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replacing blown bulbs in pairs

2

Comments

  • Lum
    Lum Posts: 6,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Only time I'd even consider replacing them in pairs is if it was a headlight bulb and the replacement I'd bought was a different model with different light output. Not worth it with brake bulbs.

    Besides, surely if the other one is going to go soon, then your new pair are also likely to both go at once, so best to try and separate replacing them as long as possible to reduce the possibility of driving around with no brake lights at all.
  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    I have had to replace a blown brake light bulb, and I have just noticed on the packaging on the pair of replacement bulbs that I bought from Halfords, that bulbs should be replaced in pairs.

    Is that correct?

    Because the brightness of a bulb reduces gradually during it's life cycle before it finally pops.
    If you replace just one bulb, there's a good chance that the new one will look overly bright...... And if I remember correctly, THAT can lead to an MOT failure.

    BUT, For anything other than dipped beam headlights, I've only ever replaced the blown bulb rather than the pair and the difference in brightness was very minimal.
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

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  • Gordon_Hose
    Gordon_Hose Posts: 6,259 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    I've never changed bulbs in pairs.
  • jase1
    jase1 Posts: 2,308 Forumite
    By replacing in pairs you are making the event of the two bulbs failing within a short time of each other more likely.

    And I don't know about you but I'd rather have one of a set of bulbs working than neither.
  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    jase1 wrote: »
    By replacing in pairs you are making the event of the two bulbs failing within a short time of each other more likely.

    And I don't know about you but I'd rather have one of a set of bulbs working than neither.

    Nah, whilst that may sound logical, it just doesn't work out that way.... Not worth worrying about :)
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

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  • Lum
    Lum Posts: 6,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    The only possible economic advantage, since this is Halfords two-pack bulbs we're talking about, is that chances are when the bulb you didn't replace blows, you probably wont be able to find the other bulb you bought and end up buying another two-pack anyway.

    If this describes you, then replacing both bulbs at the same time will be the more economical option.
  • s_b
    s_b Posts: 4,464 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    i would have only changed the blown bulb because by putting on my Sherlock Holmes hat i have deduced that the blown bulb had actually been blown for ages and was only brought to the OP's attention when the oil warning light came on to advise him his engine was about to seize and so as he parked in the halfords carpark with his bearings clattering a kindly soul advised him he had a bulb out

    elementary see my dear watson


    ....................next
  • photome
    photome Posts: 16,683 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    edited 30 November 2011 at 10:38PM
    pstuart wrote: »
    The quality control on things like bulbs is pretty precise, when one goes its highly likely that the other one will fail shortly after.

    Really?

    I have changed lots of bulbs in my 30 plus years of driving and only ever changed one at a time, I dont remember ever having to change the other side any time soon after.

    I sometimes think posters will say anything on these forums and even believe what they say
  • Whatever next will Halfords come up with next. You have to give them credit for sheer cleverness on this one.
    Just changing the one that has blown is fine. However, if you have concerns that the other seems dimmer, it may be worth cleaning out the inside of the red lens cover and making sure that there is no condensation inside that has coroded the bulb connectors. Try not to touch glass with bare fingers as the oil on fingers can cause it to blow. Espec on headlights, but it does affect other bulbs as well. Then standing behind the car, get a mate or family member to despress brake pedal and see what it looks like. Is it too bright or matched. Not sure it would fail MOT for being too bright one side. So far as I know it just has to light up.
    The bulbs that can cause fails are orange painted indicator bulbs that are inside white lenses. Mine failed last year for that reason. So I had to pay out for 2 new rear bulbs. And it coming upto that time of year again.
  • Weird_Nev
    Weird_Nev Posts: 1,383 Forumite
    photome wrote: »
    Really?

    I have changed lots of bulbs in my 30 plus years of driving and only ever changed one at a time, I dont remember ever having to change the other side any time soon after.

    I sometimes think posters will say anything on these forums and even believe what they say
    Exactly. It's just "mean time before failure". Some bulbs will last practically forever, some will go almost straight away. The vast majority will blow some time around the "mean time before failure" shich tends to represent a bell curve.


    Replace bulbs once they blow, otherwise you're just binning a bulb that may outlast the car.
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