Thread: Headlights - keeps blowing globes

What do the failures look like? I am sure I have seen (online, perhaps Hella or Philips website) a chart showing different failure types and causes.

You could install an 0.1 ohm 5 watt resistor into the supply wire to each low beam globe, making it run about 0.5 volt lower.

Originally Posted by bee utey

You could install an 0.1 ohm 5 watt resistor into the supply wire to each low beam globe, making it run about 0.5 volt lower.

Oh the irony. The rest of us are trying to get more volts to the bulbs.

beeutey, hmmm I see the idea and the electrical guys at work also suggested a capacitor across the globe as well. I don't know I wish them to be a bit dimmer, I am a bit disappointed with the light output as it is compared to my last daily driver being a P38.

Originally Posted by BigJon

What do the failures look like? I am sure I have seen (online, perhaps Hella or Philips website) a chart showing different failure types and causes.

Thanks for the idea a bit of googling found http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a235199.pdf

looking at some of the pictures and having a very brief read it looks like the gas/vacuum escaped from my last globe - here's a shot of the blown filament

Seems to lead to vibration, or grease on the glass causing fractures. I usually put them in with a lint free cloth also doing my best not to touch the glass with the cloth either, and I have replaced a few with disposable rubber gloves and thought maybe the talc powder is bad for them also.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Oh the irony. The rest of us are trying to get more volts to the bulbs.

Haha, of course a single voltage alternator on a RRC needs all the help it can get. The L322 must have variable charging as that filament looks melted from overvoltage.

Perhaps a better answer would be to go LED:

H7 Led bulbs

They're multivolt 12 to 24V so should handle anything that doesn't fry the L322 ECU.

the TD6 is constant voltage. Variable came in with TDV8.

13.7v seems about right for L322 and is definitely not too high. Either the voltage is spiking (problem with regulator) which should be recording somewhere as multiple system are monitoring voltage, or more likely voltage too low at the globe.

I had the same issue with the D2 several years ago, low beam globes lasting about 2-3 months. Didn't bother checking anything, just fitted relays (bypassing factory switching & loom) which gave better light and no blown globes since, which must be 10-12 years now.

I then had this problem with the wife's Golf. Was a dirty earth (voltage too low), driver side globe (low beam or parker light) used to last about month, haven't had to replace one in over 3 years since I pulled all connectors and earth point and cleaned them up. the 2 globes had one point in common, earth connection for driver side light cluster. Others don't see the hours to be effected. And that 3 years is a lot of hours for the low beam globes, it has DRLs turned on so that globe is running when ever the engine is running. "Common problem" says our VW specialist when I asked him....

VW have the same LCM system as L322.

If you have issues with both low beams, I would be looking at connectors providing power to the LCM. The low beams will be affected because they are the highest drawers apart from the high beam, but the high beam don't see the hours. From the LCM each low beam globe has it's own wire, so the common connector is power supply to the LCM - or dare i say it the LCM itself. Pull all the connectors (3) off the LCM, clean re-seat. then move up the line. Connector to the fuse box behind glove box & the fuse itself. While you're there, do the headlight plugs just for fun.

I didn't have an issue with my original Qh bulbs, but wanted more light so fitted cheapie HID from China ( no error stated) and they work fine these last 5 months.
Can buy a set for less than $100 including postage from Ebay.
From memory, 35W set abt $65 and 55W set abt $90.
There is a delay first firing up but the light output is great.

As another thought, the LCM can be programed to run the headlights as DRL's at a reduced setting, are your headlights on while driving, but dimmer, even if turned off at the switch?

Fraser