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Full beam bulbs keep blowing

K

Kapitain

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Location
Bedfordshire
Car
2.2 Exec tourer
Anybody got any ideas for me on this one...

Over the last 6 months or so I have gone through 4 headlight bulbs 2 on each side. Now I don't know if they were a bad batch of bulbs from halfords (standards and 90% brighter types are the ones I have tried so far) or if there is something causing this on the car... I have had a look and cant see any moisture in the headlamps and after the second one blew I made special care not to touch the glass while fitting. Should I be looking for anything in particular? Could it be because I didn't change both at the same time, only changed the blown one?

Could it be a sticking relay putting a surge through to the bulbs every time its switched on? The original bulbs gave me about 4years life!
Am I expecting too much?
 
I don't recall anyone complaining about full beam before. Do a search, there's plenty of gripes about frequent dipped beam failures though. I get through four dipped beam bulbs a year -and have tried all brands and brightnesses.

Halogen bulbs run on the ragged edge, and are particularly sensitive to being over driven. As little as a few hundred millivolts will shorten their life significantly. They inherently demand a 'surge' at switch on (unless cleverly driven - not the case in any car I'm aware of) owing to their very low cold resistance, but that doesn't adversely effect their design life. A relay can't 'create' such a surge.

As far as I know main and dipped aren't separately regulated so if you had a voltage problem you'd be blowing dipped too (more frequently in fact as they're the ones that are on the most).

I've never actually measured what my bulbs gets (at the bulb, including wiring losses) but my guess that (in my car at least) I'm running slightly hot. A new alternator / regulator is probably the fix but I've not had the wallet to bottom the problem.

The Accord is the only car I've owned that I feel the need to carry a full set of bulbs and sufficient tools to change them. I can't condone aftermarket HIDs (pet hate :mad: ), but their on board regulation might give you a longer service life. For what it's worth I also lose two or three sidelights a year too. I've not had to change an indicator yet though...
 
Matt said:
I don't recall anyone complaining about full beam before. Do a search, there's plenty of gripes about frequent dipped beam failures though. I get through four dipped beam bulbs a year -and have tried all brands and brightnesses.

Halogen bulbs run on the ragged edge, and are particularly sensitive to being over driven. As little as a few hundred millivolts will shorten their life significantly. They inherently demand a 'surge' at switch on (unless cleverly driven - not the case in any car I'm aware of) owing to their very low cold resistance, but that doesn't adversely effect their design life. A relay can't 'create' such a surge.

As far as I know main and dipped aren't separately regulated so if you had a voltage problem you'd be blowing dipped too (more frequently in fact as they're the ones that are on the most).

I've never actually measured what my bulbs gets (at the bulb, including wiring losses) but my guess that (in my car at least) I'm running slightly hot. A new alternator / regulator is probably the fix but I've not had the wallet to bottom the problem.

The Accord is the only car I've owned that I feel the need to carry a full set of bulbs and sufficient tools to change them. I can't condone aftermarket HIDs (pet hate :mad: ), but their on board regulation might give you a longer service life. For what it's worth I also lose two or three sidelights a year too. I've not had to change an indicator yet though...
Click to expand...

Like you I have tried several H1 bulbs, the ones with the shortest lifespan (2-3 months max) are the OSRAM Nightbreaker. Given how challenging it is to get any hand into the small space available on either side, I've given up on these expensive ones and now buy generic ones on the internet for a quid a time - and they seem to last much much longer.
 
I'm still on my original bulbs both high and low beam, car is 6 years old now. I was told the Honda bulbs are long lifers, not sure if there's any truth to that, but have you tried oem ones? I've changed the side lights once, for oem, and need to do my reg plate bulbs, have a couple of oem ones for that too.

There was a member a couple of weeks ago with an issue his bulbs blowing too.... http://typeaccord.co.uk/forum/topic/15582-headlights-keep-popping/page__p__170348__hl__bulbs__fromsearch__1#entry170348

I haven't seen a thread where someone has sorted the problem though :unsure: :unsure:
 
I think it's a mix between brightness and life.

In the OSRAMs Nightbreakers PLUS I get about 10 months on dips (I use my lights all the time). I'm still on the Honda original heads as these are used way less.
 
I have given up on both filament bulbs and xenons...

