Fastrac headlights

[melted welly]

2170, 2011.

Headlights are suffering from lack of power, can’t see anything in the dark. Original units were starting to corrode, lost their reflective backing, so we assumed that was problem. Fitted new units and they’re just the same, it’s like we’ve fitted 24v bulbs into a 12v system.
The bulbs are 12v though.

anyone got any ideas? I don’t really get on with electrics.

thanks.

 

[Exfarmer]

buy leds but you probably have an earthing problem

 

[kill]

@UTV Products maybe able to help as asked them a question via a pm and had an especially quick response

 

[davidroberts30]

Check the earths

 

[melted welly]

Check the earths

As in negative terminal and chassis connection?
sorry if it’s a stupid question

 

[davidroberts30]

Yes I'd start a the headlights and trace the loom back and check any joints and connections

 

[Happy hillbily]

Probably bad earth, or a partly broken wire or corroded connector somewhere.

 

[tepapa]

As in negative terminal and chassis connection?
sorry if it’s a stupid question

If it's similar to the older fastrac's, it'll be fused on the negative side (the earth wire), so all earth wires run back to the fuse box not to a cab or chassis earth like you would find in most vehicles. You do get a lot of earth splices though.

 

[tepapa]

How many volts are you getting to the light plug?

 

[melted welly]

How many volts are you getting to the light plug?

Didn’t check, will have a better look today.

 

[ACEngineering]

If it's similar to the older fastrac's, it'll be fused on the negative side (the earth wire), so all earth wires run back to the fuse box not to a cab or chassis earth like you would find in most vehicles. You do get a lot of earth splices though.

I dont know fastrax at all but no way are they fused on the earth side! That's just wrong not even JCB could be that stupid!

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Didn’t check, will have a better look today.

Across the plug, not directly to chassis either, then compare it to chassis. That will give you an idea. Your easiest way would be a short piece of two core from battery to lamp to compare. There’s a harness plug somewhere that’s dirty.

 

[ACEngineering]

Didn’t check, will have a better look today.

Just another thought. Are they genuine jcb or hella lights or a cheap copy one cause copy ones are rubbish and a few of them have old 45watt bulbs not H7s

 

[Robt]

How many volts are you getting to the light plug?

Check the amps if you can rather than the volts

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Check the amps if you can rather than the volts

You will only have an amp reading if you have a current draw, to properly measure the current draw an ampmeter needs to be fitted in line. If you know the voltage and the wattage of the bulbs then the current draw can be calculated using the power triangle

 

[Robt]

I know, I have spent too many times looking for faults and only traced voltage. It actually may be better ( as it’s for headlights on dark roads and all that ) to get someone that knows what they are doing to look at it! Where are you based. I know a few independents

 

[Hilly]

If they are them cheap Chinese copy’s throw them away and get led off utv products they turn night into day , them cheap things are utter junk .

 

[tepapa]

I dont know fastrax at all but no way are they fused on the earth side! That's just wrong not even JCB could be that stupid!

I'm not an electrician so I don't know how to best describe it.
Its powered through the earth side, so the fuse is in the right place and then what you think is the live wire is actually the earth.

It's all back to front and a head scratcher to work out what is going on.

 

[melted welly]

I know, I have spent too many times looking for faults and only traced voltage. It actually may be better ( as it’s for headlights on dark roads and all that ) to get someone that knows what they are doing to look at it! Where are you based. I know a few independents

Got a local guy, just wanted t check there’s no obvious simple thing I’m overlooking

 

[Robt]

UTV now do an LED headlight for JCB fastrac. Looks very very good