DemonCycle Headlight Bulb Failure
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Eugene, OR
DemonCycle Headlight Bulb Failure
I put the $89.00 cheapo bullet headlight on my FCWC, because it looks cool and not as pricey as the $600 headwind version. However, I power washed it after riding across the salty Nevada Dessert and the bulbed burned out the same day. Would moisture cause this? There is a small hole under the headlight for the wiring. First I lost the low beam (1030pm going over mountain pass), then the high beam the following day.
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
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From: Rochester, NY
It may be just a coincidence. But that place has a bad reputaion around here for selling junk parts.
So my first instincts would bet to pull the light apart and check it out.
Make sure that the new bulb you put in has plenty of dielectric grease on both it and in the socket. That will waterproof the connections and hopefully prevent any water that does get in from getting to the connections and possibley shorting things out on you.
Also double check the assembly and sockets mountings. Most good headlights will have some kind of shock absorbent mounting for either the entire light assembly or the bulb socket inside. It may only be a rubber ring around the socket, but there should be something in there to absorb most of the really bad vibrations.
And last would be to look over the bulb (the old one) itself, even money says its a cheap Chinese POS that couldn't handle the water, the vibration or maybe even both.
Get a good brand name replacement bulb (like a Sylvania Silverstar or Ultra). They are designed from the get go to be heavier than normal in order to handle the vibrations. Put on plenty of dielecrtic grease and remember wear gloves or something to prevent your fingers from touching the glass.
I always wipe off any bulb I fool with with alcohol after its installed just to make sure that it's really clean.
Otherwise the bulb is likely to fail in a fairly short time frame becasue of what the acids on your finger tips will do to the glass once it starts heating up.
So my first instincts would bet to pull the light apart and check it out.
Make sure that the new bulb you put in has plenty of dielectric grease on both it and in the socket. That will waterproof the connections and hopefully prevent any water that does get in from getting to the connections and possibley shorting things out on you.
Also double check the assembly and sockets mountings. Most good headlights will have some kind of shock absorbent mounting for either the entire light assembly or the bulb socket inside. It may only be a rubber ring around the socket, but there should be something in there to absorb most of the really bad vibrations.
And last would be to look over the bulb (the old one) itself, even money says its a cheap Chinese POS that couldn't handle the water, the vibration or maybe even both.
Get a good brand name replacement bulb (like a Sylvania Silverstar or Ultra). They are designed from the get go to be heavier than normal in order to handle the vibrations. Put on plenty of dielecrtic grease and remember wear gloves or something to prevent your fingers from touching the glass.
I always wipe off any bulb I fool with with alcohol after its installed just to make sure that it's really clean.
Otherwise the bulb is likely to fail in a fairly short time frame becasue of what the acids on your finger tips will do to the glass once it starts heating up.
Last edited by In Memoriam Citoriplus; Jul 16, 2009 at 01:46 PM.
Pressure washing is a no no in my opinion and I think that is the cause. If you use a regular hose without a nozzle it is unlikely this would happen, but then again it is from demons cycle. I'll spare you the rest of the lecture. But check the grease on your axles if you pressure wash regularly. There might not be any there.
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