# A lighting check.



## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

My van has four circular Hella lights. The outer two contain two bulbs each. One is a 'parking bulb' and the other is 'low beam bulb'.
The inner two Hella lights each contain one 'main beam bulb'.

Now I'm not sure if they are wired correctly.

On main beam setting, all four Hella lights are lit.
On dip, the two outer Hella low beam bulbs extinguish leaving just the two outer parking bulbs and the inner two (main beam) lit.

This doesn't appear right to me.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

If this test was done with your ignition off then it is probably correct. You may need to switch the ignition on or even have the engine running to illuminate all bulbs.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

With engine running. Lights won't illuminate without ignition turned on.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

GG222 said:


> My van has four circular Hella lights. The outer two contain two bulbs each. One is a 'parking bulb' and the other is 'low beam bulb'.
> The inner two Hella lights each contain one 'main beam bulb'.
> 
> Now I'm not sure if they are wired correctly.
> ...


As you describe it it can't be right can it? Your description would suggest that the main and dip beam circuits have been crossed.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

That's what I thought, but the parking bulb lights up when it should. If I swap them then the parking bulb does not light when it should. Park and 'dip' are on the same two-lead connection.

Just wondering if the two inner Hellas are straight drop dips and not main beam.

Anyway, until (if) another Burstner with the same lighting configuration contacts me, I will await a response from Burstner.

Thanks all.


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## BwB (Dec 5, 2009)

Are the dipped bulbs in the right way round (can they be taken oout and rotated 180 degrees). 

Or have both the dipped bulbs blown? Can you check with a multimeter? The MM will also show if voltage is getting to the sockets.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

Definitely something strange here. When i use my headlamp flasher, the two outer Hellas, (supposedly low beam) flash!

I've not driven in the dark yet. I'll see if the two inners are dipped tonight or if they dazzle. (And if the two outers dazzle).

Bulbs have all been checked and are OK.

It's an easy enough job to fix but I am intrigued.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I suspect you may be getting a bit confused with which lamp is which here !!!

Headlamp flashers operate on MAIN beam NOT on dip.

It is normal for all four to be on when on main beam (to give as much light as possible) all of my vehciles do that.

I suggest you drive up to a wall or garage door and check, its not uncommon for the inner lights to be dip and the outers main !!!

I think it HIGHLY unlikely that the lights are wired wrongly.Which lamps are lit when the dashboard tell-tale for main beam is on ????

If this is not a brand new vehicle I do not think the previous owner would have kept on drfiving because if, as you say, dip is main and main is dip he would have got fed up with other drivers constantly flashing him all the time.

My money is on your headlamps operating exactly as they should do !! ( get a garage to check them perhaps??)


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## dikyenfo (Feb 16, 2008)

Side lights sometimes come from a direct source and this would mean the plugs are reversed assuming there is sufficient play in the loom to permit this.
Definitely something a bit rum.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

Mrplodd said:


> I suspect you may be getting a bit confused with which lamp is which here !!!
> 
> Headlamp flashers operate on MAIN beam NOT on dip.
> 
> ...


Hello Mrplodd
Yes, I know that. That is why I am saying that it is strange!!

According to my manual, the outers are dip, the inners are main. But the 'headlamp' flasher is flashing the outer Hellas, (ie the low beam according to the manual).

I have no problem at all with the fact that all four Hellas are on at main beam setting. The problem is that (again according to the manual), on the dip setting, the inners (ie main beams) are on, and the outers (dip according to the manual) are off.

Do you see that now?

I bought the van in August 2009. It was 12 months old when I bought it, with 5000 miles, the previous owner probably could have done mostly daylight driving.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

Oh, when dashboard blue headlamp light is on, all four Hellas on. I'm OK with that.

When dashboard green dipped light is on, the inners (manual says main beam) are on. Not OK with that.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

It doesn't sound as thought the vehicle is wired incorrectly. It is quite common nowadays for the inner lights to be the dipped beam.
It is more likely that the manual is oncorrect and that is also very common.
Gerry


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

I have to admit that I cannot remember driving my present van in the dark. I had better check mine. 8O 

How about finding out if any cross wiring was done at the steering wheel end of the circuit. As suggested, check the lights against a wall etc.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

I think I understand it now. 
There is nothing wrong with the wiring configuration.
In darkness, the two outer Hellas (manual says dips), provide a much greater canopy of light and are therefore the main beam.

The two inner Hellas (manual says main beams) can be adjusted up or down in four positions via two switches in the cab. These are therefore the low beams.

In the Fiat Ducato van (not motorhome) handbook, the two 'headlamp adjuster switches' are for raising / lowering the main beam to compensate for heavy van loads. Burstner have probably used this facility but linked it to the dip / low beams in order to compensate for Europe / UK driving. The low beams just dip down in four positions but do not 'swing' left or right.

Therefore there is no need to alter the low beam position for driving in Europe.

That's my theory anyway.

Thanks to all who responded.


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## ICDSUN (Oct 10, 2006)

The headlamps fitted are not part of the Fiat chassis, they are Burstner fit and use some of the wiring loom as you have found

Chris


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

Hello Chris
Yes, that's right. The trouble is/was that it is the Burstner manual that describes the outer Hellas as 'low beam' and the inner Hellas as 'main beam'.

Burstner have re-configured the front lighting system for easy UK/Europe driving, albeit sensibly in my opinion, but failed to update the owner's manual.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

GG222 said:


> In the Fiat Ducato van (not motorhome) handbook, the two 'headlamp adjuster switches' are for raising / lowering the main beam........quote
> 
> Not so in my Fiat handbook which says:
> 
> ...


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

Dead right rayc. 
The dipper switches in the cab raise / lower the inner Hellas. These are my low beam lights, (Burstner handbook says they are 'main beam').

When on dip setting, the outer Hellas, my main beam lights, (Burstner handbook says they are 'low beam') are not lit.

S'truth rayc, this is becoming like that Danny Kaye film 'The Court Jester':

"The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!" [/I]


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Wait till its dark and get someone to drive down the road one way as you drive down the other way !!! They will soon tell you if its main or dip you are showing !!!!!


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