Question re Spot Light globe in my IPF's

G'day Andrew,
I've had the exact same thing happen from time to time, & never really thought much about it.. just put it down to the globe(s) "dying a natural death"...
It'd be different of course, if this were happening on a regular basis, but after almost 3 yrs, I don't think I'd be too concerned about it... (presumably, the lights have had some "regular use" in that time??)...
Some brands of globe may be more (or less) susceptible than others, but as I said, if it happens only occasionally, I just shrug my shoulders & replace the globe (checking the connections while I do so;-))...

I was told many yrs ago by a (then) auto-leccy that halogen globes have a finite "switch life".. i.e. the more you switch them on & off, the sooner they will "die".. conversely, if switched on & left on (& not subject to vibration), the globe could well last indifinitely.. I have no idea of the veracity of that statement, but the bloke who told it to me was (at the time) a practising auto-electrician, so I accepted it as fact...

Regards, Ed. C.

Andrew. What is said above is spot on.

BTW, Don't be tricked into getting 120 watt globes for replacements, they burn out real quick. Getting off the subject a bit.......

I tried a set of philips +50% globes in my cibie oscars a while back. I was told they are brighter than 100 watt, although they were only 50 watt, but that new
you-beaut "white/blue" type of globe.

What rubbish.... they were really bright white/blue alright, but were at least 30foot shorter in light throw from the car than the original 100 watters.
(doh. sucked in again !).

I gave them to a mate who put them in the high beam of his 80 series and, they rock !! he loves 'em. Thats because the globes he took out were 65 watt and these are 50watt but 50% brighter (go figure !)

I'm gonna try the same globe in H4 high/low in the patrol, apparently thay make quite a difference.

Hi Andrew. The globes for a single light are H3. eg; spots, or high beam on a twin headlight setup like the 80 series cruisers. My GU patrol headlights run H4 globes which are 60/55 watt.

I've gone back to the normal 100 watt globes for my cibie oscars, which aren't terribly good lights compaired to what I've had in the past! If i'm a good boy this year I might talk santa into getting me some 170 lightforce. te he

P.S. is doesn't hirt to check the electricals anyway. Put ur high beam on with spotties on (motor running) and give everything a good wriggle and check for corrosion in all joins and connections. Usually a faulty earth is to blame for trouble with lights. Also, when replacing a bulb in a spottie, probably a good time to open the other one up and have a peekaboo for corrosion.

Cheers,

Muzz

Andrew from what I was taught years ago, the Halogen globes are filled with an inert gas that is present to stop the filament burning out when the current is applied. ie they will glow (give off light) but not just fizz like a fuse.
Over time the gas does break down or change slightly so that the filament will start to burn and in an old globe this discolouration is the the burning. It will continue until the light blows, then you usually notice the globe is all black inside from the final fizz.

So I guess ou just have caught your globe in a very controlled state of burning out and if left I presume it would blow soon.

The challenge for the manufacturer is to find a gas that doesnt brake down and still gives off a fantastic light, ie Xenon mixes being used now in more expensive globes.

I spose soon all cars will be manufactured with the HID lighting systems and that will be the end of Quartz Halogen.
Hope that helped!

Matt.
Matt.