Re: Possible culprits behind intermittent headlight loss?

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:10:46 -0400, Mike Romain <romainm@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:

>Doc wrote:
>> Have a '66 Fairlane wagon, the headlights will blank out after maybe
>> 15 - 20 minutes on low beam. Turning the switch off for a few secs and
>> then turning on will typically get them back on tem****arily but
>> they'll continue to go out. Further, hitting the hi beams is almost
>> guaranteed to kill the lights. Replaced the switch and the floor
>> dimmer, neither cures the problem.
>> 
>> Any suggestions as to where to begin looking?
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>
>I see that happen to old vehicle when folks try to run halogen bulbs in 
>them without adding a power relay.
>
>The bimetal circuit breakers in the old switches cannot take the amp 
>draw the modern halogen bulbs draw.
>
>The old time conversion kits that were sold when halogens first came out 
>are a simple Bosch relay that is fused to the battery and wired so the 
>switch is just the trigger for the relay.
>

There is almost no difference in the current draw between the old
bulbs and halogen.  

>Here is a site on how to wire one in.
>http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/projects/bosch/relay.htm
>
>The other reason I see the breaker cook is a bad connection in the plug 
>for the headlight switch.  The main power wire's spade connector can get 
>ratty which will cause arcs and heat and breaker failure.
>
>I see this same bad connection on the floor dimmer switch plugs.
>
>And last, a bad ground can cause heat issues.  I would verify the 
>headlight ground tags and the body's main ground from the battery.
>
>Mike
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