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| bpman Member Since: 21 May 2008 Location: Oslo Posts: 8069  
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if it has dim-dip there is a pink relay behind the dash, these can be bypassed easily, but your problem is probably the stubby light switch, these melt with any bulb other than 55/60's
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17th Dec 2013 8:11am |
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| kipperthedog Member Since: 27 Jun 2013 Location: Down South Posts: 403 
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....I think the stubby switch just melts for fun.....it doesn't matter what the bulbs are!
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It is at least not an onerous job to replace it. |
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17th Dec 2013 8:25am |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5647 
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Yep sounds like the switch.
Andy |
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17th Dec 2013 8:27am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17314 
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If you have main beam but not dip it's more likely to be the dip/flash/indicator switch (long stalk) than the lights on/off switch (short stalk) suggested above.
Either or both of these switches tend to heat up causeing the plastic to soften and the contacts to move. |
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17th Dec 2013 9:03am |
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| Will.I.AM Member Since: 16 May 2013 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 408 
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thanks guys, i will have a look at lunch and get the bits i need.
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17th Dec 2013 9:42am |
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| Diablo Member Since: 26 Oct 2011 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 335 
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you need to sort the thing out properly and relay the headlights, otherwise this will keep happening.
The guide below is based on my 1985 90 with a 200tdi, so there will be some differences (eg where I've mounted the relays may not be accessible) What you need (this is based on the relays being mounted under the n/s wing - worth checking all measurements for your own installation): 2 relays 2 relay sockets (optional) 2 headlight connectors box (optional) 4m of 4mm brown wire - feed to the relays. 5m of 2mm blue/white wire and 5m of 2mm blue/red wire - feed from relay to lights 2m of 2.5mm black wire - earth for headlights (could prob get away with 1m if necessary) unsplit convoluted tubing - I went for 2m of 13mm and 5m of 10mm (all int diameter) 3 connectors for the tubing - 1 for the 13mm and two for the 10mm Couple of fuses - I went for 15am although 10a would be fine the usual selection of heatshrink and terminals. total cost for the above from PoleVolt was just under £30. I tended to over order the quantities slightly to ensure I didn't run out. 
First job: decide where you want to put the relays. I opted for under the passenger wing in a waterproof ABS box. I mounted it on a bit of galv steel I had laying around, bolted under the airbox mount. I used a piece of hardboard to screw the relaybrackets to. This was a 'wedge' fit, but also glued in place. Then drill holes in the sides of the box, where the tubing (and wires) will come in:
Next: Cut the brown 4mm wire in half. Connect the brown wires to your fuse box (I have a separate fuse box in the battery box). I ran the wires out of the grommet where the main battery live cable comes out. Once outside the battery box, feed it into the large convoluted tubing and find a suitable route to the relay box/mount Now measure enough of the two blue wires to reach from the relays to the closest headlight. Cut this length off. With the rest, feed into the small convoluted tubing and run around the engine bay/bulkhead to the other headlight. Connect all the convoluted tubing to the connectors in the box You should now have, in the box, two brown wires 4 blue wires (two to each light). Now run earth wires for the relay into the box. Connect the wires to the terminals supplied with the relay sockets and clip them into the socket (make sure they are in the right holes! - the relay will come with a diagram detailing which wire needs to go to which pin). Each relay should be for each 'function' - ie one does the dip and one does main beam. As such, both blue/white or blue/red wires should go in the same terminal in the relay socket. The box should now look something like this:
Now disconnect the original wiring from the nearest headlight (mine has bullet connectors so pretty easy). I cut the bullet off and fed the wires into the relay box and used them as the 'switch' power on the relay. The box should now be ready for the relays to be fitted and everything to get sealed up:
Next - you need to take the headlight out so that you can access the back - this is done by removing the three screws holding the rim on. The light should now pull out. Disconnect the old connector from the lamp. I then cut this off and battled with the grommet in the light housing. A bit of brute force and the old wires came out. I then poked the new wires (from the relay) into the grommet and pushed the grommet back into place. Use new earth wire to earth the light. Then connect the terminals to the wires and pushed them into the correct socket on the new connector and reconnect it.
Screw the headlight back in and repeat for the other side. All being well it should all now work. Here's my mounting plate for the relay box. I earthed the n/s headlight and both the relays to it and then ran a seperate wire to the chassis - where the starter is currently earthed |
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17th Dec 2013 9:50am |
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266 
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Have you put a normal bulb in to rule out a problem with the HID kit? http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/
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17th Dec 2013 6:02pm |
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| bm52 Member Since: 04 Apr 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 2189 
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I was going to suggest bulb testing as the very first job.
I had both my dip elements blow on the same day, not a switch or a relay problem. Just the blown bulbs. It was odd. BM52 |
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17th Dec 2013 6:28pm |
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| mrd1990 Member Since: 16 Aug 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 600  
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If one bulb blows, the other gets more current as the standard wires/switches are poor, doesn't surprise me that both went on the same day.
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18th Dec 2013 9:02pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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Sorry mrd but not sure I follow your logic.
A standard bulb is basically a resistive element. Voltage = current x resistance Voltage is basically controlled by battery/alternator and resistance is basically constant so current flowing through bulb would not particularly altered if other bulb goes out! Brendan |
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18th Dec 2013 10:08pm |
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| mrd1990 Member Since: 16 Aug 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 600
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Don't forget wires also have resistance which increase as voltage decreases.
Both lights cause voltage drop at the end of the loom which results in resistance increasing in the wires, when one bulb goes out, the voltage rises causing resistance to drop and more current to flow to the other.. In theory! Speaking from personal experience with my 100w spots, I noticed 1 would dip slightly when the other was connected, the longer the wire, the greater the dip. When connected with just 10 inches of cable from the battery, the dip was not noticeable.  |
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20th Dec 2013 1:09pm |
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| XS Pete Member Since: 13 Jan 2011 Location: Suffolk Posts: 632  
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Completely untrue. Taking it back to basics, V=I x R And therefore, R = V / I If you decrease the Voltage while maintaining a constant current, the resistance decreases proportionately. Pete |
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21st Dec 2013 2:43pm |
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| Will.I.AM Member Since: 16 May 2013 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 408
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hey, i found out it was the HID units after all that. For everyoines info, i got them from HID Direcd. I ordered them and recieved them a week later!!!! (after paying 6.99 for next day), i then ordered some H3 ones for my front lights and they also came late, on a saturday when we wernt afround, i then got told i would have to go a nd collect them from post office myself they couldn't arrange a redelivery!!!
Rubbish service and disapointing. Back top the trusty osram nightbreakers!!!!!!  |
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23rd Dec 2013 7:14am |
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| ronwong Member Since: 28 Jun 2012 Location: Singapore Posts: 120 
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Any idea if this "problem" is still in the puma or just td5 and prior?
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7th May 2014 9:21am |
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