Jd Spitfire Blows Headlights..

1599 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by HYDRAULICYAM, Apr 9, 2007

Free Air

Discussion Starter · Mar 6, 2007

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Hello everyone..I love my J.D. sled but I can't keep a headlight in it..The factory bulb (AM52959) seems to be a GE-4492, now obsolete. This is a 60W/60W 5.5" (par46) sealed beam. I am using the common H5006 automotive bulb as a replacement. They last less than 2 minutes. Tail light works fine, on all the time, never blows out. The system is 12 VAC, (yes, AC) with a regulator which I checked and seems to be working fine, measured voltage is 12.5 AC, steady as a rock..So why is the headlight burning out so fast? I figure it MUST be vibration, but vibration level seems to be moderate and normal..Or the automotive bulb somehow does not like the AC current. Can someone tell me why the 4492 ($25 each) is so special or am I overlooking something?

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yettatcpg

· #2 · Mar 8, 2007

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Hello everyone..I love my J.D. sled but I can't keep a headlight in it..The factory bulb (AM52959) seems to be a GE-4492, now obsolete. This is a 60W/60W 5.5" (par46) sealed beam. I am using the common H5006 automotive bulb as a replacement. They last less than 2 minutes. Tail light works fine, on all the time, never blows out. The system is 12 VAC, (yes, AC) with a regulator which I checked and seems to be working fine, measured voltage is 12.5 AC, steady as a rock..So why is the headlight burning out so fast? I figure it MUST be vibration, but vibration level seems to be moderate and normal..Or the automotive bulb somehow does not like the AC current. Can someone tell me why the 4492 ($25 each) is so special or am I overlooking something?[/b]

I don't know if it matters, but I had a Evinrude 437 doing the same thing. it was turning head light bulbs into flash bulbs.
I doubled the regulars thinking one might be bad. come to find out there was no chassie ground. The engine & wiring was fine, but the regulator was mounted off engine. so it was getting ground from the throttle cable, but when its being used the cable would vibrate enough to lose ground so the regulator went out of the loop. one ground strap to the chassie from the engine block solved the problem.

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billww

· #3 · Apr 8, 2007

Sounds like some one grounded it something thats picking up voltage or a bare wire.

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HYDRAULICYAM

· #4 · Apr 9, 2007

Did you check that voltage at an idle , or reved up on a stand ?????
Lights should light at an idle w /o a regulator (un plugged) .
Above an idle they should pop w/o a reg .....
Orig sled lamps are supposed to be heavier elements ......but test it
with some old car high beams hooked up ......I saved all mine from
an old Tempo as the low beams burnt out ....never found an application
for them until now

...after 15 years . ....
Maybe a junk yard around ?? most cars were 60watt and better to
pop used , free lights for testing ........Might be a bulb issue as I expect
the brake light to be sepatate *(?) but not the tail .
Good luck....
RON

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