Watch those high wattage bulbs

[craig333]

Or you might get this.

100/80 watt hella H4 bulbs in IPF housings. Ran them for years with no problems. Drag the Jeep out for the toy run and hmmm, no headlights. You can sorta see on the other bulb where the solder connection has melted. I can only think I left them on while parked and didn't notice. Seem to get enough cooling as long as you're moving. Or maybe age finally got to them.

 

[Jean-Seb]

Ouch ! That looks like it was painful. It sounds like you're right about what happened too.

 

[4x4mike]

There is many a warning out there regarding aftermarket bulbs especially higher wattage ones.


How was the toy run? I was out of town this week but live near Lake Natoma and saw the signs.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Who made those bulbs? And what are the IPF housings like, plastic or glass? I've never seen anything like that myself, and have been running high power bulbs in everything for a long time. Well... I won't run them in plastic housings but...

 

[PAToyota]

I've run the Hella 55/100s for over a decade and never saw anything like that. Do you have heavier wire running to the lights?

 

[reverend_redbeard]

you just had a shorted bulb, it happens... they'll heatup like a resistance wire, and start melting things before either tripping a fuse or burning themselves completly out... as for the bubble, often times thats from oil from your fingers, it heats on the surface and bubble the glass like that. I would check your wiring for any melting or burning but chances are the short was in the bulb itself :victory:

 

[wacker12]

thats what it looks like if you have touched the bulb. You know the whole oil from your finger thing? creates a hotspot, bulb glass over heats and bubbles, bulb goes out. Remember that next time you replace them.

 

[craig333]

I don't touch the bulbs. Thats on some fairly old (high usage) bulbs. The IPF's are glass but are pretty well sealed with a rubber bulb cover. I have heavy guage wiring, off its own relay.

 

[esh]

No problems with Hella 80/100W H4s and 100W H1s here. One of the first mods I did with a wiring harness, and still one of the best. They aren't the longest lasting but they have great output. Going on about 6 years for me.

 

[craig333]

There is many a warning out there regarding aftermarket bulbs especially higher wattage ones.


How was the toy run? I was out of town this week but live near Lake Natoma and saw the signs.

Toy run was okay. I was a little late so didn't do the parade. Seemed like the attendance was a bit off. Wonder if thats due to the economy.