Headlight - broken connector plug

[VaR1200RT]

I had another burned out light bulb on my 2012 RT.  I went to change the light bulb and when I pulled the connector a small piece  of plastic broke off.  I went to inspect the connector and the plastic just crumbled apart.  I went on and finished changing the bulb and put  the metal tabs on the bulb and it all worked.  I looked up the part from BMW and it is $49 each.  Yikes.  Amazon sells 2 H7 connectors for $5.  Since I will have to pull the headlight out to replace these, I will wait a bit.  The next day I went to replace the bulb on the other side and the same thing happen.  I was very  careful pulling the connector off.  I just think the number of years hand the heat cycles have made the plastic brittle.

 

Has any one else had this happen and they just connected the metal connectors to the bulbs without the plastic?  I have a long bike trip at the end of May and I am just wondering if I need to tear the front end apart before the trip.  I do have aux lights.  Thanks

[6speedTi]

Yes. The OEM connectors get brittle with heat and time. 

I replaced both main beams with this adapter. The high beam is next when I get around to it.

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, VaR1200RT said:

I had another burned out light bulb on my 2012 RT.  I went to change the light bulb and when I pulled the connector a small piece  of plastic broke off.  I went to inspect the connector and the plastic just crumbled apart.  I went on and finished changing the bulb and put  the metal tabs on the bulb and it all worked.  I looked up the part from BMW and it is $49 each.  Yikes.  Amazon sells 2 H7 connectors for $5.  Since I will have to pull the headlight out to replace these, I will wait a bit.  The next day I went to replace the bulb on the other side and the same thing happen.  I was very  careful pulling the connector off.  I just think the number of years hand the heat cycles have made the plastic brittle.

 

Has any one else had this happen and they just connected the metal connectors to the bulbs without the plastic?  I have a long bike trip at the end of May and I am just wondering if I need to tear the front end apart before the trip.  I do have aux lights.  Thanks

 

Morning VaR1200RT

 

Truthfully, you don't really need that plastic connector (unless you plan on shoving metal objects into the headlight cavity).

 

There are a number of BMW 1200RT's riding around with that plastic terminal connector missing or broken.

 

That outer plastic part is great for keeping the wires together & ready for the assembly line worker to simply plug it in but once the terminals are pushed on the light bulb terminals then it really serves no purpose in an enclosed area.

 

It has no effect on keeping the terminals on the bulb, without it actually makes bulb changes easier as it is easier to deal with single terminal removal & re-installation than trying to pull the connector off of both together.  

 

If you really want to replace then just go to local auto parts store & buy a universal H-7 repair plug,  or better yet, get a ceramic one as those don't get brittle with heat & age like the BMW one will.

[VaR1200RT]

Thanks for both response.  I will go on my trip with the bike as is.  I did not think there was anyway that they could short out unless they came loose.  If these bulbs go out in 8 to 10 k I may look at installing LED H7 bulbs and fix the connectors at that point.  I do like the idea of a ceramic connector.

 

Nice thing was it did make changing the bulb easier.  10 minutes for the second bulb.

[Pappy35]

Both of mine are similarly damaged. I'll replace them the next time I have the assembly out but I agree that once connected there's no need to worry.

[VaR1200RT]

Thanks Pappy35  

If I am going to take the headlight assembly out I was thinking of going to LED bulbs while it is out.

[Pappy35]

Don't bother. I have a thread over at BMWMOA about my experience. I tried both ADVMonster and Cyclops and neither one worked (they had exactly the same results). I returned the Cyclops but still have two of the three ADVs, if you want to try for yourself I'll sell them to you. There's something about the design of the reflectors that make it so there's almost no light at all projected to he right side of the road. I mean, like, zero. The halogens project evenly to both sides but the LEDs only project to the left. They do work great in the high beam though (hence the reason I have two, not three, for sale).

 

Look at these two images and guess which is the halogen and which is the LED.

 

The bike is pointed differently so use the central hot spot as a center line reference.

