Headlight problem after overcharge?
 

I had the voltage regulator on my '83SC go bad last week--went to full, pegged, overcharge condition on my aftermarket voltmeter. I replaced the VR and everything is fine now, except that the headlights don't work. (Every other light and piece of electrical equipment in the car works fine.)

The headlights are H4s, installed by me with dual high/low-beam relays and heavy-gauge wiring. While the VR was overcharging, there were several times I simply had to drive the car, a total of maybe 20 miles, because I'm volunteer EMS and when the beeper goes off, I need to get down to the ambulance bays. But while I was driving, I turned on everything electrical that I could (including the headlights) to reduce the overvoltage into the battery. Running that way, the voltmeter at least came off the peg and indicated 16 volts of charge.

1/The H4 bulbs are fine. When I apply power directly to them, they light up normally. 2/The relays are fine. When I apply power directly to them, they click audibly. 3/There is current coming from the headlight switch, confirmed with a multimeter in both the high- and low-beam settings. 4/The heavy-gauge wires from the relays to the headlights are intact, continuity confirmed again with a multimeter. So what else could possibly be wrong with the headlights?

Stephan

Disregard my previous message. Found the problem--an in-line fuse that I'd fogotten I'd installed.

Stephan

Stephan,

I would still keep an eye out on electrical stuff. I had an overvoltage years ago with a DME car and really surprised that I did not fry anything.

Installed a digital volt gage in the interior and watch it now to make sure all is well!

Joe