Hella problem....

[Searcher67]

Ok, as most of you know I just got the new Hellas installed and working the other day.. Didn't have them on except for testing and ooohs and ahhhhs. Well, tonight we took a trail ride, both sets lit up the trail extremely well. Then after about 20 min the bottom lights went out, top lights still on and stayed on fine until I turned them off 15 min later.,.

I get home to find out that the fuse blew (15 amp 250v, glass) OK what would casue the fuse to blow? why would lights draw more than 15amp?


Thanks

 

[tjkj2002]

Those lights will draw about 5-6 amps each.You may not be using the correct size wire for them and that will increase resistance and amp draw which could have blown your fuse.

I'd think a 15amp fuse would be to small for any AUX lights.Heck my 2 KC HID's came with a 30amp fuse and they only draw about 2.4 amps each.

 

[Searcher67]

I am using the wires that came with the kit.. Nothing deviated except for the fact that I hooked the "high beam" wire now goes to my parking lights.

Other than that everything is by the diagram.. Grounds are good.

 

[tjkj2002]

Then you got a bad connection somewhere.Also those lights will get very hot and can shutdown on there own(blow fuse) since they are made to be exposed to rushing air to cool them since they are driving lights and not offroad lights.

 

[Searcher67]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree they are off road lights. I have had Hellas for many years and have used them for slow trail rides in the summertime without any failures, some trail rides were more than 2 hours and no more than 10/15 mph, so no cool air blowing across them. I'm thinking about redoing the ground on the brush bar, maybe run a grounding strap from the bar to the chassis.

 

[tjkj2002]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree they are off road lights. I have had Hellas for many years and have used them for slow trail rides in the summertime without any failures, some trail rides were more than 2 hours and no more than 10/15 mph, so no cool air blowing across them. I'm thinking about redoing the ground on the brush bar, maybe run a grounding strap from the bar to the chassis.

I've had problems with Hella's before,never had a issue with KC's ever.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Bad connection somewhere.
It could of been a bad fuse!
Did you try another fuse? If so, did it happen again?
Why did you wire the relay trigger wire to your marker light? So you can keep them on with the low beams? I hope you don't get nicked by the local constabulary!

As far as too much heat... What about sitting idling with your head lights on? My Hella headlight bulbs don't blow fuses!

 

[Searcher67]

Ok, I found out so far that the relay went as well.. The wiring is all correct and no where that I can see is a cut in the wire or anyplace that a hot can ground out. The ground has .03 ohms which is the same at another factory ground.I am going to check the whole wiring harness again. But the top lights are still working fine.. The only place the two harnesses are tied together is at the parking lights, I have one lead running from the left parking light to the switch and a piggyback from switch 1 to switch 2, thats all. They both have separate leads to power/ground.

I shouldn't have any issues with LEO's relating to my parking light set-up. Its not like they are going to look for the trigger lead anyway. I only have to worry about yearly inspections, that's a lock anyway cause why would my inspector say anything?

Anyway, I am off to pick u p a new relay and some fuses. I think I'm going to buy a couple relays for the trail as well, I don't want this happening out there. I should not be having this problem, It has to be something that I did or did not do properly, even though I checked and double checked the wiring and I'm not an electrical newbie by a long shot.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Those lights will draw about 5-6 amps each.You may not be using the correct size wire for them and that will increase resistance and amp draw which could have blown your fuse.

I'd think a 15amp fuse would be to small for any AUX lights.Heck my 2 KC HID's came with a 30amp fuse and they only draw about 2.4 amps each.

I personally run one relay to one lamp with a 30 Ampere fuse. A little over kill for even 130 watt bulb. 10.83 Amps, 1.11 Ohms.
My green toy is like that. If one lamp fries, the other three are fully independent.
When I used to run both lamps off of one relay and for some reason either the relay popped or the fuse popped, two lights would shut down. Not something I like happening at 75 mph. on a gravel road the size of a bike path!
I don't use inline fuses either, I have re-setable circuit brakers just like these:
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?cls=MSPORT&pcode=ETA483-10A
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?cls=MSPORT&pcode=ETA1170-21-20A
That's how I'm doing my kj as well.

