Courtesy light degradation

Anything about BXs
Post Reply
User avatar
BX Bandit
Backslash Bandit
Posts: 2588
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Home
My Cars: Cars
x 3

Courtesy light degradation

Post by BX Bandit »

What causes the B pillar courtesy lights to turn brittle and break? Is it exposure to uv (does uv pass through glass?) or is it due to the heat from the bulb? In which case models without the delay timer would be less prone to this.
Any thoughts? Although I'm not keen on the idea I am considering using LED festoon bulbs if its a heat issue.
1990 BX 16V Platinum Grey
1990 BX TGD White
1960 Morris Minor Clarondon Grey
1971 Triumph 2000 Auto Valencia Blue
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15565
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 141

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by Tim Leech »

The Mk1 models are terrible, they seem to just turn into dust, however the GT which has done less than a third of the miles of the DTR (both Mk1) are ok (ish) but have gone cloudy, later models seem to be better.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
Dollywobbler
Over 2k
Posts: 3940
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:25 pm
Location: Wales
Contact:

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by Dollywobbler »

Probably UV. Glass does cut it down, but doesn't stop it entirely - which is why 1970s fabrics in cars often disintegrate.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by mat_fenwick »

It's a bit of both, but heat (both from the bulb and from sunlight) accelerates the ageing process of plastics. Fortunately living in Wales the latter is less of a problem ( :lol: ) but it's common for dashboards etc. to go brittle and crack on cars from hotter countries. So a car stored more often in the shade is likely to be better in this respect. I guess that a car which is used during the day rather than sat in the hot sun, although doing more miles will tend to have a cooler interior so should be better.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
Mothman

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by Mothman »

Those in Mollie had turned to dust, mind you, 28 years of sitting in the sun etc cant have helped.
Easy fix though.

Andy
User avatar
citsncycles
Over 2k
Posts: 3224
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:14 pm
Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by citsncycles »

The drivers side one in Timex has a hole in it, but the passenger one is OK (not looked for a date on them yet to see if they're original).

I did hear somewhere that people often fitted higher wattage than original bulbs in there and this caused problems.

Are the Mk1 units different to the Mk2 ones?
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by Defender110 »

I think it is heat from the bulbs when they have been left on by mistake, I ofen see mine left on from when the seat belt has caught the switch or the kids catching them and it can be several hours before spotted.
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by mat_fenwick »

citsncycles wrote:I did hear somewhere that people often fitted higher wattage than original bulbs in there and this caused problems.
Yes, that is right - the originals were 7 watt dimpled/frosted glass bulbs which are less common than the 10 watt bulbs usually available. Dunno if it makes much of a difference but can't help...
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
Mothman

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by Mothman »

Are the Mk1 units different to the Mk2 ones?

They are the same Mike.
I could not tell the difference from the remains of Mollie's and those i have as spares from Mk2s. Also, those in both Sophie and Gloria are are the same.

Andy
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15565
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 141

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by Tim Leech »

I fitted a pair of Mk2 units in the DTR when I got as the originals just fell to bits.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by electrokid »

Yes, that is right - the originals were 7 watt dimpled/frosted glass bulbs which are less common than the 10 watt bulbs usually available. Dunno if it makes much of a difference but can't help...
I think it does make a critical difference - and the 7W frosted seem not to be available in many places so the 10W gets fitted instead.

These be the ones to fit...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-BULB-237- ... _670wt_725
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
User avatar
citsncycles
Over 2k
Posts: 3224
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:14 pm
Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by citsncycles »

To go back to the original posting, I have wondered how good the LED bulbs are, as I assume that they will be cooler in operation, and would hopefully avoid a flat battery if I leave 1 (or more!) on.
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
mds141
Over 2k
Posts: 5288
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:26 am
Location: Lancaster
x 9

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by mds141 »

I've fitted LED's to the valver Mike. No flat battery from leaving the interior lights on. The fridge however, is another matter.... :oops:
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
User avatar
BX Bandit
Backslash Bandit
Posts: 2588
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Home
My Cars: Cars
x 3

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by BX Bandit »

They would def be cooler and brighter, some come with 8 LEDs in them. The replacement for my tzd is a white 88k tgd without delay timer and the lights are in fine order, as such I really don't want them to degrade but I do want to install the delay timer. Another interesting observation is that the black paint around the window apertures on the doors is......well......black, as opposed to them being heavily faded and turning white. This is the same age as my tzd (with heavily faded window surrounds) which suggests it may of been garaged......possibly saving those courtesy lights?
1990 BX 16V Platinum Grey
1990 BX TGD White
1960 Morris Minor Clarondon Grey
1971 Triumph 2000 Auto Valencia Blue
User avatar
citsncycles
Over 2k
Posts: 3224
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:14 pm
Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire

Re: Courtesy light degradation

Post by citsncycles »

Don't those light delay units rely on the current draw of the lights? If so, you may need to add a resistor.
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Post Reply