Blubs blowing

Chat for Falco Owners.

Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators

Message
Author
User avatar
mrapriliafalco
SuperSport Racer
SuperSport Racer
Posts: 508
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 12:38 pm
Location: Ashford Kent

Blubs blowing

#1 Post by mrapriliafalco » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:56 am

My rear brake light bulb keeps blowing any ideas as to why
Its only the back light element that's goes, never the brake light part Its the near side IM just a little worried about my M O T as not to sure if it will fail as the other side is fine

User avatar
FlyingKiwi
SuperSport Racer
SuperSport Racer
Posts: 766
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:14 pm
Location: Gogledd Cymru

#2 Post by FlyingKiwi » Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:23 pm

Blubs blowing :smt005

*regains composure*
ummm, my Guzzi was forever blowing bulbs, It was the vibrations that did it.
Haven't had a problem with the Falco though :smt017
saying that, I have a tinted lens and LED bulbs now :smt003
not very helpful I know but it gave me a break from gutting the ensuite :smt012

User avatar
Fausto
SuperBike Racer
SuperBike Racer
Posts: 1375
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:04 pm
Location: Sunny Suffolk

#3 Post by Fausto » Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:24 pm

I suggest you look and see if the bulbs are a little loose in their holders. Mine were and it caused problems with the LED bulbs I use with my smoked lens :smt003

User avatar
tommy
Clubman Racer
Clubman Racer
Posts: 315
Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 9:40 pm
Location: North Essex

#4 Post by tommy » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:17 pm

My 2 cents. Had same problem with headlight bulb on my old 125 (i had to start somewhere!) To fix it i stuck a wheel balancing weight on the bulb fitting. This was suggested by an old boy on a 250 superdream with a dog in his tail pack :smt005 Anyway, I was sceptical at first, but after i stuck it on, it never happed again. Apparantly it changed the frequency etc of the vibations. Or could have been coincidence.

User avatar
Thumper
SuperSport Racer
SuperSport Racer
Posts: 400
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:45 am
Location: norfolk

#5 Post by Thumper » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:12 pm

Don't worry I kept a box of them used loads over the last seven years gave up in the end, its the vibes maybe you ride to hard :smt003
Always expect the unexpected

User avatar
sabestian
SuperBike Racer
SuperBike Racer
Posts: 836
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:02 am

#6 Post by sabestian » Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:26 am

mrapriliafalco wrote:Blubs blowing
:smt005 Oh, that's funny.

Another useful post by me.

tightlinessteve
Pizza Delivery Rider
Pizza Delivery Rider
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:56 pm
Location: Wittering<>Felixstowe

Blubs Blowing

#7 Post by tightlinessteve » Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:51 pm

My tail lights blow so much I've got 3 spare lamps wrapped up under my seat and 2 in my jacket pocket. I won't have to change 1 for weeks then go through 3 in a day! Then my dip beam joined the party. As mentioned before it's the vibes but mostly the loose/poor fittings. I'll get round to renewing them 1 day, but maybe still end up with the same quality;)

User avatar
Aladinsaneuk
Aprilia Admin
Posts: 9503
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:37 pm
Location: Webfoot territory

#8 Post by Aladinsaneuk » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:22 pm

if they blow that reguarly, you must have a frayed lead/faulty earth down under the rear seat/cowl

welcome btw


Let's face it, you wouldn't go to a nurse to get good advice on a problem with a Falco - you'd choose an Engineer or a mechanic...


User avatar
snapdragon
SuperBike Racer
SuperBike Racer
Posts: 866
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:01 pm

#9 Post by snapdragon » Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:43 pm

not 'prila - but my cagiva did the same - I eventually changed for an LED set up cos it was getting me down

constantly cleaning contacts & checking earth > Boooooring
Snappy ~~X~X~{:>

Pierre
SuperSport Racer
SuperSport Racer
Posts: 524
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:11 pm
Location: Durham

#10 Post by Pierre » Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:21 pm

I'm with Snappy ^^^ , balls to checking stuff, just stick some LEDs in - sorted .

User avatar
mrapriliafalco
SuperSport Racer
SuperSport Racer
Posts: 508
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 12:38 pm
Location: Ashford Kent

#11 Post by mrapriliafalco » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:03 pm

NOT a another one blown :smt013

User avatar
HowardQ
World Champion
Posts: 3921
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:20 pm
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

#12 Post by HowardQ » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:18 pm

Are they actually blowing ????
Sounds like a silly question but it may not be.

My bike has one of the dark smoked rear lenses so I converted to red LED bulbs.
Fitted the first lot, worked OK, went out for a run and one was "blown".
Put original clear bulbs back in to test and worked fine.
Got another one replaced and went again on the same side.
Bought a completely different lot of red LEDs, same again.
Didn't want to give up on the smoked lens so bought a third lot, they were also a type that I had originally wanted but could not get, with rear facing and side LEDs that light up the reflector as well, which are much better.
Fitted them and all was fine.
Couple of weeks later went out with a mate who stopped me after a few miles to tell me my back light was flashing on and off at both sides! Doh!

Then it dawned on me, all the LEDs bulbs and some ordinary bulbs I have as spares, don't seem to have terminals anything like as big as the standard bulbs, in that they don't stick out as far and keep losing their connection, so they may work when they feel like it or it may cause them to blow.
Bent the arms in the light holder slightly and the latest set of LEDs plus all the others worked fine.
Why didn't I check that earlier . :smt009

Have still had problems since in that they work loose again, so have added a bit more solder to the connections and seems OK for now.

You'll probably reply saying all your bulbs had actually blow I suppose, but if you do use LEDs watch out, as you can't tell by looking at them.

User avatar
D-Rider
Admin
Admin
Posts: 15560
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:09 pm
Location: Coventry

#13 Post by D-Rider » Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:50 pm

LEDs are VERY reliable - very few will fail in normal use - certainly repeated failures would be a great surprise. If the LED circuit is designed poorly and the current-limit resistor is of too little resistance, then you might have a problem - but otherwise they should go on and on and on and ..... well, you get the idea ...

Of course, they are a polarised device and will only conduct in one direction - so will not work if wired back to front.
I've never used any LED bulb-replacement modules so I don't know how they are configured but I guess they'd have sorted out those potential problems.

I've a set of the (out of production) Nooj LED tail light units. They are excellent.

User avatar
HowardQ
World Champion
Posts: 3921
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:20 pm
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

#14 Post by HowardQ » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:52 pm

Mine are obviously just the plug in bulb type replacements.

The only bulb I've actually had blow on mine in 20 odd thou miles is one H7 headlight unit.
Thought there would have been more with the engine vibration.

User avatar
Kwackerz
Admin
Admin
Posts: 8362
Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:16 pm

#15 Post by Kwackerz » Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:23 pm

Clearly they blow thru overuse.

Stop using the brakes.

Job sorted.
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly

Post Reply