Why are my Lo Beams burning out?

[OldHoster]

I know it was said earlier to check your voltage it is likely high at the harness. This could easily hurt other electrical components in the system.

I don’t know if this has been said but I would convert it over to an LED style bulb either way.

 

[alpinecrick]

Here's what I did with my 88...
www.gmt400.com/threads/electrical-upgrade-just-do-it.51911/#post-1145991

Peter,
Do you happen to still have the link for the relay/fuse box you used?

 

[thegawd]

LED headlights are straight up illegal if the vehicle was not manufactured with them. there are still a whole bunch of us who like to keep our trucks legal. the law reads the vehicle must be equipped with the headlight system AND bulbs it was manufactured with and any alteration at all with the lense or the bulb disqualifies a DOT/SAE approval and therefore illegal.

After the headlight wiring mods my lights are absolutely fine with cheap halogen bulbs. I can see perfect and so can my wife. She has a hard time driving at night and those LEDS just destroy her vision when a vehicle with them comes passed her.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Peter,
Do you happen to still have the link for the relay/fuse box you used?

They're on post #8 in that link.

 

[Hpilot]

Just read your trouble with lights. Try getting an accurate amp draw on the individual bulb. Ammeter must be inline with the wiring.
Then check that amp reading against the bulb specs to see if your not over drawing amps., or use ohms law and take the wattage and the voltage of the bulb and determine the bulbs current Value. Compare the calculated current to what you are actually drawing on the bulb.
Sometimes a low voltage to the bulb will cause a higher amp draw, thereby shortening the lifespan. Hope that wasn’t to confusing.

 

[Schurkey]

96 and 97 K1500's.

Both trucks still have the factory "driving lights" feature that come on as soon as I turn the key on.

BIG difference between "Driving lights" and "Damned Daytime Running Lights" (DDRL).

Driving lights are like high beams on steroids.

DDRLs are useless and annoying. They're a nanny-state, regulatory wet-dream.

Shurkey and others have mentioned too high of a voltage can contribute to shorter bulb life.

Depending on where you live--and therefore what "rules" are in place, headlights are rated for BRIGHTNESS at 12.8 volts (North America) or 13.2 volts (Not NA). Thus the 12.8 volts printed on the boxes.

However, they're rated for SERVICE LIFE at 13.2, or at 14 volts. A small increase in voltage results in substantially more light output, but cuts the bulb life in half. They're talking 5% more voltage = 20% more light, and 50% less service life.

www.carlightblog.com/2012/08/16/the-critical-1-5-volts-high-on-board-voltage-short-lamp-life/

The critical 1.5 volts - High on-board voltage, short lamp life - OSRAM Carlight Blog

Numerous questions and comments have indicated to us that a lot of drivers are interested in the service life of halogen lamps in car headlights. In this third part of our series, we discuss the influence of operating voltage. Conventional AA batteries and many others have 1.5 volts. That’s not...

www.carlightblog.com

The best single-source of headlight info is http://www.danielsternlighting.com/home.html

You guys have any ideas or is it a function that Sylvanias actually do have a short lifespan?

Yes, as has been mentioned--high-output "boutique" bulbs can have crappy service life.

In the course of replacing my bulbs, I found I could rattle the relays and the headlights would flicker--my ChiCom relay box--and especially the connectors the relay spades slide into--are junk. Do any of you fine citizens have a good source for a quality relay and fuse box with decent connectors?
I would appreciate any helpful info......

I bought a bunch of relays and connectors; I'm probably set-for-life with what I have. Which is too bad, I discovered later that there are weatherproof, sealed relay-connector assemblies.

That's probably what we'd really want for this application. Next time you're at the Treasure Yard, look for fuel pump relays and their connectors. Some of them are the sealed kind.

I don’t know if this has been said but I would convert it over to an LED style bulb either way.

"Most" LED conversions are not compatible with OEM housings. Oh, sure, the thing fits inside, and glows brightly. Problem is, the OEM bulb has the filament in a certain place, and the LEDs have corncob elements. The difference in location from the filament to the multiple corncobs destroys the focus of the beam. You get lots of light--scattered randomly.

The housing has to be designed for the LED element, so the light gets directed where it needs to be, and NOT directed at oncoming traffic.

 

[smdk2500]

Same here, bulbs are 12 plus years old, haven't replaced one since I've had the truck.

Thinking more about it. Part of mine is I don't drive at night much. I have issues with on coming traffic's lights. It screws with my vision sometimes. I really want to kick the ***** in the nuts that have those blue tinted bulbs. They really screw with my eyes. Also want to kick the ones that think low beams are optional just like a turn signal.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Thinking more about it. Part of mine is I don't drive at night much. I have issues with on coming traffic's lights. It screws with my vision sometimes. I really want to kick the ***** in the nuts that have those blue tinted bulbs. They really screw with my eyes. Also want to kick the ones that think low beams are optional just like a turn signal.

Just fix 'em up with my ex-wife. They'll take their own lives saving us the trouble!

 

[Schurkey]

I really want to kick the ***** in the nuts that have those blue tinted bulbs. They really screw with my eyes. Also want to kick the ones that think low beams are optional just like a turn signal.

...and the mucking featheads that use fog lamps when it's not foggy.

It's gotten so that around here, folks will use six friggin' headlights, in town, with oncoming traffic.

 

[smdk2500]

...and the mucking featheads that use fog lamps when it's not foggy.

It's gotten so that around here, folks will use six friggin' headlights, in town, with oncoming traffic.

I get those every once and a while. When I was still driving my 95 gasser if I had people not dim there lights and I was in a fowl mood I'd kick on my 54" light bar for a second. They would dim real quick. Was doing that legal? No. Was it smart to blind another driver? No. Did it make me feel better? Yes. I will say that when I had my 16 F150 I would use the fog lights when not foggy. With that truck the way the light hit the ground it would light the ditches up and helped me avoid hitting bambi a few times.