Headlight Gremlin

[parkview094]

My offside headlamp dipped beam has stopped working.
I swapped the main beam and dip connections over and retested to make sure the bulb was good, which it is.
With the lights connected up, the dip connector shows 0v when turned on with my multimeter. If I disconnect the bulb connection, my multimeter reads 12v. 0v with a bulb, 12v without. Any idea what's going on here?
As a temporary hack I've swapped main beam and dip over, so at least Ive got 2 lights for normal driving..

[BrianHawley]

It sounds as if there is a high resistance somewhere between the battery and the dip bulb. With no significant current the voltage does not drop. But putting load on it, there is a voltage drop across the resistance and you measure 0 volts.

You say you swapped the dip and main connectors and the dip lit up. But did the main also fail to light? That would pretty much confirm it. Suggest you trace the cable back from the connector looking for poor joins or burns.

[BrianHawley]

It sounds as if there is a high resistance somewhere between the battery and the dip bulb. With no significant current the voltage does not drop. But putting load on it, there is a voltage drop across the resistance and you measure 0 volts.

You say you swapped the dip and main connectors and the dip lit up. But did the main also fail to light? That would pretty much confirm it. Suggest you trace the cable back from the connector looking for poor joins or burns.

[BrianHawley]

Hmm. Seems to have posted twice.

I swear I only clicked once

[beero]

Where did you swap the main and dipped beam connections?
The best way to check the bulb is to put it in the nearside lamp and make sure both elements light or else test it with your multimeter.
If your nearside headlamp is working okay on dip the the fault is between the bullet connectors next to the front offside inner wing and the headlight, (or the bulb is faulty)

[myoldjalopy]

Assuming the b ulb is OK, the bullet connectors 'beero' refers to may just need cleaning up but on mine they were so bad I had to replace most of them with new......