One Lo HID not Working

[Big T]

Been having problems with the RH LO HID headlight going out. I can get it restarted by turning the switch off, then back on, or by switching on the Hi beams (all 4 on Hi set-up) and back to Lo. The final insult came yesterday coming down from Big Beat doing to aforementioned routine to keep it on and it appears that the bulb just blew up, evidenced by bits of glass in the new headlight housing. I have a second set of ballasts and Hid bulbs I'm going to try, but there are some indications I might have a headlight switch problem.

If there was a problem with the switch, could it affect just one side or would it affect both sides? How hard is it to replace the switch (ie How much of the dash do you have to take apart?)?

 

[ak diesel driver]

switch is pretty easy to install. just pull the dash bezel and it's right there

 

[Burning oil]

Are you running the HID relay harness? if not you should as all the current must go through the switch (Kind of like OPS relay mod) Probably wont fix the one headlight thing though.

 

[Big T]

Yes, running the HID relay harness. No fuses burned.

There was one or two instances where I turned the headlight switch off and both lights went off (I have the DRL, so they're always on).

I will first try testing with a different ballast. If that fails, then I go to the switch.

BTW was doing some offroading with my wife in the mountains around Big Bear and got my first badge of honor, a fist sized dent below the left tail light. I had to do a 3 point turn to reverse our track as the road was closed ahead. The trough in the road was deep enough at that spot that I was jamming the RF tow hook into a rock and impeding progress. I got the love tap backing up out of that to adjust my entry to the trail. Oh well, guess that's why you use a 15 year old truck for such fun things. Can't imagine doing that with the new trucks and their painted plastic bumpers.

 

[Big T]

Alright, had enough time to change out the suspect ballast this evening and that seemed to do the trick. Both Lo beams are staying on. The Driver's side light appears to be a different color, even though both are new 4300K HID bulbs. It has a reddish yellow tinge to it after starting out the same color as the passenger side. I'm wondering if that ballast is on it's way out?

I like the beam spread of the new headlight housings. Superior to the prior POS. I still need to do the "Matuva Mod" to get them to sit flush with the grill. Still, I'm pleased enough with these housings that I'm going order a second back up set.

 

[Big T]

These are the new head light housings I bought:

http://m.ebay.com/itm?itemId=301143760278

You can see the better mirror pattern and more robust reflector cup on the lo side. They throw a good broad beam of light. They still need the "Matuva Mod" to make them sit flush with the grill.

 

[Big T]

Here's a pic of my old housings:

http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/album.php?albumid=530

Note the fewer vertical hatch marks in the mirrors. This pattern is inferior.
Also note the deflector cup has dropped down. Close inspection reveals that the metal has not melted or be t. Instead heat imparted from the metal melted the plastic attaching bracket, allowing it to drop down. The plastic bottom of the bracket is what held the deflector in it's horizontal position. Once it melted away, there was only the single attaching screw holding the deflector. The deflector in the new housings attaches to the back wall of the housing and uses the metal of the deflector to hold it horizontal, like an "L" bracket.

That my Taiwanese headlight housing assessment of the day.

 

[ak diesel driver]

So those appear to be projector style?

Sent from my Studio 5.0s using Tapatalk

 

[Big T]

No. Projector style have the round globe lens over the bulb. These are just plain "Euro Style" with a clear lens, as opposed to the OEM style with the vertical hatch lines on the inside of the lens.