Right, I had a headlight bulb go out last week, so I decided to replace them both like you do, I was originally going to order up some H3C's, but decided to do the conversion jobbie with the H3 type as in the picture...

 

 

I had drilled a small hole in the plate and countersunk it also to ensure a good contact before soldering an earthing wire to it, with a spade connector as the picture shows, I did this with both obviously.

 

Then I fitted the modified bulbs and connected them up to the connector block, earth to earth and live to live.

 

When I tested the lights, all were on, the side lights, dipped and main, but the main was only as bright as the dipped lights, then I lost the two 15amp fuses, and lost all lighting to the headlights.

 

On replacing the fuses I blew one immediately on turning on the lights, this was the LHS fuse and the LHS bulb was out also.

 

Where have gone wrong, do I just replace my fuses and order up a set of new H3C's, sounds the easiest solution.

This is the link I followed, didn't use 100w bulbs tho as I was worried about burning wires out etc, I used 55w bulbs.

lol sorry link here....... http://www.aus300zx.com/tech/lights.htm

I think the earth wire is supposed to be soldered onto the actual headlight itself mate.

 

Ivan

there is a screw that you can attach an eye connector too on the lamp assembly. try that as otherwise you will have to solder a cable onto every bulb that blows.

thats basically what i did but connected the earth from the bulb to the bodywork instead

but what was goingon with the lights?

 

Like all of them were on, even the main beam bulbs, and I didn't have main beam switched on?

 

What about the fuses blowing?

 

Think I'll just order up a set of H3C's, it'll be way less hastle, anyone know the best place to get em?

I have just ordered a set from the Z centre.

What you've done is correct.

The only thing I can think of is that by drilling the hole to fix the wire you've shorted something in the bulb :confused:

I just used to scrape the silvered metal surface rough and solder to that but I did sometimes have the leads come off with the heat melting the solder.

 

Wiring the earth to the headlight internals gives the same result.