Connectors off inside of headlight

[cem1965]

Hi please can anyone tell me what type of connector this is? it connects to the wireing inside my aftermarket headlights, the white connectors are what they connect to and as you can see i have toasted one.

Any help would be very greatfull.

Thanks

[FatHead1979]

Not sure what kind of connector but it is "just" a straightforward connector with no electronics integrated into it.  If you're struggling to source a replacement why don't you just splice the wires together, as long as you splice them together properly and make sure the joint is properly protected from water etc you should be fine.

[cem1965]

this is a image of the burnt connector, it appers to have a resistor or something inside.

[FatHead1979]

36 minutes ago, cem1965 said:

this is a image of the burnt connector, it appers to have a resistor or something inside.

Ah, not so simple then.  Also for THAT to happen, something somewhere must have not been as it should have been.

[cem1965]

Yes i think its because i used HID's and it obviosly wasn't designed for them, although i did ask when i bought them if it was compatable with HID and they said yes. I was wondering if i put an inline fuse on that wire if that would make it safer.

[Simon_K]

The unburnt blue block has the image of a diode on it, and that’s what’s burnt in the image above. As I understand, HID’s run at a much higher higher voltage, typically 25000v to start and 100v to operate.

If your car has hid’s a fuse won’t help and you might end up burning it down completely. A bit more info as to what you’re trying to do might help.

[cem1965]

Thanks,

I these are the lights that i'm fitting. But my car dosn't have HID's origanaly but i can still use 100w halagen, yes.

[Simon_K]

So you’re fitting an aftermarket HID Kit to a pair of aftermarket lights?

i won’t go into the legalities (need for self levelling motors and headlight washers, etc). 

But if I remember rightly from when I fitted an aftermarket HID Kit to my old vectra, the vendor probably meant the hid lamp will physically fit because it’s a replacement for a standard lamp (h4, h11 or whatever). 

Onto the blue block. I guess you’ve tried fitting it between ballast and lamp and that’s when it melted? If so that’s because of what I wrote earlier (25000v into a 12v device doesn’t work). It was probably meant to go on the low voltage (input) side, but that’s just guess. No instructions with the kit?

What th diode is for I’m not sure. Could be to stop the lights faintly glowing when turned off or could be something to do with canbus?

[cem1965]

I did have it fitted to HID's and I think this is what caused it to burn, but im know fitting it to halagons, the blue connector was part of the inside of the light wireing and it was sealed in, i had to cut the bottom square off to get it out. I have know fitted a 10amp fues on a inline fuse holder and sealed it back into the light, but i am using 100w halagen bulbs so i hope i dont have the same problem again.

Thanks

[Micro]

49 minutes ago, cem1965 said:

I did have it fitted to HID's and I think this is what caused it to burn, but im know fitting it to halagons, the blue connector was part of the inside of the light wireing and it was sealed in, i had to cut the bottom square off to get it out. I have know fitted a 10amp fues on a inline fuse holder and sealed it back into the light, but i am using 100w halagen bulbs so i hope i dont have the same problem again.

Thanks

100W bulbs will pull anywhere between 6-8A - you may pop the 10A fuse when it first lights as the resistance of the filament will be much lower than when it is at operating temperature. 100W bulbs will also put out a lot more heat - make sure that your headlights are capable of managing that without melting. For comparison, the standard headlight bulbs are 55W (4-5A approx operating current) fused for 10A. 

Remember your wiring needs to be capable of carrying the working current, and the possible fault current required to blow the fuse. You need to also make sure that all your connections are good and tight (low resistance). I would possibly also get a garage to check the headlight alignment - with 100W of light output, if it's wrong, you will be dazzling and annoying other drivers. I would get a garage to check headlight alignment and beam pattern after you've fitted everything - better to find out now if it will fail the MOT (if anything can't be adjusted properly) now than when it's due to expire.

[cem1965]

Okay good thinking thanks for your advice.

[FatHead1979]

I can confirm that using the "standard" MK2 housing, 100 watt bulbs work without any problems in relation to melting the housing/popping fuses or failing the MOT/blinding other drivers.  Although clearly I think it would rather anti-social to fit 100 watt bulbs and not have the headlight alignment checked/adjusted to ensure that oncoming drivers aren't being dazzled.

[cem1965]

The headlight alignment was checked and it as passed the MOT with them so they must be legal and setup right.

[Micro]

3 hours ago, cem1965 said:

The headlight alignment was checked and it as passed the MOT with them so they must be legal and setup right.

Then bobs your uncle and ann is your aunt! As much as I (and some other posters) might seem like the fun spoilers, we have all had that one driver at night with ridiculously mis-aligned headlights that is actually dangerous. 

