Blown Xenon Bulb - cause

[desmondo]

Had the bumper off on Saturday to check out my Xenon lamp thats not working. What a fecking job that was in the howling wind. Not Nice. Anyhow, I discovered that the bulb had blown to smithers. Nothing left of it, and the headlamp was full of glass. Looks like it went with a bit of a bang.

I have purchased myself a new shiney new D2S courtesy of powerbulbs, as no matter how much I tried Renault werent backing down on this one. I was just gonna pop it in (after taking the bumper off again!), however it did cross my mind that the starterpack might be the likely cause of this bulb self destructing. Could this just be a duff bulb that went? Anyone know if the starterpack can blow bulbs like this or how I can test it with a voltmeter to make sure its OK?

Ta
Rich

 

[Phil 99]

not sure on that one m8, but if its any concilation, i got some H4 ice blue bulbs 55W, put them in. first trip out, going round the round about and heard a bottle smashing noise. pulled over and found my off side headlamp lense smashed along with my new bulb.

I asumed it was the bulb, as it hadnt happed with the old ones in. Ended up having to buy a new unit for £40. Other bulb was ok, but ive replcaced them both.

Rekon there cud be a current overload and the exploding bulb took out the lense.

BTW did ur lense blow or was it just the bulb? when u put the bulbs in, did u smell summin funny. think i did, when i put the drivers one in, but that was ok :S.

 

[JAY172]

dont test the starter pack with a multimeter because youll fry the multimeter and probably give yourself a shock as well.

 

[BenR]

lol, whats the initia arcing voltage they use? something silly like 10-30k volts aint it?

 

[JAY172]

approx 20,000 volts to intially start the bulb depending on model and a constant 85v to keep it going once its lit.

 

[BenR]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap

 

[JAY172]

and ouch! ooh the smell of burning flesh is not nice im sure.

 

[Dink]

the starter pack may have causeed the expoled lamp because they contain a current limiting resistor to limit the amount of power inputing into the lamp. if this resistor stopped resisting then it would send a silly amount power which would blow up the lamp as described

(p.s sorry for jabbering on)

dink

 

[desmondo]

Hmm guess I wont be doing that then! Cheers for saving me from the BBQ guys! Should the chaps at Renault be able to test these things?

 

[jonnyboy]

Quote: Originally posted by JAY172 on 12 February 2004
approx 20,000 volts to intially start the bulb depending on model and a constant 85v to keep it going once its lit.


Thats probably why h4 bulbs have blown. Anything you can stick in a normal car is gonna be vapourised by that much juice!

 

[JAY172]

Quote: Originally posted by desmondo on 13 February 2004

Hmm guess I wont be doing that then! Cheers for saving me from the BBQ guys! Should the chaps at Renault be able to test these things?

they can test all the inputs to the starter pack but not the output(the voltage is to high).but if its got all the inputs and it doesnt work 9/10 its a faulty starter pack.