Armor Headlight Issue

[Recovry4x4]

So quite some time ago I installed some armor headlights on the back and sides of my deuce. Today I wired the side lights in with the back lights. All 4 lights are powered from the same wire. My problem is the left side light is blowing bulbs within about 10 seconds. Can't be getting more voltage than the other lights, they are all powered off the same wire. I even swapped housings. Can an insufficient ground be the problem? I'm befuddled. Footnote, when the low beam burned out I switched to the high beam and burnt it too.

 

[plym49]

12 volt bulbs?

 

[vtdeucedriver]

12 volt bulbs?

Who are you with a VT/NY location???

 

[shenkmen]

My problem is the left side light is blowing bulbs within about 10 seconds.

I would start by removing the bulb and attaching a voltmeter to the socket for at least 10 seconds while the circuit is energized.

 

[Recovry4x4]

As luck would have it, another member came over tonight to remove a winch from a truck he is selling. In a mad scramble trying to find a half inch drive impact swivel, I found my elusive VOM meter. I will do some testing on that particular light. I need to order some more 4811 bulbs. I just can't see a voltage spike as all 4 lights are teed into the same power lead.

 

[CARNAC]

That has to be the armored light you didN'T get from me. LOL.

 

[Recovry4x4]

That has to be the armored light you didN'T get from me. LOL.

Rest assured my friend, the ones I got from you are securely affixed to the rear and remain operational at this time.

 

[silverstate55]

If the lights are all wired in parallel from the same single wire, it could be too much amperage...in parallel, amperage rises as parallel connections are made. Test the amps going through the circuit.

 

[Tow4]

Check the voltage. Unless there is other resistance in series with the bulb, it can not pull too many amps and blow. If all you did was change the bulbs and they worked before, it's something else. I would guess 12V bulbs or the voltage is high.

Was the truck running? What did the dash volt meter say? A couple of years ago the small wire came off the alternator on my Deuce and the volt meter went full scale high. I shut off the battery switch until I could stop and fix it. Nothing was damaged.

 

[Recovry4x4]

This was the first time that I powered the side lights. They were new. Truck was not running, power was just the batteries. The bulbs were all marked 4811 and were original to the NOS lights and I even changed the light housing once. Something weird here or I ended up with 3 bad bulbs. Now I'm going out to confirm that the housings are wired correctly.

 

[vinny-socom1]

it might be user error....


good luck

Vinny

 

[Recovry4x4]

Housings are wired correctly. When I get bach home I'm headed back to the truck with the VOM to check resistance to ground.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Ground checked good. Had 24.8V at the bulb socket. I found 1 of the 3 expired bulbs that still had a good high beam. Plugged it in and within 5 seconds it was gone. A closer inspection revealed that 2 of the sealed beams had cracks. Now thinking its bad bulbs I went to the storage shed and pulled out another bulb. Not the right size but had the right plug. Plugged it in and it worked just fine. Who would have thought 3 bad bulbs. Ordering bulbs today.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Ground checked good. Had 24.8V at the bulb socket. I found 1 of the 3 expired bulbs that still had a good high beam. Plugged it in and within 5 seconds it was gone. A closer inspection revealed that 2 of the sealed beams had cracks. Now thinking its bad bulbs I went to the storage shed and pulled out another bulb. Not the right size but had the right plug. Plugged it in and it worked just fine. Who would have thought 3 bad bulbs. Ordering bulbs today.

When troubleshooting, never disregard the most basic repair. Glad you found your gremlin.

 

[Jtspendy]

Could have been a bad lot of bulbs. When thing slip thru quality control normally slip thru in little groups like that.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Kenny, the "correct" bulbs are not cheap. I have some 50watt bulbs that will work or can send a couple of the right ones. Let me know if you need'em.

 

[clinto]

So quite some time ago I installed some armor headlights on the back and sides of my deuce. Today I wired the side lights in with the back lights. All 4 lights are powered from the same wire. My problem is the left side light is blowing bulbs within about 10 seconds. Can't be getting more voltage than the other lights, they are all powered off the same wire. I even swapped housings. Can an insufficient ground be the problem? I'm befuddled. Footnote, when the low beam burned out I switched to the high beam and burnt it too.

I am in the process of installing some of these on my '87 and ran into a similar issue.

I have bought these whenever they were cheap on eBay and at swap meets, so they all have old bulbs (I have 2 NOS ones that I am saving for my dumper). I hooked up 2 of them and they had light for a few seconds and then died. I could see smoke or haze inside one of them for the few seconds it was illuminated.

So I went to the shelf and pulled all 10 of them out and every one had a dead bulb except one, which promptly died within a few seconds of having juice put to it.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Let me know if you need any bulbs.

 

[goldneagle]

Same thing happened to me a year or so ago when i installed those same lights on my Deuce. Replacement bulb burned out also! At least I am not thew only one that had trouble with these lights. I bought brand ne GE bulbs for those lights and they died immediately after turning them on. Only one fixture. The other is OK. I have them on a dedicated circuit with dedicated ground wires going to them. It must be bad bulbs or somehow the housing is cracking the bulbs.

 

[clinto]

Same thing happened to me a year or so ago when i installed those same lights on my Deuce. Replacement bulb burned out also! At least I am not thew only one that had trouble with these lights. I bought brand ne GE bulbs for those lights and they died immediately after turning them on. Only one fixture. The other is OK. I have them on a dedicated circuit with dedicated ground wires going to them. It must be bad bulbs or somehow the housing is cracking the bulbs.

Ground checked good. Had 24.8V at the bulb socket. I found 1 of the 3 expired bulbs that still had a good high beam. Plugged it in and within 5 seconds it was gone. A closer inspection revealed that 2 of the sealed beams had cracks. Now thinking its bad bulbs I went to the storage shed and pulled out another bulb. Not the right size but had the right plug. Plugged it in and it worked just fine. Who would have thought 3 bad bulbs. Ordering bulbs today.

In light of what GE said, what was your (Recovry4x4) experience with your new bulbs? Longer lifespan hopefully!