Blowing Headlight Bullbs

[lcattin]

I picked up a set of aftermarket sport headlights and built the harness from the info on this site.  They work great except for the fact that I have started blowing headlight bulbs.  I have been using Sylvania and Wagner bulbs.  Are these brands just not heavy duty enough for the voltages directly off the battery's?

Last week the low beam elements in the 9007 bulbs both burned out.  I replaced them both and this week both high beam elements in the 9007 and 9004 on the passenger side went.

I am about ready to go back to the OEM housings and just the 9004 bulb on each side.  Only problem is that I tossed the old housings as they were in real bad shape.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

 

[Me78569]

How long are they lasting? 

 

 

The "brighter" the bulb the shortly they will last.

 

Whats your charging voltage?

[lcattin]

Last time I checked charging was a bit over 14 and they are lasting a week or less. I will check charging again this weekend.

[Me78569]

Do you lights bounce around?  The bulbs can get damaged if the housings aren't reducing the shock of the bumps on the road.

[lcattin]

No, they are solid in the housings and housings are tight as well.  Although the Interstate I have to drive to work is rougher from the winter than most dirt roads around here in Arizona.

[Mopar1973Man]

Did you touch the glass on the bulbs? This will create a hot spot and cause the bulbs to fail premature.

 

Where did you hook the ground?

 

Where did you hook the positive lead?

 

[lcattin]

Alternator charging voltage is 14.2 and with my meter the AC voltage showed .02 and less.  Positive leads are directly to the battery.  Negative lead on drivers side is directly to the battery and on the passenger side to one of the fender bolts. Grounds from motor to body seem to be solid.  Didn't touch the glass on the bulbs.  I cannot say that they didn't touch the truck though while installing them in the housings. (didn't want to take the housings out of the truck to change)

I wish there was a way to log the voltage off the alternator while driving to see if the regulator is letting voltage spikes through the system.  The reason I wonder is that since February I have replaced several headlight bulbs, a lift pump, and since I have owned this truck the ABS light will come on when it is warmer outside.  When the temp stays under 45 degrees the ABS is fine and works.

Also if I remove the harness and hook the headlight up to factory setup I don't have any problem with blowing bulbs.

Edited April 10, 2016 by lcattin

[Mopar1973Man]

17 minutes ago, lcattin said:

Positive leads are directly to the battery.

 

18 minutes ago, lcattin said:

Negative lead on drivers side is directly to the battery

 

I highly suggest against this. Use the stud in the PDC for power point. Less likely of rotting out your wiring from battery acid. As for ground use a ground stud like the one on the driver side fender Again less likely to rot your wiring from battery acid.

 

19 minutes ago, lcattin said:

Didn't touch the glass on the bulbs

 

That good. Touching the glass with your hand will place oils from your skin on the glass causing bulb failure.

 

20 minutes ago, lcattin said:

I wish there was a way to log the voltage off the alternator while driving to see if the regulator is letting voltage spikes through the system.

 

I can with my OBDLink LX and tablet. Just set the log feature up and tell it you want to track charging voltage and it will log graphical as you drive.

 

22 minutes ago, lcattin said:

I have owned this truck the ABS light will come on when it is warmer outside.  When the temp stays under 45 degrees the ABS is fine and works.

 

I know there is Module Master in Moscow, ID that can bench test your ABS module and repair if need be. Have you replace any speed sensors? Might be a issue with the sensor(s). In my case is a tone wheel issue.

 

24 minutes ago, lcattin said:

Also if I remove the harness and hook the headlight up to factory setup I don't have any problem with blowing bulbs.

 

This points to a wiring issue possibly causing this...

[lcattin]

I have replaced the rear sensor.  I have not done the fronts due to the fact that they are a bit expensive and the brakes do work so it hasn't been a priority.  I certainly get tired of looking the red and amber light all the time on the dash though.

 

I have been through the relay harness twice and have not found anything wrong with the wiring.  I will look again.

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Typically the front sensors are the trouble ones. Rear sensor you'll know if its bad because the speedometer will either quit or be really wonky. Like my truck its not the front sensor but the front wheel bearing / tone wheels. You think front sensors are expensive try saving pennies for front unit bearings.

 

http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/PGRPBR930203_0329241875

Edited April 10, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[oldbeek]

While working in an auto elect shop, we got a car no one could fix. It was doing the same thing. The problem was a wire was breaking open then closing , Inside the outer insulation. It was causing an arc. An arc can generate 2 times the voltage times 2. That is 48  volts in a 12 volt system.