 | Home > In Car Electronics > Boomslang Head Light Upgrade - 1yr on. |
 
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| JustFX Member Since: 10 Nov 2016 Location: Mendip Hills Posts: 190   
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Well over a year ago now I installed a Boomslang headlight wiring harness. Even then I wasn't overly impressed by the quality of the loom as it was just a little short to get comfortably across the front of the defender and the fuse holder they send with it wouldn't allow you to get it through a hole just near the headlight so wasn't very easy to route along with outer wires.
Anyway, the reason for my post. After having spent the first Xmas holiday season in years where I haven't been fixing a Land Rover I was somewhat annoyed on my first day back to work to see a flicker from the headlights as I drove to work. I said a few words about my darling Defender that I won't repeat here. But on the drive home they were fine so just put it down to not being used over Xmas. Friday night and I am marshalling the Exeter Trial. I drive to Haynes Musem with a mate (who owns a Jimny) and just as we got there darkness....lots of darkness no dipped or main beam. If it wasn't for the 1 driving light working and the LED side light I would have no lights at all. So bonnet up and take a poke about and no blown fuses and wires all attached. As I had a 50mile trip to the section I was on I wussed out and drove home with a single driving light as illumination at 2 am and swapped to the L200.  Click image to enlarge After catching up on some sleep went equipped with a multimeter in hand to track down the fault. The headlights and driving lights are hooked up to separate relays and only get a trigger from the main light switch so I had been thinking what the hell was wrong as the main beam was still triggering the driving lights. Lift up the bonnet and look down and the first thing I spot if the fuse holder that came with the Boomslang kit. Click image to enlarge Pulled the cover off and looked at the fuse and was shocked to see a corroded connector and a fuse that had partially melted. Even though its advertised as being a waterproof fuse holder it nothing of the sort. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Today I went to swap out the fuse holder, again not impressed 12awg wire from the power source to fuse holder and 2.5mm2 wire to the lights. That makes the weakest and most likely to melt wire to be the one from power to fuse. Eeek. Now I have swapped out for a waterproof rubber fuse holder and upgraded the wire to one of the same gauge as the rest of the loom. Though after fitting the fuse I wondered why I bothered as I have a fuse box with fuse less than 30cm away. Click image to enlarge So my advice is to buy the bits yourself and make your own loom. It is not hard. I thought I was buying a solid bit of kit with all the right bits in the right places. |
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13th Jan 2019 3:35pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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Or buy a Landreiziger loom... Quality. You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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13th Jan 2019 3:54pm |
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| MJN110 Member Since: 18 May 2015 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 380 
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I purchased one about a year ago and was not very impressed with it upon receiving so I did not fit it.
I ordered landzeigler one which I fitted and have not had any issues with it. The amusing thing was it arrived on a half wooden pallet all the way from Holland the delivery driver was in stitches when he delivered it to me. 2016 Defender Landmark 90 2005 Defender CSW TD5 90XS |
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13th Jan 2019 5:24pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20444
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Land Reiziger loom here too, very pleased with it.
Although I have my own pair of looms for light bars too. That fuse holder pictured certainly isn't waterproof, it's isn't even splashproof. There is a difference. That kind of fuse holder is generic and should only in my opinion be used in an vehicle's interior. I.e. Behind the dash. Most in-line fuses are splashproof the Land Reiziger mini fuse holders would be very impervious to water but even they are not submersible but more than suitable for the job required. (They do the job well.) My other fuses for my light bars are splashproof also, but larger type. Again, not waterproof but enough protection for their location. I also do not like the fact the Boomskang has one power feed for main land dipped, that is dangerous imo. The Land Reiziger is independently fused, i.e. If dipped goes you should have main beam. You can always plug in your standard loom if yiu needed to in emergency but isn't just easy to plug in, on the drivers side anyway. (RHD.) No Guts, No Glory. 🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪 |
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13th Jan 2019 6:52pm |
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| doublea Member Since: 12 Jul 2011 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 495  
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+1. Anyone want to buy my brand new boomslang? No, I should probably just bin it! Current Steeds: 2015 110 UW in Grasmere Green 2003 BMW F650 the Hack 2000 Elise 1992 Ducati 888 (no longer in bits, yahoo) 1990 TDR 250 (in bits again) 1988 TDR 250 (no longer in bits) and for sale |
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14th Jan 2019 12:47am |
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| o4dn Member Since: 08 Jan 2010 Location: South West Posts: 545  
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No issue with the Boomslang loom here, fitted a couple of years ago
I connected the loom to the battery terminals so the fuse is within the battery box. I also added convoluted sleeve on the unprotected portions of the wire feed for peace of mind: https://www.defender2.net/forum/post395594.html#395594 “A Land Rover immobilized is a moral defeat for the driver and bad publicity for the vehicle, […] it's up to you to do justice to your Land Rover!” - Land Rover Driving Technique. -- 2009 2.4 Puma Defender 90 SW 1979 Land Rover Series 3 88" |
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14th Jan 2019 8:13am |
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