100W beams - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

YOOT · 07-25-2002, 05:20

I recently put 100W beams in my ED in place of the 55W ones. I was driving home tonight and thought I'd test em out, so I took the back streets home where there are some long empty bushy roads where you need the beams.

I had them on about 5mins when I was about to dim them for an intersection and my whole front lights just died. Pitch black, escept for the dash lights.

Then 1sec later they came back on.

What the?!?

Has anyone ever experienced this before? I thought it was ok to put 100w bulbs in, taxis do it all the time right? They a shiteloads brighter!

I thought I blew a fuse, but they came back on. Is there some sort of heat protection or something? Made them turn off?

RAPTOR · 07-25-2002, 16:17

Sounds like a circuit breaker (overloaded).

The heat from 100W globes will fry the chrome reflective coating in your lights and then they will be no better (probably worse) than std anyway. Enjoy them till then it'll take a while.

EDFUTURA · 07-25-2002, 18:14

Yes there is an automatic reset type circuit breaker in the headlite circuit - ie. it will trip back on itself after cooling a bit. I had exactly the same problem so took the 100W bulbs back out and fitted those "Plus 50" type halogen ones - their wattage isn't so high but the brightness is still there.

It's all very odd because one of the avionics techs from work and I sat down with the Workshop Manual circuit diagrams and he reckoned that the protection breaker should have been able to cope with 100W bulbs.

YOOT · 07-25-2002, 19:37

That is strange.

I am sure my friends EBII has 100/90 lamps and 100 watt beams and he's had it like that for ages.

I have plus50 lamps, I might see if I can take the beams back and get plus50 beams.

YOOT · 07-25-2002, 19:47

Running 75W bulbs would be no good either I should imagine. I'll have to suss out the plus50 I guess. I hope I can get my money back (doubtful), thats a good $22 I spent on those beams.

T3man · 07-27-2002, 15:57

There aren't 75w halogen globes in 12v - your friend probably used relays which is what you should do to run 100w globes - there is a thread on how to do this if you search.
Your best option is to put the "plus" globes in and run them off relays.
BTW your friend in avionics could not possible judge from the wiring diagram - he would need to do a visual on the car to be able to qualify his opinion. I also wonder ... if he can read a wiring diagram how come he didn't pick up the headlight circuit breaker?

T3man · 07-27-2002, 16:01

Ooops sorry that was confusion on my part there between two posts. Please disregard the last comment on the circuit breaker.

EDFUTURA · 07-27-2002, 23:22

The diagram shows the breaker and lists it's rating - that rating shouldn't be exceeded by the 100W bulb installation in itself - the tech commented that possibly the wiring itself wasn't up to scratch - either thru design (poor) or age. In aeroplanes the circuit protection devices are DEFINITELY the weakest points in the circuit (for obvious reasons).

YOOT · 07-28-2002, 00:44

Well it hasn't done it again yet, so not sure weather it was an isolated instance or what.

I checked on my mates EBII (he just came round actually - go this new 12" hertz in the boot now), and he is running 110/90 with 110 beams for for ages, and teh lens aren't yellow, the silver stuff hasn't gone and the lights don't cut out.

Who knows - maybe I just turned them off and didn't notice

laminge · 07-28-2002, 05:22

"Who knows - maybe I just turned them off and didn't notice "

Oh My!

hope that was all..... rofl!