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Subject:Re: High Power Headlight Kit (SA): melting connector
From:Michael Hart
Date:Sun, 7 Jun 2009 21:05:51 -0700

I�the SA Grille with high pwer headlight kit installed in my '87 Westy [SA Grille, relays, lots of additional wiring & 80/100W bulbs (outer lights) & 100W bulbs (inners) (done approximately 2 years ago). I used the high power headlight kit from 'a well known�on-line vendor'.
Whilst checking fuses today, I found that one of the relay connector blocks (high beam relay) had melted pretty badly and the wires were very discoloured. Running the high beams, the wires and connector block got very hot (& it was only 70F today) within a few minutes use. Just as well that I haven't used high beams all that much since I did the install!!
Apparently 400W of light (34A) is too much for these connectors.� I also found that the wires leading into the inner high beam units also showed signs of too much heat (these wires are just a few inches long, after that I had installed major wiring back to the relays). I have put the original 55W bulbs into the inner high beam units, reducing the total load to 310W (26A) at which point wire & connector temperatures seem more reasonable (yet still quite warm).
I followed all the vendor instructions exactly, but it seems to me that perhaps 400W is over-rating�the kit (of course, I do like the major improvement in lighting).

Has anyone else seen problems like this??

Thanks,

Mike,
87 Westy

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