greggie195

iTrader: (1)

I just changed my headlight bulbs (put in ultra white bulbs) and I notice that one bulb is whiter than the other. Now this is an issue that I had before awapping the bulbs, I just thought an old one was bad. When I looked at the (yellower light) clip I noticed it is an aftermarket clip hardwired into the original wires. Anyone ever have this problem and know the fix? was thinking about getting an OEM clip but Im not sure if that would do it. I also thought maybe I should see if the connector is just dirty. I should mention that when I put on the high beams the light gets much whiter and looks exactly how it should. Seems weird. I Any help is much appreciated!

Wiking

Time to upgrade.

Same answer than to the other ten same q's here:
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/11

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Wiking. I will rewire the harness tomorrow. I'll run a new power wire and put in a relay.

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

One more question before I wire it, should I put in fuses or does it not need it, I didnt see any fuses on your setup Wilking. I dont want to blow the bulbs right when I turn it on. Thanks again.

Wiking

I think that depends on you: fuses will contain two or more oxidizing contact pins etc lowering voltage at bulbs. But surely "adds security". I made a choice not to: insulate the harness well, wrap it tight.

I have resigned to the fact that I drive a speeding bomb: explosive battery, all plastics/rubber falmmabilities heated with fuel inside, sitting on a 18gal gas tank... speeding. Better to see whats ahead than to wait moose in semidarkness - and have got no money for the 3000$lamps.

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

I took Wiking's advice and wired in a relay (only on the pass. side low beam) and Im still getting a yellow color. I switched in the drivers side bulb which is bright white and it is yellow on the pass side. So I am sure its not the bulb. I tested the voltage at the bulb connection and both sides get exactly the same voltage (12.2V with car off). When the high beams are on both sides are white and look great. I doubt its the clip (voltage is good) and I know it's not the bulb. What else can it be?

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

I dont know if this is anything, but in the clip for the drivers side (white side) there is some brown goo like stuff, the pass side (yellow) clip does not have this stuff. Is this some sought of conductor??

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

the brown good is di-electric grease. it helps with voltage transferrance

Wiking

Compare the lights when bulbs are out. The lamp reflector is bad. Nothin else left...

LvR

Both meter probes on the actual bulb terminals and not on the rear of the socket? - or even worse with the negative on the engine for example iso on the actual terminal/socket earth connection?

Looking at the first post in the thread I am not to sure about the reflector there Wiking ........... its surely used for both high and low beams so if high beam is bright white the reflector must be ok .......... no?

Wiking

If it is so, then so it is: now I suspect squirrels. They carry low yellow electrons...

Another possibility is that the new low-b relay does not still use the new +12V wire from batt: check wirings. Next hit the magpie with old bulb connectors.

When wiring is ok, then NO yellow possibility. Remote diag is sometimes hillarious.

LvR

Indeed.

I am also willing to bet there is no chance that both globes would sit at an identical 12.2V while one is driven from the batt via the releay, and the other via the notoriously bad steering column switch.............

We still dont have the whole sad story I think.

Wiking

Oh yes. Did not read well enough: why only one relay... And gnd from hawaii?

1. Measuring results with multimeter NO LOAD:
12.2V [Relay]<---vs.--->12.2V NO[relay]
...LH without load, RH without load.

2. Next WITH LOAD:
12.2V [Relay]<-----vs.-----> 6.2V NO[relay]
...LH with load, RH with load.

3. Visual effects:
...LH bright with Relay, RH yellow NOrelay.

lamp=load

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

Ok guys thanks for the tips, heres how I tested:

1.lead from volt meter on pos connector in clip, ground line in clip grnd...12.2V
2.Pos in clip, ground on chasis metal....12.2V

I should say that when I ran the relay I used a fresh 10gauge wire directly to battery, ground was a fresh metal ground (10gauge) and for the switch line I used the line that was already there. I only wired one relay because I didnt want to put more time into wiring a high beam line that already works. If I saw improvement with this set up I would run more relays.

I guess I should test the voltage with the bulbs in and on, to give it a load. I am suspecting it is something with thie aftermarket clip.

Wiking

Easiest way out is to swap LB/HB. Or tst with 2nd relay - ripoff if not satisfied.

LvR

Hmmmmmmmmmm...............

Now we are getting closer to the final chapter

Wiking

Yess, been t here: the oxidized thinnies act so weird. What confuses more, is digital multimeter birdie readings which seem to be right...

=dont trust even yourself, then the truth is found...

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

Ill be testing the voltage with the lights on and swapping the h/b l/b wires to see if it's the clip. Ill keep you posted. Thanks for the help.

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

So I tested the voltage with the bulbs in and turned on...12.4V. Then I switched the h/b switch to the l/b clip and when I turned it on still yellow. This suggests that the clip is bad. But how? When I put the volt meter right into the clip it is giving 12.4 volts using either the clip ground or a fresh ground, so I dont think it is the ground. I think I will try a new 9004 clip and see if that cures it. I just dont get it.

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

I finally figured it out. The bulb that was not as white (pass side) was actually getting 12.4V with a load, while the whiter side (drivers side) was getting only 11.6. So I wired in a relay to the driver side and now it's getting 12.4V. However, when I was testing the voltage I crossed 2 wires on the relay and blew the bulb. So now that i have it all set, I dont have a bulb! Also now the brights indicator light inside the car is always on but very very dim. Just a slight annoyance that I can deal with. Thanks to Wiking for all the help and to Craig Brace for his schematics of wiring relays.

Wiking

Interesting: I reAlly cannot figure out how a lamp can be burned with shorting. Lamp is few ohms in its non shining mode, but resistance jumps heaven high as curren starts to flow and its filament heats up. There is no turbo to pump more wild electrons inside it and burn the filament. Unless u somehow can guide the 15KV ign spark into the bulb... could that burn it? dunno, never tested.

The bulb was doomed already week ago.

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

I have no idea how I blew it, but it did. I ended up putting back in old yellow until I get a replacement.

LvR

We call people like you a troll.

You are either smoking your socks and really dont know what you are saying or you are simply looking for conversation....................

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

Ok dude.