I now use these..

pl1659389-50w_h4_h7_h8_h9_h10_cree_led_car_headlights_3600lm_12v_auto_led_headlamp.jpg


They are Cree bulbs that produce circa 3000Lm and like all cree lighting they will last longer than the car.
 
Jon_G said:
Are they legal?
Click to expand...

As long as you have the same system as the factory xenons....

Self levelers, optics and washers.

They would slaughter on coming traffic if in standard headlight housings.

I have been through MOT with them in my Megan R26... A Northern Ireland MOT that is not one of the back garage England types!
 
Thanks all, I didn't realise there were so many other people with a similar problem!!

Sorry gents, I get confused... dipped beam, full beam, low beam, main lights, brights!! The ones im talking about are the halfords number 448 or full beam they call it. :blush:

No I havent tried an OEM bulb perhaps I'll give that a go, otherwise I'll try Amazon. How did the originals last 6-7ish years! Yes the standard lighting isnt great on the accords but I don't feel I can justify the conversion kits. At least 80% of my night driving is on main roads.

Thanks all for your help.
 
Well last week I drove into work with the lights on...
But had to drive home with the fog lights on!! Both left and right bulbs were blown (dipped beam - H1)!! Does that ever happen?!? 2 at once?!? Thats like a few weeks life I got from the last bulb! Ouch. I have now bought a pack of 10 H1 bulbs from amazon. Cheap as chips... I wonder how long these will last?

This time I have squeezed the crimps with pliers so that its a tighter connection in case that was the cause. We will see how it goes...
 
Yes, dipped and full beams are H1 (55W) bulbs. If you're blowing these every could of weeks then there's something seriously wrong. Either:

1. Moisture is getting in there
2. Vibration is excessive
3. Voltage is too high
4. Heat is not being dissipated

As you're getting these on BOTH sides, it's something common to both sides. Moisture, voltage?
 
I didn't see any moisture but I'll have another look...
Voltage I can measure... im ***uming I measure it off load (i.e. no bulb connected)
Could be vibration, not sure how to check that...?
Heat dissipating...again how do I check that?

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
Check the voltage accross the battery at idle, and again with someone holding it at about 3000rpm, it shouldn't go higher than around 14.4v
 
Why have them on all the time?? and are those Volvo lamps different in some way. In any case the headlamps on Honda are separately fused I think they should blow first??
 
I don't see how this is a diesel problem? Maybe diesel owners report more bulb problems because there are more diesel Accords?
 
And they are busy driving more miles instead of filling up with petrol ;)
 
Dave G said:
And they are busy driving more miles instead of filling up with petrol ;)
Click to expand...
Nah, they are busier replacing VSA modules, changing fuel filters, working though DMF clutch problems and listening for Turbo faults. :D B) :ph34r:
 
Don't petrol's have VSA?

As for the rest just turn the music up and forget about the smoke screen :)
 
Dave G said:
Don't petrol's have VSA?
Click to expand...
Only the 2.4's - and 66-1 seems to be uniquely diesel code. :p
 
The £200 a month I am saving on fuel can go towards any repairs if/when they happen. For now I'm just enjoying driving it, though my last one had a few of the common diesel faults
 
£200 / month saving over petrol - wow.

Figures for the diesel is 55mpg and 2.0 petrol are 38mpg. So the difference of 17mpg on usage which equates to a saving of £200? Just how many miles per month are you doing?

<edit> BTW I'm genuinely interested, not trying to sound smart.
 
jayok said:
Nah, they are busier replacing VSA modules, changing fuel filters, working though DMF clutch problems and listening for Turbo faults. :D B) :ph34r:
Click to expand...
aye, then changing bulbs they got stashed in the glove box that's once the exhaust manifold issue has been booked in for a service.::p
 
jayok said:
£200 / month saving over petrol - wow.

Figures for the diesel is 55mpg and 2.0 petrol are 38mpg. So the difference of 17mpg on usage which equates to a saving of £200? Just how many miles per month are you doing?

<edit> BTW I'm genuinely interested, not trying to sound smart.
Click to expand...
I'm doing over 2000 miles a month and averaging 55-60mpg
I tried my petrol car on the same journey which is supposed to get 40mpg and only managed 35mpg while driving like miss daisy.
My Accord is getting good mpg while driving how I want to and not constantly watching the fuel gauge.
 
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