Bulbs!

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi guys,

Well at the moment they don’t seem to like me, it might be on the walk-around checks, or half way down some dark country road but I’ve had more bulbs go on me in the past few weeks than ever before.

As I’m agency I have never carried spares as:

a) I drive so many different types of vehicle its impossible to have all the right ones
b) getting the money back is a ruddy nightmare

But a few times recently its been a main bulb thats gone on a little country lane and its been dangerous to carry on - and unprofessional, it would be a lot easier if I carried a few bulbs than having to sit at the side of the road for an hour and a half for a fitter.

SO my question is thus:

What are the most common types of bulb you carry and where do you get them from? at £4 a pop from Halfords there must be somewhere cheaper.

Cheers,

Alex

2

I would have thought that the company you are working for should ensure that there are spare bulbs, fuses etc in case of the said emergencies?
I may be wrong but are you not supposed to have a spare bulb kit in trucks by law anyway?
As for where to get them from I would try the various truck service/parts departments.

3

Oh most of them do have bulb kits, but how often are they checked?

I don’t know about everyone else but when I see a “Spare bulb kit” in a vehicle its normally a small toolbox type thing with a couple of odd bulbs chucked in it, very rarely a full selection unless its a motor normally assigned to someone who is on leave etc

I had to change one the week before last, 2 spares in the kit, neither worked. It was only a reversing lamp but still. You can’t check the spares before every journey can you.

Alex

4

the head lamp bulbs are ( i would hope ) fairly standard so on your next job do check tell em ones gone keep for emergencies :laughing: :laughing:

5

You’ll be cheaper going to Partco, or some other motor factor
Most headlight bulbs are H1 if singles ie 1 light for main beam, and 1 for dip.
Or H4 if one light does both
most trailer bulbs and rear bulbs are 149 0r 150 for tail lights or 246 for stop light indicaror.
These should keep you going most of the time, and are only pence if you go to the right places.
I’d charge them out at Halfords prices mind, if employers are to tight to supply them. It’s their operators License, if you get a GV9

6

Lidl and Aldi occasionally do bulb/fuse kits, about £2.99 a go normally and come with a choice of what main bulbs they have 2x (H1/H4/H7) and then a bunch of auxilliary bulbs, think they only recently stocked them so might have some left.

7

For most modern motors you would need to carry H1 H4 H7 headlight bulbs
507, 508, 508T, 149 and 241 bulbs. Some older trailers also need 150 and 346 as well.
You’re going to need a bigger bag. :wink:

8

Scarab:
Oh most of them do have bulb kits, but how often are they checked?

I don’t know about everyone else but when I see a “Spare bulb kit” in a vehicle its normally a small toolbox type thing with a couple of odd bulbs chucked in it, very rarely a full selection unless its a motor normally assigned to someone who is on leave etc

I had to change one the week before last, 2 spares in the kit, neither worked. It was only a reversing lamp but still. You can’t check the spares before every journey can you.

Alex

if your doing overnight work see the fitters for spares as the bulbs you buy on the road are a imitation of what you need .the quality isnt there

9

Having repaired trucks for the last 25 years I have found Lucas Bulbs the only one’s that last, however if one truck seems to blow more bulbs than normal then I would suggest voltage regulator problems.

To answer the previous comment, no you are not required to carry bulbs by law

10

Clarky:
I would have thought that the company you are working for should ensure that there are spare bulbs, fuses etc in case of the said emergencies?
I may be wrong but are you not supposed to have a spare bulb kit in trucks by law anyway?
As for where to get them from I would try the various truck service/parts departments.

I would think the fitter will give you a handful of bulbs some vaseline and a spare couple of tiewraps when the workshop get a bill for a call out for fitting a bulb :open_mouth:

Clarky. I believe you are right, spare bulbs must be carried, especially in Europe.

11

Wheel Nut:
Clarky. I believe you are right, spare bulbs must be carried, especially in Europe.

Not sure about all of Europe, but definitely for France and Spain.

Also Spanish regulations say you must also carry tools to facilitate bulb replacement for any lights that may be easily and/or safely replaced by the owner/driver.

12

Co I’m working for wont supply spares, if a bulb blows trucks defected and goes in to Fraikins. H+S apparently :open_mouth: BTW we are not allowed to use the dipstick (even if my DAF had one), top up the oil, coolant or washer fluid, were not even allowed to use glass cleaner, FFS where will it end :confused: will future risk assessments conclude its too dangerous on the roads for a driver to deliver the company’s wares■■?

13

Anyone who pays for any type of spares,for a truck that doesn’t belong to them,wants their head examining.

It’s up to the owner/registered keeper of the truck,to ensure that it is roadworthy.

If you happen to notice that there are no bulbs as spares during your checks,then by all means bring it to their attention,although I don’t recall there being a legal obligation to carry them as spares in this country,unless someone can prove otherwise.

Ken.

