Sealed Beam Headlights

[Joe C.]

Re: Oven baking seal beams Update

John,

I have never bought a T3 bulb at Carlisle, or anywhere else, without testing it first. If a seller won't let you test the beam first, then walk away from it. About 50% of the time they will self-destruct. Last couple years, good ones are very, very hard to find. Lucky I have a couple spares (now re-sealed)on hand. If/when those ever die, then I'll buy a set of the excellent LL repros.

Joe

PS: I'm the guy walking around the swap meet with the test wire slung over my shoulder.

[Michael H.]

Re: I got a deal 4 U

I probably wouldn't be any good out there now. I'm old now and can't remember many of the details on those 64 split window cars. I'm so old now that I'll probably miss the exit off of I-4 to get to the event and wind up in Orlando, again! I'm not allowed out in public unsupervised. Nice compliment though, thanks. I have very good memories of the days that you and I judged at the Bloomington Gold events. (did we ever judge together at an NCRS event, can't remember?)

I don't think I would be carltons first choice for judging.

[John D.]

Re: Oven baking seal beams Update

Joe, What do you use to see the T3's with?? Also just learning all the slang abbreviations you guys use. What is IMHO?? Thanks, John

[Joe C.]

Re: Oven baking seal beams Update

John,

I made up a quick test rig. 2 lengths of wire about three feet long, with female spade connectors on one end, and alligator clips on the other. Some of the better parts mongers have their own test rig.....usually 2 and 3 prong sealed beam connectors, and a 12v source. These are usually the guys charging the higher prices for their beams.

IMHO = "in my honest opinion"
AFAIAC = "as far as I am concerned"

Isn't the internet great!

Joe

[Mark #28455]

quit killing all the bulbs!

You can use a vacuum jar - quite common when I worked in the lab, about 12" diameter. Since the theory is that the seal at the wire entry point is bad, then place the bulb in the vac jar,clean the wire sites well, pull a vac with your vacuum pump and leave the bulb in there for about a week to equilibrate, then drop to ambient pressure, and apply varnish. Pull the vac up again and leave it alone for a few days till the varnish dries.

Simply heating the bulbs will not do a thing!

What do you have to lose, you're killing all the bulbs anyway!
Mark

[Roy B.]

Re: Sealed Beam Headlights

I had a friend owned a 57 CAR Nomad and yes the Chevy guys are nuts too , but any way he had the same problem with bulbs burning out so this guy some how took a class cuter removed the filaments and in it's place glued in quarts bulbs (like the ones you get today) no one ever noticed it . And those Chevy nuts also look for the non- dot thing and never knew what he did but asks why his lights were so nice end bright!

[Rob M.]

Re: Sealed Beam Headlights

I think this is the way to go!!!

[Charles P.]

Re: Repop Power Beams

I spoke with the LL people in bloomington regarding this subject. There are no plans at this time or in the future to repop the POWER BEAMS. I also spoke with him about NOS bulbs and he said sealing the bulbs with silicone is useless for the reasons above as stated (air is already inside). He said the breakdown can be anywhere on the back of the bulb that is laquered. I do like the vacuum post with relaquering before testing. I would lay odds that the percentage of bulbs that would be saved would be higher. So who wants to try this?

[Mark #28455]

Re: Repop Power Beams

I was planning to give it a try, I just have to finish unpacking all my garage junk since the move. I already have the vacuum pumps for A/C work and whole pile of old bulbs.

Mark

[Verne Frantz]

Re: Repop Power Beams

Charles, I don't know if you're referring to my post or the one that said to put the bulbs in a vacuum chamber, pump them down, then take them out and seal the connections. Well.........DUUH, when you take them out of the chamber, they're full of air again...... Don't count on the leak to be like a weathered tire valve that only loses 1/2lb of air a week. Could happen....but don't count on it.

[Charles P.]

Re: Repop Power Beams

This sounds like a Restorer article in the making. Email me if you have any success. I have a few good looking backups.

[Mark #28455]

you have to reapply vacuum

The initial vacuum application is to hopefully remove any moisture that may have entered. After you apply the enamel, you have to reapply the vacuum to pull out the air and hold it at vacuum until the enamel dries.

What do you think, is it worth a try?
Mark

[Verne Frantz]

Re: you have to reapply vacuum

Mark,
I've used vacuum systems all my professional life.

"After you apply the enamel, you have to reapply the vacuum to pull out the air and hold it at vacuum until the enamel dries."

OK, first of all, THE most difficult substance to remove in any vacuum system is moisture. It is very tenacious and the little molecules seem to hide everywhere. Applied heat is the only way to rid the system of moisture. That heat can be applied conductively through an inert gas by first pumping down as good as vacuum as possible in a chamber, turn off the vacuum supply then back-fill with nitrogen, helium, argon, etc. up to atmospheric pressure. Leave it with the heat turned on for maybe 5 min. to heat up the bulbs, then close off the inert gas source and re-evacuate the chamber to as hard a vacuum as your pump will pull. Leave the vacuum on and let the hot bulbs evolve off their moisture content. That gets rid of (as much as possible) the moisture.

Next phase: IF you have already applied an "enamel" to the joints on the rear of the bulb before you put it into a vacuum system, you can not expect to draw a good vacumm through the enamel which will hold when the system is vented to atmosphere and the bulb is removed. As the enamel is drying, it is allowing a passage into the bulb to evacuate it. Once the enamel has dried under vacuum, it will still have a passage for return air later. If air can pass one way through the enamel (or any other patch compound), it will pass the other way once the pressures have changed.

Yikes! If saving these original T-3s is that important, the ONLY way is to follow my earlier posted instructions. Quite a lot of fixture work, not to mention the glass blowing skills. They have to be resealed WHILE they are under a vacuum. A good sealing compound has to be applied to the joints first, then cured. This is NOT something a guy can do in his garage with a few simple instructions. I could design the fixturing and perform the skills, but it would be a sizable capital investment. Is saving these original T-3s worth it?????

Verne