see about 13 - 13.6V and that is normal.
If the voltage is outside these parameters you have either:-
a) greater than 14.6V = defective charging circuit.
b) greater than 14.6V or less than 13V = defective battery that is affecting the charging.
c) less than 13V dirty connection or defective battery that is affecting the charging.
if the above checks are good proceed to check the voltage at the bulb with engine both idling and revving. The voltage at the bulb should be within 0.5V of battery voltage.
To measure the voltage at the bulb do it two ways.
1) Meter positive lead on bulb and meter earth lead on battery.
2) Meter positive lead on bulb and meter earth lead on bulb or bulb holder.
There is likely to be a difference between the two readings it shouldn't exceed 0.5V.
Jiggle the bulb leads and connections and see if the lights flicker or the voltage drops. Bulbs don't like constant flickering or significantly fluctuating voltages.
If the voltage at the bulb is less than 12V then you need to find where the damaged wire or dirty connection is. Bulbs don't like working on voltages lower than they are designed for.
If you have nmore than 14.6V at the bulb then you shouldn't have got this far and you should have stopped testing earlier and fixed the charging or battery fault!
I have seen more failed bulbs due to low voltage or intermittent connection than I have seen due to over voltage.
Finally = it could be coincidence!
#4: Re: headlamps keep blowing Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:11 am ---- Are you touching the bulbs with your bare hands?
Did you read the first post? He has already stated that he didn't.
#6: Re: headlamps keep blowing Author: V9977, Location: Athens, GreecePosted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:38 am ---- Are the headlights misting-up?
Did you check bulbs as actually blown because you could be just disturbing corroded contacts every time,
then fitting a new bulb.
Also, how did you swap bulbs when they are different type for Hi/Lo beams? Are you using a different fittment?
I've been running Philips X-treme for a couple of years now without failing but I've heard of other people
having this exact issue so it could easily be batch-related.
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