Lighting problem

[dp bradford]

Just been to Tesco (sold out of the veg oil that's on offer for £7.99 / 10L ) On the way there everything was normal, on coming back out and starting up the headlights wouldn't come on

Side and tail lights on as normal and full beam works too - is it possible both lamps have failed simultaneously, or is there a fuse that could have popped? It's just started peeing it down, monsoon style, so I thought I'd ask here first rather than go rummaging in the dark and rain

Dave

[maxheadroom]

Both of mine played up, I had to bang them and they would come on, then both failed

[brorabongo]

relay? as I think the fuses are seperate for LHS and RHS?

[dp bradford]

relay? ...

Any idea where it would be located?

Dave

[brorabongo]

AFAIK mine is just beside the coolant tank on a fitting bolted to the inner wing. It will have a rubber cover over it, and it looks like any over spill from the gutter below the screen would drip right onto it. You pull the relay inside its cover rubber down, and it should slide off the fitting. If I mind right the relay is something like H270. there might be a few of the same relayson the same fitting, so worth maybe swapping a couple about and see it that makes a difference?

I off looking for the photos I thought I had

[brorabongo]

Found them

[dp bradford]

Cheers, brorabongo - I'll take a closer look tomorrow ...and perhaps hit one or two with a small hammer....

Dave

[dp bradford]

OK, been looking into this tonight

After much head scratching and rummaging (I've only got one relay where Brora's shows three... and that is for my front fog lamps....) It turns out that, YES, it IS possible for both front lamps to fail simultaneously Really don't know why....

Must have been a power surge or summat.....

Anyway, two new bulbs, and every things back to normal

Dave

[Nevets]

Just for thought
How many cars/vans do you see driving about with just one headlight workining

I see loads.

So it's fair to assume that when the other bulb then fails you think you have a lighting fault other than both bulbs blowing independently at different times

Not many folks check there lights much but as the nights get earlier we see more of these callouts and they nearly all say it's a fuse/switch/relay fault when infact it is only the bulbs.

Of course there is the exception where the vehicle has a underlying leccy fault but that's very rare...

Glad it was something simple/cheap

Cheers Steve

[Yamaha]

I would be inclined to check the lighting earth connections - running under voltage can cause headlights to fail.

Also found with my oldish bikes - electrical connector blocks that have lain undisturbed for yonks can tarnish - a few hours spent in the sun disconnecting, cleaning, and refitting all the ones you can find will pay dividends in the long run. Maplins, I believe, sell cans of Switch Cleaner, ideal for the purpose.

Mike

[helen&tony]

Hi Dave
Glad you got it sorted...ours went suddenly one very dim, and one failed....turned out to be bulbs, as it is law that you must use headlights from november till march, or thereabouts, during the day, and it seems to wear the bulbs out too quickly....and they were a well-respected make. We nearly had to come home one night last winter with our friends sitting on the bonnet with a divining rod!!!
Cheers
Helen