[Dee_82]

what wattage ballast did you use on the HIDs?

the lamps are halogen lamps, halogen lamps are not and never will be compatible with HIDs, the reason being the focal point of a halogen bulb is different to the focal point on an HID, if you stick an HID in a halogen projector the pattern can be way off typically curving up at the edges. if you used a 55w ballast then you probably cooked it. typically the standard ballast is 35w, I wouldn't recommend using higher ones, you may end up blinding other road users (you wont have auto levellers) and bringing unwanted attention to your self.

I would strongly suggest you ditch the fake xenon's and install some normal bulbs, road legal, without that blue crap on them and being more yellow, you will notice a huge different in visibility.

I know a wee bit about this since I built my own proper xenon lamps :D

[Dee_82]

On ‎06‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 1:28 PM, Simon_K said:

i won’t go into the legalities (need for self levelling motors and headlight washers, etc). 

Onto the blue block. I guess you’ve tried fitting it between ballast and lamp and that’s when it melted? If so that’s because of what I wrote earlier (25000v into a 12v device doesn’t work). It was probably meant to go on the low voltage (input) side, but that’s just guess. No instructions with the kit?

Don't need levellers for halogen projectors, and technically, you don't NEED levellers on xenon's either BUT if it was built with levellers then they must be working, (or you live in NI)

On ‎06‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 3:24 PM, Micro said:

Onto the blue block. I guess you’ve tried fitting it between ballast and lamp and that’s when it melted? If so that’s because of what I wrote earlier (25000v into a 12v device doesn’t work). It was probably meant to go on the low voltage (input) side, but that’s just guess. No instructions with the kit?

25Kv is fine in 12V device assuming there isn't electrical components within it.....like diodes and ICs :)

in fairness, as you mentioned the high voltage side comes from the Ballast to the ignitor and directly to the bulb. you shouldn't have high voltage anywhere else.  if I was to guess, I suspect the resistor or whatever it was, was as mentioned above, to aid CANBUS issues, its not a problem on the Mk2 focus since its not used for sidelight bulbs anyway so you probably don't need it.

 

[Dee_82]

On ‎07‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 3:56 PM, 1979Damian said:

I can confirm that using the "standard" MK2 housing, 100 watt bulbs work without any problems in relation to melting the housing/popping fuses or failing the MOT/blinding other drivers.  Although clearly I think it would rather anti-social to fit 100 watt bulbs and not have the headlight alignment checked/adjusted to ensure that oncoming drivers aren't being dazzled.

id be careful with that advice, not so much from the lamp but the harness. lot of burnt out cars because of doing just that

[DJ_Andy_M]

6 hours ago, Dee_82 said:

Don't need levellers for halogen projectors, and technically, you don't NEED levellers on xenon's either BUT if it was built with levellers then they must be working, (or you live in NI)

Wrong. The legislation was changed.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aftermarket-hid-headlamps/aftermarket-hid-headlamps

3. HID headlamp unit requirements

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the aftermarket should:

• be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component
• when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place)
• comply with RVLR as far as “use” is concerned

In practice this means:

• the headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be “e-marked” to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. - who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory
• once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have “self-levelling suspension” and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam
• the headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly in the same way as any other headlamp

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

In summary: it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.

[Dee_82]

ah huh, now tell me, which MOT stations check for type approval of each lamp on the car?, what Chinese lamps which you can bet your bottom haven't been officially checked but maintain the E markings.

I'm talking about the MOT guide lines

[Dee_82]

also. there are many cars of a certain age with Xenons and no self levelling, which is why the guides say, "if fitted" it must be working unless you live in NI

[cem1965]

I have been thinking about using LED Bulbs in my standard reflector headlights, please can anyone tell me which is best as i have tried the normal LED Bulbs, (the once without the heatsinks what you just plug in like a normal bulb) but they are very dim, is there any that give a bright light beem.

Thanks for any help.

[Dee_82]

Dude, 

legalities aside, don't bother mate, get some good halogen bulbs in those lamps of yours, that is what they are designed for. the problem you have with fitting any bulb in to a lamp that it wasn't designed for is that the lens / reflector is designed to work with a specific focal point of light, amount of light generated and the spread of that light. if you add too much power, move the focal point of the light, or have the light projected in a different direction, your lamp will not be able to do the job it was designed for. you will end up with either really crap levels of lighting, really crap spread of lighting or worse, set fire to your car. 

 

I don't mean to be cheeky or anything but its people who slapped HIDs in to reflectors that got that law banning all HID modifications introduced.  There is nothing wrong with HIDs if done correctly but those reflector / HID conversion kits gave the practice a really bad name which ruined it for the rest of us. 

Legalities aside, your choices are these

Option 1 Slap some good 50W halogens in your existing projectors

Option 2 Modify the halogen projector with a dedicated and designed Xenon projector

Option 3 Buy a set of real Xenon lamps and mod them in.

 

Option 2 is illegal but it will pass an MOT if done right

Option 3 as above however it can be legal but will cost you a lot of money and may require further modifications to the car