Simon's new Xantia V6 and Leaf blog

[Mandrake]

Breathe, usually, so any condensation has a chance to escape - usually through a small vent on the rear side, or even just through the bulb-holder flange itself. Regular headlight use keeps things dry as a rule.
The glass front has a neoprene gasket under it, all held down with the clips. This gasket can fail to do its job, sometimes as a result of re-fitting. It gets a bit delicate with age.

So removing, cleaning and refitting the gasket is probably a good idea then ? Is there any sealant that could be used such as a very thin smear of silicone grease ? I assume it would require the entire headlight to be removed to remove and refit the glass.

I think I've had a Xantia headlight assembly out once - over 10 years ago...but can't remember any details. Any tips ? Is it possible to get it out and refit it without disturbing the beam adjustment or is it pretty much mandatory that it will need adjustment again ? I don't have any level ground at home suitable for trying to look at headlight patterns so I'm reluctant to remove the entire headlight assembly if it means I need to get someone to readjust the beam alignment, on the other hand I would like to get the condensation fixed!

[Michel]

My MOT station will happily check and realign headlights for free as long as you ring them so they can tell you what time to turn up so there is no car on the ramp.

[white exec]

H1 are single filament, as are H3, H7.
H4 are twin filament (main+dip).
SFAIR head units on Xantia (like XM) are removable as a complete unit without affecting beam adjustment.
When springing off the front glass retaining clips, be careful not to chip the glass. If a clip is really tight, go for the easier ones first, and come back to the difficult one(s) last, as they'll be easier as the glass tilts a little.
You could apply a little vaseline to the foam gasket before fitting it; less mucky than silicone, which you'll regret if it ever had to come off again.

[van ordinaire]

Ordered two "OSRAM Night Breaker Laser (Next Generation) H1 (Twin)" from powerbulbs.com - it wasn't entirely clear whether twin refers to a twin filament or two bulbs in a packet - the picture only shows one bulb in the packet so I assume its a twin filament that does high beam as well ?

Thought I'd let people know powerbulbs.com are doing a 25% off offer at the moment using the code YULE25 - so what would have cost me £46 a week ago only cost me £34.50. So if you need some bulbs now is a good time to buy...

Too late for me, ordered mine yesterday - BUT didn't pay that much (looks like I might be investigating holograms early in the New Year.)

H1's are single filament (as, indeed is virtually everything other than H4's) & Xantias use 4, although (as I understand it), only dip really needs enhancement.

The wiring also benefits from upgrading using relays (I thought only Jeep used such woefully inadequate cable) but can anyone who's done this, advise:-
1/ how best to get proper weight cable to the bulbs,while retaining the rear covers
2/ where to get 4.8mm spades that'll handle >1mm cable (for the earths)

[van ordinaire]

My MOT station will happily check and realign headlights for free as long as you ring them so they can tell you what time to turn up so there is no car on the ramp.

Then you're very lucky, can't even remember seeing a beamsetter at the place I go but, in any event your average MoT tester only understands somewhere between "too high" & "too low"

[GiveMeABreak]

^ All MOT testing stations must have approved HBT (Headlamp Beam Tester) equipment. Things were tightened up in 2016 and have specific fail points.

Some specifics here:

https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/th ... -changing/

[GiveMeABreak]

^ All MOT testing stations must have approved HBT (Headlamp Beam Tester) equipment. Things were tightened up in 2016 and have specific fail points.

The days of them ‘winging it’ are long gone

Some specifics here:

https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/th ... -changing/

[Michel]

My MOT station will happily check and realign headlights for free as long as you ring them so they can tell you what time to turn up so there is no car on the ramp.

Then you're very lucky, can't even remember seeing a beamsetter at the place I go but, in any event your average MoT tester only understands somewhere between "too high" & "too low"

All MOT stations have to use the same, calibrated beam checking equipment.

[van ordinaire]

All very interesting, but, as I said "can't even remember seeing a beamsetter at the place I go but, in any event your average MoT tester only understands somewhere between "too high" & "too low"" (the very issue which VOSA seemed to be addressing) - or can we now expect to see failures for more specific, technical, reasons? I hope not, because it seems the regs. have been re-written by someone who doesn't understand that headlamps only adjust in 2 planes - & THAT is very limited (&, of course, increasingly difficult).

[Mandrake]

Too late for me, ordered mine yesterday - BUT didn't pay that much (looks like I might be investigating holograms early in the New Year.)

H1's are single filament (as, indeed is virtually everything other than H4's) & Xantias use 4, although (as I understand it), only dip really needs enhancement.

If the bulbs are single filament and I ordered two "twin" packs it sounds like I will end up with 4 bulbs from my order then! That might explain the price difference from yours...

I'm surprised to discover the dip and high beam bulbs are the same type and wattage - I always assumed the high beam would be a higher wattage...

I wonder if I should just replace the high beams as well if I do end up receiving four bulbs and they are brighter than the originals. It would be silly if the low beam was brighter than the high beams.

[van ordinaire]

We'll just have to wait & see - as I now realise I ordered mine from the same place

With the move away from twin filament bulbs, dip & main have been the same wattage - but often with very different lenses. Apparently Xantias (at least) use "reduced tolerance type H1R" bulbs; I imagine you'd struggle finding those now - BUT, does anyone know what they are?

If I had 4, that's what I'd do - or, at least, try, because on main beam (i.e. all 4 lights on) you might find yourself re-visiting the 400-520w light show that some of us remember.

vis-à-vis nothing at all Japanese "Fatboy" H4's have higher (90w) dip filament with the regular 60w mainbeam. They were (are?) fearsomely expensive - but would still like them as the finishing touch to the uprated lights for the Cherokee.

[Mandrake]

We'll just have to wait & see - as I now realise I ordered mine from the same place

Well mine have arrived and I can confirm I have 4 bulbs!

I think what I'll do given that they should be brighter than the originals is just fit all four to low and high beams and keep the original high beam bulbs (which don't get much use) as emergency spares and chuck away the still working low beam bulb on the basis that it's probably near the end of its life if the other low beam went. The new ones come in a nice plastic box so I should be able to use that to store the two old ones.

[Mandrake]

You could apply a little vaseline to the foam gasket before fitting it; less mucky than silicone, which you'll regret if it ever had to come off again.

I don't mean silicone sealant like bathroom sealant that sets, I mean silicone based grease - I have a squeezy tube of silicone based grease for the front brake caliper pins that I could use - it's slightly sticky but doesn't set, and won't harm the rubber. A thin wipe of that to wet the gasket will probably help it seal.

[white exec]

Gotcha. I have a tub of Rothenberger clear silcone grease, for lubricating O-rings and the like.

[RichardW]

I've kept used bulbs in the past, but always find the filament has self destructed after a while in storage. No idea why, perhaps they don't like not being earthed once they've been used?