 

[Searcher67]

Hella Problem FIXED

I found the issue and it was simple and STUPID...Inside the lamp housing you have the two spade connectors, one for the ground and one for the "hot". Well, I decided to tape around the "hot" side so that it would not contact the lamp ground. It still did, so this time I wrapped tape around it and made sure that the spade connector was at the bottom of the housing when I put the lamps back in. Problem solved!!!

Around here the only "law" that I could find about off road / auxillary lights was and roof/roll bar lights MUST be covered for on highway use. That would be ANY light above the vehicles factory headlights. ANY light below the factory headlights DO NOT have to be covered. I couldn't find anywhere that said I HAD to hook to the highbeams, NOW thats not to say it isn't written somewhere, I just could not find it and I looked in the PA vehicle code. Like I said I really don't think anyone is going to care WHERE I hooked the trigger lead to just as long as the roof lights have covers on them..

Ok, heres another question, Does anyone think that the Hella covers (the ones that come with the lights) would melt if the lights were on? They look so kool glowing HELLA at night, its kinda like an illuminated sign!!

Anyway, everyone needs to check the hot lead INSIDE the lamp housing if they are blowing fuses..

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Ok, heres another question, Does anyone think that the Hella covers (the ones that come with the lights) would melt if the lights were on? They look so kool glowing HELLA at night, its kinda like an illuminated sign!!

Anyway, everyone needs to check the hot lead INSIDE the lamp housing if they are blowing fuses..

I'd be more worried about the lens and reflector over heating and cracking/braking.
I've seen many a 4X4 with their Hella covers lit up.
Yeah, it cooks cool buy I'm an electric light *****!
You don't want to know how many sets of driving, fog, off road lights I have in my possession.

 

[ChiefRudy]

I am using the wires that came with the kit.. Nothing deviated except for the fact that I hooked the "high beam" wire now goes to my parking lights.

Other than that everything is by the diagram.. Grounds are good.

I sent that wire right back to the battery and I haven't any problems.

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

I sent that wire right back to the battery and I haven't any problems.

I hooked mine up to an add-a-fuse thingy then to one of the switched (Radio or something like that) fuses.

 

[Searcher67]

Yes, thats one way to do it, but I wanted the "ding...ding...ding" to happen if somehow my aux lights get knocked on during the day should I not notice.

Don't want a dead battery where I go!

 

[ChiefRudy]

Yes, thats one way to do it, but I wanted the "ding...ding...ding" to happen if somehow my aux lights get knocked on during the day should I not notice.

Don't want a dead battery where I go!

I thought about that too with the ding ding but I didn't want to touch my factory wiring.

 

[liberty84]

So I ran the wire that's is suppoused to go to the high beams I put it strait at the battery, and I got a blown fues

I'm gonna try a bigger fuse

 

[liberty84]

So I put a bigger fuse but it feels like it heats up, I'm gonna run it for a while and see if it last without poping

 

[ChiefRudy]

hmm thats strange. I haven't blown a fuse yet from using the lights. How long does it take for a fuse to go? I haven't used my lights in a while but I've had them on for 3 hours straight and had no problems. I did blow a fuse once but it was b/c i removed the two wires off the back of the switch b/c i had to move it and they touched. It was the yellow and teal wires.

Heres how I got mine setup.

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[liberty84]

I put a 5amp fuse and it didn't take 7 seconds, I literally so it go, then I put a 30amp fuse and it ran good I only had them on for like 15 minutes (there was traffic) but that one didn't pop so I'm hoping it will last, ill run'em as long as I can whenever I have a chance to see if its gonna go too.
The only thing a did diferent is the wire that goes to the h-beams that everyone takes it to the parking lights, well I put it strait at the battery

 

[ChiefRudy]

I put a 5amp fuse and it didn't take 7 seconds, I literally so it go, then I put a 30amp fuse and it ran good I only had them on for like 15 minutes (there was traffic) but that one didn't pop so I'm hoping it will last, ill run'em as long as I can whenever I have a chance to see if its gonna go too.
The only thing a did diferent is the wire that goes to the h-beams that everyone takes it to the parking lights, well I put it strait at the battery

I think the fuses that comes with the lights are 20amps.