Headlight question

[BCDelica]

Same here, have had the PIAA H3 bulbs for 1.5 years working just fine. Those H1 are superior in high beam use, it's phenomenal when you hit the highs - boom daylight in front of you. Well worth the extra bucks.

Now if anybody can figure out what happens to the 'squares', hers does the high beams won't go off again thing. Grrrrrrrr

[DelicaMark]

I did a quick voltage check at the light bulb connection and found 11.5V with the engine off and as high as 13.6V with the engine on. That was just having the engine idling to. I assume that is not a an expected result. I have the relay setup for my DRLs so I am thinking that maybe the source of my problem or a bad wiring job at the headlight unit. I had to close everything up for the night but will investigate more on the weekend. First thing I will check is if the other headlight is getting the same amount of voltage...if so then likely the relay if not then likely the wiring.

Sounds like BCDelica has had good luck and EricN was not surprised to hear what I found. Thanks for the input! It sure would be nice to have those PIAA bulbs work!

-Mark

[BCDelica]

Yes, I think I have good luck thank you, I fish! Also my daytime running light are just tapped into the rear heater with a volt, or amp, limiting diode inline. It's jerry rigged but it's keeps my low beams from working at full intensity when used as DRLs. Two things; I have a large assortment of electric tid-bits at work and as a work van it was almost never driven at night.

My wife doesn't have as good luck, hers has killed two DRL modules so far.

Do you have a new battery Mark?

Cheers,
Kev

[DelicaMark]

No new battery...well at least I didn't put a new one in and the one that came with the van doesn't look very new. Why do you ask?

[BCDelica]

No new battery...well at least I didn't put a new one in and the one that came with the van doesn't look very new. Why do you ask?

IMO Delicas should have there batteries changed when they arrive, if there original. Diesels start much better in the cold and load the alternator less with a new battery. 11.5v with the engine off, indicates a 12v battery with reduced capacity (but not dead by any means). Do your power windows and wipers move really slow just after start-up?

My highbeam wiring is a heavier gauge back to the fuse panel also, when installing my DRL the drivers side wiring was corroded in under the installation. The connection behind the headlights was corroded also, so I wanted to get the watts to those highs. Not that my van's are a showpiece of wiring by any means, being comfortable wiring I always do plenty of add-ons; panel installed inverters heavy wired back to the battery, WVO goodies, PS2's hidden in side panels (GM Astro), remote starters, stealthy remote audio jacks, interior light timer, etc.

[DelicaMark]

My wipers and windows are definitely slow after start up. I especially notice the wipers if they were for some reason left on when I turned the engine off. They just creep across the window. With winter apparently here on the island maybe getting a new battery is not a bad idea. I spend most weekends in the winter at Mt. Washington (if the conditions are good...ski snob!) so I can see some problems on the horizon.

As for the wiring. There are new crimp connectors all over the place from when the new headlights were installed. I guess they used the existing wire runs and then just scabbed on enough wire on each end to make the new connections. It might be worth my time to at least solder the connections at the headlight and get rid of those connectors.

Thanks for the input BCDelica...maybe see you on the slopes if you make it across...and ski

[Green1]

1) Check the wiring on the headlights. When Green1 was helping me install my LHD headlights, we noticed on his and mine that some of the wiring was just twisted together, not soldered. That could result in a high frequency intermittent which would quickly burn out a bulb.

it gets worse, my last "burnt out bulb" turned out to be burnt out WIRING instead, it had actually melted some of the plastic and then the wire broke, I have since soldered it back together... I definitely recommend checking the wiring on those "new" headlight assemblies, they're not exactly the highest quality, but with a bit of solder they can be good as new.