H1 Install help again please

[JonT]

I installed the M. Sucro relays per the instructions and turned the lights on. Questions:

1) Which is the "brights", the front bulb or the back one behind the crescent shaped reflector in front. I figured the front ones were the "lows" but now I'm doubting myself. I may have these reversed. AND, are both lights supposed to light up when the brights are on or just one? One is only lighting now.

2) The "low" light (front light) on the driver side is not working but the "high" (rear) does. Does this sound like a relay problem or something else? The M. Sucro relays seemed pretty straightforward but I need to figure out a way to systematically eliminate the problems. I hate electrical stuff because I don't know what I'm doing.

Thanks

[JonT]

bump--come on H1 gurus!

[Hetmann]

Here's how my H1s work. The upper bulbs are the low beams. The lower ones, in front of the little reflector, are the high beams. Low beams go off when the high beams go on.

[Early_S_Man]

Jon,

Test for +12 Volt power at the bulb with high beams on ... you may have a bad H1 bulb installed.

[JonT]

Based on Jerry's comment--I've got the bulbs in the incorrect position. Damn-these things are a bear to take apart and assemble again. I bet I've done it 5 times already!

Warren--the bulbs are new so hopefully they work after I switch them!

I'll report back after swapping them. Thanks guys.

[swbsam]

after ten times your an expert.

[Early_S_Man]

Jon,

No, only one bulb at a time is supposed to illuminate. That's the way the factory wanted it, anyway ... some of us have other ideas, but svae that until you have them working 'normally' as the factory intended!

I am not sure why you feel you have to disassemble them again ... but it's better entertainment than a Rubik's Cube, anyway!

A new bulb can't be 'ASSUMED' to be good ... test it! Then test power at the bulb connector as I already suggested! There may be a corrosion problem at one of the ground strap 'multiple' connections.

[JonT]

Thanks Warren--the reason I have to disassemble is I've got the 100 watt bulb in the "low" beam socket and 55 watt bulb in the "high" beam socket--(if what Jerry said is true that the "low" beam is the rear reflector and the "high" is the small reflector in front. At least all the parts are in good shape and should survive disassembly (fingers crossed). The screw heads are near stripped so I have to watch that. I don't know how to test the power at the bulb connector--I just don't have any experience doing that.

[Early_S_Man]

Jon,

I think I probably misinterpeted what you meant by 'take apart and assemble again!' Two successful assemblies from loose parts ... lenses, seals, clips, adjusters, etc ... with no extra parts left over, and fully functional adjusters and bulbs ... may not make you an expert, but at least a 'veteran!'

As far as the testing goes ... it is fairly easy with the right tools! One being a two-step plastic Rubbernaid stepstool, the other being a multimeter -- analog or digital, makes no difference, as long as it has a 15 or 20 Volt DC range, and a set of needle probes.

1. Turn on headlights and select which beam you want to test.

2. Remove bottom securing screw and carefully disengage assembly from fender bucket top lip. Position your chins on top step of stepstool and grab both sides of headlamp assembly with legs ... beam/lens angled down at 45° to 60° angle so as to have access to bulb connections. At a rodeo ... you might say you have the 'calf' is a position to tie the legs together with a short rope! If you were in a calf-roping contest, that is!

3. Position multmeter on fender in a readable location, and grab a test lead probe in each hand. Assuming the convention that the red probe is positive and black probe is negative ... place the black probe tip on the body/base of the bulb being teted, and the red probe tip to the Faston tab that the connector from the red wire is attached to. You should read in the vicinity of 12.6 Volts with the engine off.