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- help please!
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Section : Electrical Equipment
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Posted By : Stuart Newby, 27-Jul-2006, 03:48pm
Hi chaps/chapesses
I need some help here please!
My Vitesse's dip beam lights operate on the outside 2 lights, whilst my main beam only operates the inners, i.e. when you switch to main beam, the outers
go off and I can't seem to get the inner and outer to stay on simultaneously. (same with flashing).
Although it passed the MOT this is wrong according to memory and also the Vitesse owner's manual.
There must be a simple solution, however I am totally bemused by electrics and need an idiot's guide steer in the right direction if anyone can help me
sort this frustrating issue it would be most appreciated!
cheers Stu
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Posted By : Chris Taylor, 27-Jul-2006,
04:35pm
It is just possible that the main beam filament has gone in both outer headlamps! However, it is more likely to be a wiring problem. It's the blue and
white wires at the front of the bonnet you want to trace. (All the main beams are wired together, blue and white cable if I've read the wiring diagram
correctly). As a matter of interest, does the main beam warning light in the instrument panel come on when you select main beam?
The outers should come on with dipped filaments for dipped beam, and then the OTHER filaments in the outers AND the inners on main beam. (Dipped = 2
outer, main = all 4)
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Posted By : Tom Longley, 27-Jul-2006,
06:54pm
Hi,
Are the outer headlamps halogens? If they are, this may be the reason, as its possible that they have only dipped-beam bulbs in them. The original type
of sealed-beam that was used for the outer headlamps has two filaments; one for dipped-beam and one for main-beam. However many of the halogen
replacement set-ups I've seen are only capable of taking a single filament bulb. Thus many Vitesses with halogen conversions operate in the way you
describe.
There was a recent posting about this and I believe some owners have got the halogen set up to work with all four operating as main beam. The obvious
way to do this is with a relay but others may be able to advise alternative ways of achieving the desired effect. Alternatively, if you do have the old
sealed-beams, it may be that the bulbs have gone, as Chris suggests. Let us know what you find.....
Regards,
Tom
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Posted By : Stuart Newby, 28-Jul-2006,
09:04am
thanks chaps
Yes it has been converted to halogens in the past, so that must be the reason..however i wouldn't mind knowing how i can achieve all 4 to work on
main beam (& flash).
If anyone knows how to do this and can explain it in an idiot-proof way i'd be grateful. cheers!
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Posted By : Chris Taylor,
28-Jul-2006, 10:11pm
You need bulbs with both dipped and main beam filaments in the outer headlamps. They DO exist. (Every modern car with just two headlamps will
have this type of halogen bulb) but that assumes that whoever fitted the halogen lights fitted HEADLAMPS and not driving lights, so that your
lamp housings will take the right type of bulb with the two filaments, and hold them in the right place so they shine in the right aligment for
dipped and main beams.
Then you simply need the same wiring as the original Vitesse lamps, as shown in any manual.
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Posted By : Stuart Newby,
31-Jul-2006, 02:48pm
many thanks !
Do you know who does the dual filament ones?
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Posted By : Peter Lewis,
31-Jul-2006, 09:10pm
you need the bog standard H4 bulb any motoring shop should sell them,, read all the other messages on
this subject, its best to convert a new big feed to relays at the front and only use the old wires to operate
the relays ive got 4 on dip and 4 main it passes the mot but is not strictly correct but gives some hum dinging lighting
its the only way to get full voltage to the glow worms...peter