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Blowing Bulb

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:02 am
by Davez29
Hi, was wondering if anyone can help?

What it is my front right offside lo beam keeps popping. This has happened 3 times since early September. I have cleaned and checked the headlamp contacts but to no avail. As im not any good with this sort of thing was wondering if any leccys out there can offer the next step in trouble shooting. Bare in mind i have the lo beam mod so i can use higher wattage bulbs and have no lights on/off switch. Its getting expensive replacing Philips Xtreme bulbs at this rate.

Thx

dave

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:44 am
by thunderace
Have you made doubly sure that the bulb glass is scrupulously clean?

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:18 am
by Davez29
Hi, yes i always try to keep my fingers off them and if i do touch they are always covered in tissue but these were right out of the pack no contact really. Whats odd of course its always the same side. So must be a problem sonewhere. I will recheck earths tonight and switch gear as i cant loose my remaining light on the way to work in the morning. Any more ideas please..

Dave

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:46 am
by amorti
"Low beam mod" - this refers to fitting relays in to allow higher wattage bulbs, right?

Could be you've got a weak crimp somewhere in the system and it's not getting a steady voltage, but arcing giving unsteady power.

Could be your bike is overcharging, but it would be a wild coincdence to keep taking the same bulb out and nothing else.

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 12:21 pm
by Davez29
Yes my mod could be the problem. Im not great at electrics so maybe something is loose, although I did crimp and solder. Of course its a bugger to get too so will have to wait until Im off work. I put the jap spec bulb in that side to see if it blows, just wondering if its my xtreme bulbs?

Thx

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:26 am
by leopard_pagan
Crimp OR solder.. NEVER do both at the same connection point.. so i'd first look at those connections.
the other thing to check is if you have done the complete relay Mod or just part of it.
TBH the typical symptom of no relay mod is the switch gear melting the lo beam part? so maybe a partial one is blowing bulbs instead.... :?:

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:31 am
by Davez29
Hi LP, well im not an expert but from what i remember i did crimp with spade type and with jap style bullet connectors I did crimp and solder. While i cant discount this relay it has worked ok since i done the mod. It still clicks when the lights are auto on (turn the ignition on or after pressing the starter button) I suppose I need to know if extra power is hitting the offside bulb and causing it to blow. I did look at it and connectors looked fine but I noticed it had dropped from the inner fairing and was hanging in mid air, a possible reason, so i have moved and cable tied it to the loom. Will see if that makes a difference.

Re: Blowing Bulb

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:44 pm
by amorti
leopard_pagan wrote:Crimp OR solder.. NEVER do both at the same connection point.. so i'd first look at those connections.
the other thing to check is if you have done the complete relay Mod or just part of it.
TBH the typical symptom of no relay mod is the switch gear melting the lo beam part? so maybe a partial one is blowing bulbs instead.... :?:
It's recommended to crimp then solder, but never solder then crimp. It's a bit belt and braces, I seldom bother except my dad (an electrician at the Dockyard) pretty much made me do so on some thicker battery cables we made up for my old triumph.