Flashing Headlamps

[p5tgc]

When I parked my P5B in the garage on Sunday night I noted that the offside headlamp was acting oddly, coming on slowly and glowing dim. Suspecting a poor earth, yesterday I removed the headlamp ( a Wipac halogen conversion) and cleaned the terminals, and then cleaned the contacts in the various bullet connectors within the engine compartment.

Having done this, I reconnected the battery and switched on the headlamps, everything worked fine on dip beam, but nothing at all happened on main beam. Ten seconds later, the main beams came on, (both together, full brightness). Ten seconds later they both went out. This on / off sequence continued for some time. I disconnected the power and went for a cuppa to think thing through.

When I returned to the garage and reconnected the power, everything worked normally, main and dip beam.

I do not want to just forget about this incident, as knowing the cussed nature of my P5 the problem will recur one dark and stormy night when I am doing 69.99 mph down the M9. Anybody got any ideas?

Could the extra load from the halogen bulbs be overheating the contacts in one of the switches? These bulbs have been in the car for several years without causing a problem (so far).

regards

[Phil Nottingham]

:)I covered this a number of times on the old Board but the P5B console switch is only just up to the job with the higher powered lamps of the P5B.

Age and tarnishing causes the switch to overheat and once this has happened only once its ruined and can cause a fire!

New switches can be bought from Wadhams but its best to wire via a relay a suitable heavy duty one can be obtained from Vehicle Wiring products that will easily fit behind the instrument console.

Make sure that the ternials and any melted wire are sorted though

[Phil Nottingham]

::)Ps also check the dipswitch these also can stick - replacements are readily obtainable .

The WIPAC Halogen conversion is very good but is actually no more current hungy than the obsolete high wattge sealed beams fitted standard

Just noticed that you are from Tom Wilson's neck of the woods so he should be able to confirm this. I think the dipswitch is same as the P6