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Martyn

Member Since: 10 Feb 2011
Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands
Posts: 151

2014 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 PU Keswick Green

Lights - Condensation

2011 MY 110 DCPS XS - had it from new, 10 months now. Have an issue with the 4 x front dome lenses, 2 side repeaters, 4 x rear dome lenses and 2 x rear large NAS type round lights. They all keep filling with heavy condensation and filling up with water.

Had them all off several times, dried out with a hair dryer, put back - no joy.

Stealers replaced the lot under warranty - they didn't say a thing just did it - no joy.

Had them all off, dried out with a hair dryer, sealed the threads and base where dome meets the backing plate with plastic solvent cement & put a gob of vaseline round the foam washer - 12 hours later after rain - full of heavy condensation.

Pretty much give up & peed off keep taking them on and off. Neighbours must think I'm OCD.

Can anyone please recommend a 3rd party alternative to he original LR ones (which ent cheap!!) and do not let the water in ? (or am I missing something here?)

25th Apr 2012 5:12pm

mobilecentre

Member Since: 05 Mar 2012
Location: Evesham
Posts: 645

The OE LR ones are the best of a bad bunch. I have looked at brand new unregistered vehicles prior to shipping to dealers and seen water in them!

Of course you could change to LED units which are fully sealed....

25th Apr 2012 5:52pm

rossy

Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Co. Roscommon
Posts: 1296

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Stornoway Grey

Have they got the (thin but effective) rubber gasket at the back of them ?

My Defender has leaked like a sieve into the front footwells for the last six months until I sealed up the gap between the windscreen frame + bulkhead,, windscreen rubber and the screen hinges. Bone dry ever since. The point I'm making is that with the monumental volume of rain we've had here in Ireland I am surprised my lights haven't filled up with water but they haven't so the gasket is the only thing I can think of that has prevented this. The screws holding the lenses go right through them and they can get bunched up if you're not careful

25th Apr 2012 7:26pm

XS Pete

Member Since: 13 Jan 2011
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 632

2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey

I bet these are Wipac units. The Perei (LEP) units fitted to some vehicles don't seem to suffer the same way. From a bit of investigation I did when we discussed this on here before, I think the lens part is better aligned to the back plate when they're glued together. If the two halves aren't well aligned then water can get inside the lamp half way down the inside of the tubes that the mounting screws go through.

Have a look inside one next time you take them off, and you'll see what I mean.

Pete

25th Apr 2012 8:54pm

Martyn

Member Since: 10 Feb 2011
Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands
Posts: 151

rossy wrote:
Have they got the (thin but effective) rubber gasket at the back of them ?

My Defender has leaked like a sieve into the front footwells for the last six months until I sealed up the gap between the windscreen frame + bulkhead,, windscreen rubber and the screen hinges. Bone dry ever since. The point I'm making is that with the monumental volume of rain we've had here in Ireland I am surprised my lights haven't filled up with water but they haven't so the gasket is the only thing I can think of that has prevented this. The screws holding the lenses go right through them and they can get bunched up if you're not careful

All the lights do have the large foam seal at the back which the screws go through. On new lights, its about 2mm thick but after being compressed.... slither thin & is a foam not a rubber.

25th Apr 2012 9:03pm

Martyn

Member Since: 10 Feb 2011
Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands
Posts: 151

XS Pete wrote:
I bet these are Wipac units. The Perei (LEP) units fitted to some vehicles don't seem to suffer the same way. From a bit of investigation I did when we discussed this on here before, I think the lens part is better aligned to the back plate when they're glued together. If the two halves aren't well aligned then water can get inside the lamp half way down the inside of the tubes that the mounting screws go through.

Have a look inside one next time you take them off, and you'll see what I mean.

Pete

Funny enough, the lenses are all embossed with LEP - ENGLAND. Allignment is a problem, some of them are pretty centre and others pushed over a little so no constant gap around the base. Did use a micro needle and clear plastic cement to try seal it but to no avail it seems.

25th Apr 2012 9:07pm

XS Pete

Member Since: 13 Jan 2011
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 632

That's interesting. When mine was new the lights were a 50:50 split between the two types, and the LEP ones were all good, so I ended up swapping out the remaining Wipac ones for LEP and have had no problems since.

I suppose it must just be the luck of the draw then.

Pete

25th Apr 2012 9:13pm

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