I have Hella Optilux 1182 blue-ion projector style fog lights, which I am running 100 Watt zenon blue H3 bulbs from hella and ever since I installed the bigger bulbs my relay only lasts for about a month or so?

I cant figure out what is going on, fuse doesnt blow and the wiring is not melting so this is really puzzling me. it is a 4 pin 30 amp relay if that helps at all.


thanks in advance chris!

 

I started to look up some stuff on those projector lights, and I found a page that said the lights were rated for 55W h3 blubs. Seeing as how you are using a 100W bulb, the bulb is prolly drawing too much current and is blowing the relay. On top of that, the fuse is prolly not blowing for a couple of reasons -
1) the fuse is there to protect your car from being damaged by a bad or faulty light.
2) the fuse will also protect the lights from any surge that the car may produce.
3) the fuse may be a higher rating than the relay for the simply fact that to operate a relay takes little electricity, but lighting the actual bulb takes a bit more.

So, there are three things you can do.
1) You can lower the fuse value - I am sure fuses are less expensive than relays, so when your lights go out, you can just replace the fuse rather than the relay. But you are still going to blow fuses if the relay can't handle the power.
2) You can raise the relay value. This is prolly a better option to go with, but try not to over do it... maybe try a 40 amp, but if that blows then you should go to option 3.
3) Get the lights that are supposed to go there.

Hope that helps.