[FASTnSPEEDY]

Hey,

I just got a set of the Harbor Freight off-road lights to put on my bumper.
After asking my Granddad to help me put them on he insisted on paying someone to put them on, and he also said he would pay to have them installed. So after telling him I could do it, he convinced me to let him do it.

So they install them and they work awesome, I couldn't be happier, but then one went out after only being used for 1 hour, and the next went out about 1.5 hours of usage later. (A total of 2 days before they broke.)

Here's how they went out.
Light 1: I had had the lights on for about 30 minutes straight when after turning them off for about 1 min I turned them on again to show my Dad how well they worked and instantly after turning the switch on, one went out.

Light 2: After the first one burned out I kept using the other light, I had them on for about 20 minutes straight before it just went out. But when it went out the light on the switch that's illuminated when it is on went out also. (So I'm thinking maybe the fuse blew?)

So now I'm torn between ripping the whole system out and buying some nice Hella 500's (I think that is the right name.) or buying another set of $16 lights.

Also: I'm using the harness that came with the lights, so I don't know if that's the problem. For all I know, (I didn't install them) it could just be a ground problem.
My Dad tested the lights to see if they were receiving power and they were.


John

[XJohnnyC]

Originally Posted by FASTnSPEEDY

I just got a set of the Harbor Freight off-road lights

'Nuff said.

Remember...you get what you pay for.

[kencaz]

Well, the last sentence kinda summed it up... after the lights went out your dad check, and they were both getting 12volts? If that is the case then it's either the lights or a bad ground at the light... hook one or both lights directly to the battery to see if they work... then you'll have your answer...

KC

[Thayer]

Also pull the bulbs out and see if they're still good.

[CNY]

I have a set of the HF lights mounted in my rear (bumper). Ha. They work fine for me.

[toledotimber]

I would be willing to bet that no relay was used, in which case you're lucky the lights just went out instead of having a fire.

[FASTnSPEEDY]

Originally Posted by toledotimber

I would be willing to bet that no relay was used, in which case you're lucky the lights just went out instead of having a fire.

There was no relay used, but I thought that wasn't the best way, not that it was dangerous.

Here is a link to the online manual.
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/3000-3999/3029.pdf

[kencaz]

Originally Posted by FASTnSPEEDY

There was no relay used, but I thought that wasn't the best way, not that it was dangerous.

Here is a link to the online manual.
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/3000-3999/3029.pdf

A relay is not absolutally necessary if it is fused and your switch can handle the amps... It does not see like they draw a whole lot but I always use relays... It's safer and keeps you from having to run a lot of heavy gauge wire and switches.

You can go and buy a relay with a socket at autozone or somewhere but check the lights themselves and tighten all your connections first to make sure it's at least working... then keep them on for awhile and feel all the wiring to the switch and the lights to see if it's getting hot. If not your probably fine... if it seems abnormally warm then use the relay...

Good Luck

KC

[CINDY'S 90 XJ]

You did not state which H F lights that you used.

If they were halogen, then probably the bulbs have shot.

Go to a good autoparts store and pick up a pair of new replacement bulbs and I bet your low cost lights will last as long as a set of those expensive lights.

I have went both ways, and I can't get the fancy name brands to last any longer or perform any better than low cost brands.

The bulbs are what make the deal.

Also good soldered no nonsense- i.e.no relay- wiring will make even a cheap light last a long time.

[mk20rockeye]

I am running the HF lights and have yet to see a problem....knock on wood! I ran my own harness and switch out of 16 gauge wire and ditched the wiring and switch that came with the kit. The connectionc and wiring used will mean everything in your system....check the connections for anything that may be loose. never know what you might find

[Twisted]

1) This is why you do the work yourself instead of paying others to do it. You need to know how things are wired and such and the only way to make sure its done correctly is to do it yourself.

2) If you paid someone to hook it up and they didn't use a relay, get your money back.

3) If they wired them without a relay and used the switch that they came with you're lucky you didn't have a fire.

4) If they wired them without a relay and used any switch thats not a high amperage heavy duty switch you're lucky you didn't have a fire.

5) You get what you pay for. Don't get me wrong, I have a set of the 100w HF lights and they work decent, but keep in mind that part of the whole driving/fog light revolution was when companies developed housings that could handle the head of a small 55 or 100 watt H3 bulb. The HF housings don't have that kind of research into them and that is why they are cheap. Bottom line is that leaving them on for more than a few minutes at a time will result in the bulb getting hot and burning out.


In all honesty the beam pattern on the HF lights are so narrow that a 55w bulb won't make much more less light than 100w bulbs and will last longer. Go spend a couple bucks on some 55w H3 bulbs and throw them in there. Rewire them with a relay. And be thankful you didn't have an electrical fire.

[toledotimber]

Originally Posted by FASTnSPEEDY

There was no relay used, but I thought that wasn't the best way, not that it was dangerous.

Here is a link to the online manual.
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/3000-3999/3029.pdf

I know what their manuals say regarding their lights. I also know that he used the wiring/switch included with them (he said so in the original post). If you've physically looked at a H.F. light kit, you'd know not to use them without a relay--regardless what their junk manuals say. I have two of their lights on my brush guard, and they work flawlessly. This is in part because the first thing I did was put together my own harness using my own wire, relay, and switch.

[jfiscus]

Get 2 lengths of wire and connect them to your positive & negative battery terminals.
touch them to the appropriate wires on the lights. If they work it's a wiring issue.

I have not heard of anyone using HF lights personally, but I know a LOT of people that use the $20 Walmart Baja lights (myself included) and have had no problems with them. I have run Walmart lights for 2almost 2 years and use them frequently and both lights still work. I've even had them underwater (while off), had my bumper ripped off, and dropped my engine on them and both still work all the time. I used the wiring harness that came with my lights.

[TJ_Jeeper_97]

old thread revival...

I got similar lights at autozone, had the same problem. They kept going out at the most inconvenient times...turned out to be bad bulbs and ground, so I salvaged the bulbs from my old KC's and put them in the cheapo lights. they worked for a good long time until the harness crapped out on me.

It was my first light install, probly did something wrong but point being, a simple bulb upgrade can really make the difference and save alotta $$$

[dukie564]

what did you ground the lights to? I'm willing to bet it's not the bulbs but the grounds are crappy. Get some lock washers (the jagged kind), and sand the area you are attaching the ground wire to. It's very easy to not get a good ground if you don't take the extra steps. Also definitely add a relay to the system.