Headlight switch or Ballast?
12-01-2015 | 11:32 AM
#16
Nordschleife Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,328
Likes: 68
What I meant was there's a single contact inside the switch and a single wire coming out which supplies power to both lights per the wiring diagram. So if the switch is the problem, you would think either both lights work or they don't. One possibility is the corrosion in the switch caused voltage drop to a level that is marginal for the pax side light to operate but was still enough to light up the driver side due to different tolerance of the lights.
^Hmmmm^ Scientific eh? How's this :
"DeoxIT® D-Series contact cleaner is a fast-acting deoxidizing solution that cleans, protects, lubricates and improves conductivity on all metal connectors and contacts.
Use as a general treatment for connectors, contacts and other metal surfaces, and on non-critical metal surfaces with severe oxidation and corrosion. If the metal surface is discolored, it is severe. DeoxIT® dissolves the contamination and protects the surface.
For reference, DeoxIT® has approximately 20% cleaning action.
KEY FEATURES:
•Improves Conductivity
•Deoxidizes, Cleans & Preserves
•Reduces Intermittent Connections
•Reduces Arcing & RFI
•Reduces Wear & Abrasion
•Temperature Range, -34 C (-29 F) to +200 C (400 F) " right from the Caig website.
In my case there was definitely arcing involved because I could hear it (or the ignitor firing) through my stereo...When the light actually goes on you don't hear any of this...How's that for scientific?
"DeoxIT® D-Series contact cleaner is a fast-acting deoxidizing solution that cleans, protects, lubricates and improves conductivity on all metal connectors and contacts.
Use as a general treatment for connectors, contacts and other metal surfaces, and on non-critical metal surfaces with severe oxidation and corrosion. If the metal surface is discolored, it is severe. DeoxIT® dissolves the contamination and protects the surface.
For reference, DeoxIT® has approximately 20% cleaning action.
KEY FEATURES:
•Improves Conductivity
•Deoxidizes, Cleans & Preserves
•Reduces Intermittent Connections
•Reduces Arcing & RFI
•Reduces Wear & Abrasion
•Temperature Range, -34 C (-29 F) to +200 C (400 F) " right from the Caig website.
In my case there was definitely arcing involved because I could hear it (or the ignitor firing) through my stereo...When the light actually goes on you don't hear any of this...How's that for scientific?
12-01-2015 | 12:35 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,795
Likes: 1,169
From: L.I. NY
Ahahhhhh Ahhh-Sah-EEEE...in that case you're saying the increased resistance created by the oxidation/corrosion/poor contact, in addition to the longer wiring run (= greater resistance) creates a low voltage/current condition which isn't strong enough to ignite the Xenon light...Sounds plausible to me
12-01-2015 | 12:44 PM
#18
Nordschleife Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,328
Likes: 68
Yes about the increase resistance. The different length of wires between the lights are negligible. I'm thinking more along the line of different internal resistance of the ballasts. Since they run in parallel, they will draw the same current ONLY if their internal resistance are identical. Maybe their internal resistance diff enough due to age/wear/natural tolerance, when limited power is supplied due to the corrosion in the switch, the left ballast draws more current than the right ballast thus starving it from power.
BTW, Deoxit is indeed great stuff. You may want to spray the headlight sockets too.
BTW, Deoxit is indeed great stuff. You may want to spray the headlight sockets too.
12-02-2015 | 08:22 PM
#20
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,795
Likes: 1,169
From: L.I. NY
Yes about the increase resistance. The different length of wires between the lights are negligible. I'm thinking more along the line of different internal resistance of the ballasts. Since they run in parallel, they will draw the same current ONLY if their internal resistance are identical. Maybe their internal resistance diff enough due to age/wear/natural tolerance, when limited power is supplied due to the corrosion in the switch, the left ballast draws more current than the right ballast thus starving it from power.
BTW, Deoxit is indeed grersat stuff. You may want to spray the headlight sockets too.
BTW, Deoxit is indeed grersat stuff. You may want to spray the headlight sockets too.
