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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 787
England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
Hot relay holder
The headlights have been playing up recently, it seems I've found the problem...

Any ideas why the headlight relay connection would get hot?

Unfortunately there's not much spare wire to crimp new terminals on



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Post #608792 12th Mar 2017 6:57am
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Wild Card 90



Member Since: 03 Dec 2014
Location: Gerlingen
Posts: 1060
England 2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Indus Silver
That looks like the one spade connection is getting hot. Remove the connector from the block and check to see if the wire and insulation is still ok. Cut off and replace female spade connector.
If the relay itself had a problem that caused it to heat up, the discoloration wouldn´t be so localised. 1998 Tdi 90 SW,
2008 Td4 90 SW,
2012 2.2 90 SW,
2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma
Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s,
Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons
Post #608799 12th Mar 2017 7:37am
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nosnibod



Member Since: 15 Aug 2007
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 370
United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi SW Bronze Green
You should be able to extract the spade terminals from the relay holder - they're normally held in with a small tang on the terminal itself which can be eased with a small jewelers screwdriver. Just remember to mark the cables or take some photos first!

If you can do that you can clean up the spade terminals and gently tighten them before reassembling. The reason for the over-heating is high resistance caused by a poor connection. In the spade terminal itself is too far gone then you may have enough enough slack to crimp on another - or solder on a short length of additional cable to make things a bit easier.

I can't remember the numbers now but the lighting circuits in a Defender add up to a fair few amps - it's also the reason why the main headlight switch can burn out. Some fit a secondary loom to take the load off - or like me swap to a completely LED setup that reduces the current draw by about 50%. Dave
Green Goddess - 1998 Defender 110 300tdi
Post #608815 12th Mar 2017 8:53am
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 787
England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
Thanks for the replies Thumbs Up

The connector has got hot enough to anneal the spade on the relay so I would imagine the the terminal in the housing will have lost some of its spring.
Ive just robbed some relay connectors out of a scrap Discovery and will fit one of them, I might be luck and have the same colour wire Very Happy

I still don't know why it got hot, as far as I can see from the wiring diagram there is little load on this relay.
.

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Post #608838 12th Mar 2017 10:47am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20637
United Kingdom 
Is it 55w bulbs your using? Either way, Ceramic maybe helpful in this instance too.
And as suggested, I'd imagine hear build up due to high resistance.

Edit*
Sorry, just re-read you meant the Relay holder not headlight connector. Doh! Laughing
Maybe still a good idea though all the same. TheThunder Rolls🇬🇧🇺🇸
⛽ï¸ðŸ›¢ï¸âš™ï¸ðŸ§°ðŸ’ª

Last edited by custom90 on 12th Mar 2017 11:17am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #608839 12th Mar 2017 10:50am
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 787
England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
I will have a go at a repair when it stops raining...... if Big Cry

I also have a Boomslang loom ready to fit Thumbs Up
Post #608841 12th Mar 2017 11:05am
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zsd-puma



Member Since: 09 Aug 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 2720
United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
A bad earth would do it

The plastic housing will likely be brittle too, so it's worth swapping that for one of the spares you have.
Post #608868 12th Mar 2017 1:57pm
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554
your right munch beater


http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/info_RBW1U.html

Last edited by dorsetsmith on 12th Mar 2017 3:48pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #608879 12th Mar 2017 3:21pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20637
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Durite do some quality bases too.

Some if it on the market is Chinese rubbish TheThunder Rolls🇬🇧🇺🇸
⛽ï¸ðŸ›¢ï¸âš™ï¸ðŸ§°ðŸ’ª
Post #608883 12th Mar 2017 3:40pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 787
England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
Can anyone tell me where the earth is on this headlight circuit?

2005 TD5 if that makes a difference
Post #608893 12th Mar 2017 4:22pm
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

Click image to enlarge

behind coolant expansion tank
Post #608898 12th Mar 2017 4:41pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 787
England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
Brilliant Thumbs Up

I'll go and have a look now!

Edited to add:

The earth point looks OK and is tight, I will take the terminal off and clean it up when I get a chance and it stops raining
Post #608899 12th Mar 2017 4:45pm
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pme



Member Since: 06 Jan 2016
Location: cambridge and mainly ariege
Posts: 49
United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Tonga Green
eddie, see this link regarding recent experiences with boomslang loom

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic49174-60.html

rgds
Post #608970 12th Mar 2017 8:37pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 787
England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
Thanks pme, and there was I thinking the Boomslang loom would be the end of headlight problems...
Post #609090 13th Mar 2017 8:57am
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