[VaR1200RT]

Thanks for the heads up about the LED bulbs.  Since I have aux lights I think I may just stay with the regular bulbs in the headlight and be ready to change bulbs every 10000 miles.  Maybe I will just change bulbs everytime I change the oil. LOL

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, VaR1200RT said:

Thanks for the heads up about the LED bulbs.  Since I have aux lights I think I may just stay with the regular bulbs in the headlight and be ready to change bulbs every 10000 miles.  Maybe I will just change bulbs everytime I change the oil. LOL

 

Morning  VaR1200RT

 

If you are staying with conventional bulbs then I will throw a teaser out here for you.

 

If (BIG IF HERE) you can somehow find the (discontinued)  Osram 64217 Rallye 65w H-7 bulbs then buy them.

 

The Osram 64217 Rallye 65w is actually an H-9 bulb on an H-7 base that produces better light output than any of the super conventional H-7's (even brighter then the new  Osram 80 watt but not nearly the heat & current draw of the 80 watt)-- (Caution do not use the Osram 80 watt bulbs)

 

Those 65 watt H-9 on the H-7 base have a much longer life as the H-9 filament is not so tightly wound so is longer, stronger, & more durable.

 

Personally, I still use those  Osram 64217 Rallye 65w but I am down to my last few so not sure where I'm headed once those run out (latest talk is of someone in Germany trying to resurrect an H-9 on the H-7 base & start offering them again). That would be great if it ever happens but I'm not holding my breath.

 

I do know that some are replacing the Osram 64217 Rallye 65w  with the VOSLA H7 55W +120 Superbrite Light but I'm pretty sure that is built on the standard H-7 filament not the more durable H-9 filament so the longer life thing in probably not there. I have a friend now using the  VOSLA H7 55W +120 & he claims the light output is almost as good as the Osram 64217 Rallye 65w but not quite as full field as the those old Osram 65w 'burners' were.    

 

[WhoolyBully]

Changed my left low beam H7 on my '13 yesterday and the plastic connector broke. I have the wire connected individually and the light is working. Good to see that this is not really a problem. Does it matter which wire is connected to which H7 tab?

Excuse my electrical ignorance!

[DaveTheAffable]

Whooly…. Highly technical response:

 

No

 

🙂

[6speedTi]

19 minutes ago, DaveTheAffable said:

Whooly…. Highly technical response:

 

No

 

🙂

Actually it depends if you're north or south of the equator and if you're geographically more than 8 degrees west of magnetic north or 7.5 degrees east of magnetic north. That's what I just watched on CNN. 😂

[pavjayt]

On 4/22/2019 at 5:47 AM, dirtrider said:

 

Morning  VaR1200RT

 

I do know that some are replacing the Osram 64217 Rallye 65w  with the VOSLA H7 55W +120 Superbrite Light but I'm pretty sure that is built on the standard H-7 filament not the more durable H-9 filament so the longer life thing in probably not there. I have a friend now using the  VOSLA H7 55W +120 & he claims the light output is almost as good as the Osram 64217 Rallye 65w but not quite as full field as the those old Osram 65w 'burners' were.    

 

Hi DR, check here on Daniel Stern's website, he has those made by Vosla, a H9 on a H7 base. No affiliation with him or his website, but did buy some from him before for my Alfa 164 and they are of good quality.

 

Search for H7 bulbs and it will take you right to that item on the webpage

 

Same on eBay as well here

 

Hope this helps.

[dirtrider]

2 hours ago, pavjayt said:

Hi DR, check here on Daniel Stern's website, he has those made by Vosla, a H9 on a H7 base. No affiliation with him or his website, but did buy some from him before for my Alfa 164 and they are of good quality.

 

Search for H7 bulbs and it will take you right to that item on the webpage

 

Same on eBay as well here

 

Hope this helps.

Afternoon pavjayt

 

You are replying to an ancient posting, we have known about those Vosla, a H9 on a H7 base for a while now but $50.00 a bulb is hard to swallow. 

[pavjayt]

Sorry, didnt check the post date, it just showed up in the top with few replies, so thought its recent.

 

Yeh $50 is pretty pricey for a bulb