19 replies to this topic

[VX Boyd]

For those that missed the status on the side, I hadn't had an issue with the headlight fuse for a while which had gone a couple of times, switched it on last night for smoke to smart billowing out and a few small flames down by the headlight. Thankfully I was at a golf club and they had a CO2 extinguisher to hand and in the time it took to go and get in thankfully the flames hadn't taken hold of anything else.

 

This is what it has left me with and where it appears the wires have shorted but those wires were in good condition when I changed the HID dipped beam, it's seemingly the wires that go to the sidelight and main beam that have caused it...

 

 

Thankfully it appears no looms belonging the car have been damaged and it's just left a layer of soot on the underside of the clam.

[FLD]

If it wasn't a short could the wires have corroded to the extent where it was getting hot through resistance?

[slindborg]

If it wasn't a short could the wires have corroded to the extent where it was getting hot through resistance?

 

Hugely likely, My horn stopped working (fnaaaaaaahhh) and upon inspection of the relay, one wire just "fell apart", it was green with corrosion inside.

 

Also, it could be the case that the headlight was fitted incorrectly (no finger pointing, just an example possibility) thus trapping the sidelight harness and making it rub away the insulation, ergo shorting and thermal eventing.

 

Was the replacement fuse of the same/correct nominal value? (its worth a note that automotive fuses are scarily not fit for purpose imho, but that's a whole different story)

[VX Boyd]

The replacement fuse was of the same value but didn't look a nice quality. Tried looking for better ones but the marketplace seems flooded with dirt cheap ones. Rather worryingly the headlight fuse didn't break but must have got really hot as it has deformed the plastic around the fuse but the filament is still unbroken!

 

Could well have fitted it incorrectly, but the only bit I'd changed was the bulb for the dipped beam - sidelight and full beam have never needed changing in my ownership. One of the previous owners had put the HIDs in and the cases are a bit of a mess but the wire that seems to have gone I don't think will have ever been tampered with nor do I know how I could have cocked up the installation as it can only be plugged in one way?

 

The sidelight RH fuse has gone too which I think is what is causing the RHS indicator to flash quickly. Also assuming the bulbs on the stack are linked to the sidelight fuse too?

 

I'm taking it to my brothers restoration garage today as they have their electrical man in, but I'll drop you a message Slind as my wok is up in Wendens Ambo now so still quite close by.

Edited by VX Boyd, 05 August 2015 - 11:16 AM.

[slindborg]

The spec for automotive fuses is horrible, if you can even find the bastard thing.

 

They can take approx. 25-30% overload for DAYS, and this scales down to something like a 300% overload which trips nearly instantly

[VX Boyd]

So after a good investigation, the plastic guard on the loom where it connects to the HID ballast (/bulb if you don't have them) inside the headlight had shaken itself free, shorted the hid unit, fuse didn't break, fire started at the weakest point.

 

Somehow no damage beyond the head light loom, we even got the indicator working as somehow those wires survived.

[VX220BOB]

I had the same problem and it was the push on terminal + on to the bulb that was slightly stretched and touching the outside edge of the bulb, causing the live to earth on the bulb.

[Horace]

Apologies for thread resurrection.  

 

Just had car in for MOT.  Weekend sunshine usage only.  Tester puts all lights on, and it starts smoking from nearside headlight area!!  Will need to get the headlight out later on and have a look   

[mbes2]

I once cocked up with 100w bulbs but was lovely and bright...

The hid kits are cheap and could fail.

I now stick with std

[Spitfire Engineering]

Not much help to state the obvious now but it may help somebody else ...... all the info you needed was in your own text...

 

"I hadn't had an issue with the headlight fuse for a while which had gone a couple of times"

 

A double fuse failure should have started a fault finding test until the fault was found and corrected.

 

[slindborg]

Not much help to state the obvious now but it may help somebody else ...... all the info you needed was in your own text...

 

"I hadn't had an issue with the headlight fuse for a while which had gone a couple of times"

 

A double fuse failure should have started a fault finding test until the fault was found and corrected.

