Melted bulb socket

i have a serious problem i changed my bulbs with teh blue ones on my 1993 400e and last week the bulb just stopped working i though tmay be i blew the bulb but when i opened it up it was astonshing to c that the socket which plugs to teh bulb has burn out went to the dealer to buy a new one but no luck as they said they dont carry that they told me to get it from PEP BOYS went there adn they said they dont carry it anymore finally got it from NAPA so i changed it but need to know if there is some place from here i can buy the ORIGINAL piece
will replace the other on etoo before i face the same problem
should i stop using the 100 watt bulbs
but i have seen so many people using it any ideas lease help ASAp
thanks in advance
mani

[neileg]

If you've gone from 55 watt bulbs to 100 wats bulbs you haven't just doubled the light output, you've also doubled the heat.

If you must use the 100 watt bulbs, then you're going to have to cool down the back of the light fixture, or find some way of creating a more heat resistant connection. When you've done that, you just have to hope that the reflector and lens can cope with the heat, too.

Good luck!

[csnow]

Both of mine showed signs of melting after 16 years just using the stock 55/65 bulbs. One eventually failed. The stock connectors are already under-built, and are certainly not up to the task of taking higher watt bulbs.

The replacement connectors from NAPA and Autozone are actually superior to the stock ones. The contacts are more beefy, and the wires are fatter.

Also, it looks like MB will only sell you the entire harness, so that must be big bucks. I'd stick with the aftermarket repair.

Is the rest of the circuit up to the task? Probably for 55/100, but I really do not know. You may need to 'hardwire' the lights with fatter cables, and switch the circuit with a relay. This would also ensure less voltage drop for full 'brightness'.

Best of luck.

hey guys thanks for helping me out just last night i fixed the problem and i got the original bulbs back u all r right the original bulbs are always a better option no matter what
thanks once again but the wuestion still stays there is it possible that from anywhere i can get the OEM socket for my car
thanks in advance
mani

As far as whether or not you should continue to use 100 Watt bulbs, you have already answered this question. It is very obvious that you should not use them. I have posted a warning in many headlight threads here that this will damage your headlight assemblies.

As to the fact that doubling the wattage also doubles the heat, that is true if you stay with the same bulb type. These "cool blues" and such are emitting a different spectrum of energy. I fully expect that this spectrum contains a higer percentage of its energy in the IR (heat) area of the spectrum, meaning that you are MORE than doubling the heat generated.

These cool blues are meant to LOOK better not for you to SEE better.

Most of the effectiveness of your headlights has to do with the shape of the reflector and lens rather than the bulb wattage. If you change to EURO lights with standard wattage bulbs you will have MUCH MORE effective lighting than whatever wattage bulb you can put in your US lights.

If you want to continue having light at night without ruining your headlight assemblies and rewiring things stick with standard power bulbs.

Happy New Year,