No headlights??

[Dinty]

G'day All,
Tonight my headlights died, just driving along all of a sudden I'm in the dark!!.
I did replace the headlight switch about 14 months ago, but about 4 months ago the headlights would just go out, touch the headlight switch and they would come back on, and generally stay on, this had been going on/off until tonight, very scary driving in traffic using high beam quickly on/off so as not to annoy too many drivers, I managed to get home safely, so where do I start looking??.
Will it be the switch, it was replaced with a ?genuine 'Lucas' well it came in a Lucas box, or is the turn/Hi/Lo switch U/S??:( cheers Dennis:angel:

[bee utey]

Anyone who replaces a melted LR headlamp switch and doesn't do a headlamp relay wiring upgrade at the same time WILL melt another switch.

[Dinty]

The original switch didn't melt, it virtually fell apart/separated itself, and I don't run anything other than std L/Rover headlights, vehicle is 29 years old,,.

[Dougal]

Anyone who replaces a melted LR headlamp switch and doesn't do a headlamp relay wiring upgrade at the same time WILL melt another switch.

Agreed. I did the relay upgrade about 5 years ago. Gained about 2v at the bulbs and lots more light.

[bee utey]

The original switch didn't melt, it virtually fell apart/separated itself, and I don't run anything other than std L/Rover headlights, vehicle is 29 years old,,.
Well its made of low temperature thermoplastic, failure is what it does best. Warmth from the current passing through degrades the plastic without any extra help from the suns heat.

[bushrover]

Anyone who replaces a melted LR headlamp switch and doesn't do a headlamp relay wiring upgrade at the same time WILL melt another switch.

+1

Mine had a dummy relay behind the instruments that fried itself. Upgrade with a relay in the circuit. Your headlights and switch will love you for it....

It's a very very basic circuit, so trace the fault with a test light or multimeter.

Rick

[JDNSW]

The fault is likely to be either the switch (almost certain in view of the comment about it being sensitive to touch for a while) or the multifunction switch.

Adding relays is well worthwhile for the reasons listed by others.

I added a dual relay after my switch failed - located on the inner mudguard just behind the LH headlight, and taking its power feed direct from the alternator output, where the voltage is highest.

Since then I have had the relay fail twice....... (bulbs are standard, but the light output is much better than standard).

I would also comment that I have had to replace the actual plugs on the bulbs as they melted (with standard bulbs). Good quality, these Lucas fittings!
John

[Dougal]

Well its made of low temperature thermoplastic, failure is what it does best. Warmth from the current passing through degrades the plastic without any extra help from the suns heat.

And the britpart ones are so fragile they'll break apart when tightening the mounting screws.
I had a new britpart one, it broke 3 times, including when the wife was driving. Each time it had more and more steel reinforcement glued in and then it'd break in a different place.

Fitted a lucas and no more breaking.

I went for four relays. High and low beam behind each head-light.