 

 

Unless you are an Italian car manufacturer where you just keep putting bigger and bigger fueses in until they stop tripping, at which point the harness wasnt fit for that current and melted

[Horace]

Turns out it was my foglight that decided to completely melt itself.  I never use them, so didn't notice anything until he turned them on during MOT.  That's when the smoke started!!

 

I'd post pictures, but lost my photobucket account when they wanted money!

Edited by Horace, 18 June 2019 - 02:28 PM.

[fezzasus]

Turns out it was my foglight that decided to completely melt itself.  I never use them, so didn't notice anything until he turned them on during MOT.  That's when the smoke started!!

 

I'd post pictures, but lost my photobucket account when they wanted money!

 

It's happened to me too. The fog light bulb holder doesn't always seat properly which causes the bulb to touch the plastic case

[Bigt]

All this touch of bulbs against plastic etc is getting me worried! I just fitted my HID kit this evening but not fired up yet (excuse the pun!) but reading comments from people about melting plastic/fire/earthing out I am wondering whether its worth it?

 

Out of interest to those who removed HID kits and refitted standard bulbs, how do you deal with the appauling light emitted by the OEM units??

 

Si

[Arno]

Out of interest to those who removed HID kits and refitted standard bulbs, how do you deal with the appauling light emitted by the OEM units??

Part of the issue at the moment is also likely to be that the cars are aging (15+ years for many..) and the reflectors of the headlights are corroding (usually above the bulb where the radiant heat and hot air from bulbs meet), reducing the light output that ends up on the road of any bulb.

Not very obvious on projector lights externally (so unlikely to be spotted at an MOT for a headlight fail), but quite likely some headlights really should be opened at some point and the dip beam unit reflectors should be blasted, polished and then re-silvered to get the 'designed' light output back.

Bye, Arno.

[ayresyy]

All this touch of bulbs against plastic etc is getting me worried! I just fitted my HID kit this evening but not fired up yet (excuse the pun!) but reading comments from people about melting plastic/fire/earthing out I am wondering whether its worth it?

 

Out of interest to those who removed HID kits and refitted standard bulbs, how do you deal with the appauling light emitted by the OEM units??

 

Si

 

 

   If you fit the HID's properly and don't use the cheap Chinese crappy kits, they should be fine. A decent set of HID's will draw less current and generate less heat than the original halogen bulbs would.   

[Bigt]

Out of interest to those who removed HID kits and refitted standard bulbs, how do you deal with the appauling light emitted by the OEM units??

Part of the issue at the moment is also likely to be that the cars are aging (15+ years for many..) and the reflectors of the headlights are corroding (usually above the bulb where the radiant heat and hot air from bulbs meet), reducing the light output that ends up on the road of any bulb.

Not very obvious on projector lights externally (so unlikely to be spotted at an MOT for a headlight fail), but quite likely some headlights really should be opened at some point and the dip beam unit reflectors should be blasted, polished and then re-silvered to get the 'designed' light output back.

Bye, Arno.

Gap in the market for someone to make a few quid offering this service!

Si

[Bigt]

All this touch of bulbs against plastic etc is getting me worried! I just fitted my HID kit this evening but not fired up yet (excuse the pun!) but reading comments from people about melting plastic/fire/earthing out I am wondering whether its worth it?

Out of interest to those who removed HID kits and refitted standard bulbs, how do you deal with the appauling light emitted by the OEM units??

Si

If you fit the HID's properly and don't use the cheap Chinese crappy kits, they should be fine. A decent set of HID's will draw less current and generate less heat than the original halogen bulbs would.

I take it we are talking about HIDS4U/HID Direct or whatever they are called?

Si

[slindborg]

FWIW I used a shitty chinky HID kit, back when they really were dodgy and it was fine.

 

That said, it was nearly 10 years ago and most harnesses will be dust/high resistance now so who knows

[Bigt]

I decided against it in the end and pulled it all back out and fitted the stock bulbs back in. I too ran an HID around 9 years ago and it was fine but I am older and wiser now and not sure I can afford to take the risk, I could probably do with a new set of headlights to be honest mine have had a hard life and been filled full of silicone, one has a hole cut in the underside of it, projector is loose and silver coating peeling off.

 

Si