14

I know this will end up like the busted suzie post. If there isnt a law that says the vehicle must carry spare bulbs, there certainly is a law to say that it is illegal to drive with a blown bulb. Most modern trucks and cars, (well since about 1995) have a tell tale system on the dashboard. There isnt any excuse to go out with a blown bulb. The first thing Vosa will look at is the defect sheet. If it mentions a blown bulb for 2 or 3 days the company should be shut down and the driver sacked

If some knob in a transport office wants to tell me it is not allowed to change bulbs because of elf and safety. I will be stood at that window a bloody long time while he finds the legislation to show me.

I will then refuse to take the truck out because of my elf and safety, in the suzie thread i said that drivers should be able to carry out minor repairs, well in this case it should go further, drivers should have to prove they can do it before being given a licence.

FWIW a 17 year old girl has to open the car bonnet and show the examiner how to dip the oil on test

15

Wheel Nut:
FWIW a 17 year old girl has to open the car bonnet and show the examiner how to dip the oil on test

and lots of other things… more added as of 1st July.

http://www.fancyacar.co.uk/learners/show-me-tell-me-questions-for-driving-test/

I’d try my best to never be stuck for a bulb on the road. Carry a few in my bag. As has been said, bought by the box from Auto Electricians or Motor Factors (NOT Halthieves) they’re only pence a piece.

If completely stuck one can often be “borrowed” on a temporary basis from elsewhere. i.e. Indicator or brake light bulb (21 watt) from reverse or fog light. Just watch they have the same number of pins. (contacts) 1 or 2.

A tail light bulb (5 or 6 watt) from the number plate light (nobody’s going to throw the book at you for running without that), or unit storage locker light, or even one of 2 or 3 per side from the unit’s rear lights. Again, watch the pin numbers, they do have a habit of being 2 pin on trailers and single on units.

If you’ve got multiple bulbs in the tail lights, usually at least 2, often 3 you should never be completely in the dark whilst out on the road even if 1 bulb blows.
Another, get out of jail trick… you can use one of those tail light bulbs as an indicator bulb. Not so good to see in bright sunlight, but ok otherwise. MIght flash fast & put a fault warning up on the dash, but at least you’ve got an indicator.

We carry boxes & boxes of bulbs in most of the units as we have to completely strip the trailer rear lights down for unaccompanied shipping to prevent theft. Some of the older trailers were on single pin, a few on square lenses (against the majority of round) so we had a right mixed bag of gear. (not forgetting the palm coupling adaptors aswell!) Hence easy to accumulate a few bulbs & lenses of my own :laughing:

In daylight at least, i found out 1 day, you can even get away with round lenses in square rubbers :wink: (would show white light at night).

If you’re stuck for basic tools, remember owner drivers usually have them. (might take a lot of polite begging though). Or i’d buy them on the road and claim it back. I’m sure they’d rather reimburse a £2 screw driver than pay a £100 call out bill.

16

EUROPE it is law and non compliance
means you end up paying not only a fine
but have to buy bulbs which can then
turn out to cost more than one normaly
pays for.

17

dunno if its been suggested why not ask the company that you go to work for if they have a spare bulb or two for their trucks just in case

18

why dont you run past the the garage on way out and ask for some or ask office before you go to unit.

my truck loaded with fuses bulbs emergency kit and some spare parts airbags etc all trucks in fleet have same kit the way boss likes it

19

Wheel Nut:
If some knob in a transport office wants to tell me it is not allowed to change bulbs because of elf and safety. I will be stood at that window a bloody long time while he finds the legislation to show me.

It needn’t be an issue: Lets consider that the action of replacing a (VOR?) O/S trailer marker bulb comes with a minute possibility of dropping a screwdriver on our toe. We all know that we wear safety boots but a risk is nonetheless there …as well as electricity related stuff, insurance stuff, spares accountability stuff, MoT stuff, work/job recording stuff, working at height stuff and whether a Martian three-year old, one armed, blind clown could do it drunk, soaking wet, during total darkness in an unsupervised, shark infested, razor-blade & broken glass thunderstorm on a Friday teatime M25 hardshoulder type stuff .

Thus, all it (should) take(s) is for the ‘Risks’ to be identified for an Assessment to be initiated & completed with accredited authorisation/endorsement to enable a bulb/filament to be replaced by those identified to do so… Thus, until the TM is notified that a Risk has been identified and therefore an Assessment ‘needs doing’ then drivers & office monkeys alike are powerless and ‘who is at ‘fault’’ banter debateably futile. ‘Risks’ can help us if they’re identified & managed or ■■■■■■■ us if they’re blanked …but we (more reasonably the TM & company) need(s) to have them in place first or we understandably find ourselves a bit lairy.

Half the snag is that there is too frequently too little attention paid to the documentation and logistical niff-naff (and it really is niff-naff if the office is half competent) associated with the raising & maintenance of Risk Assessments. They aren’t a Black Art but finding a competent bloke/agency to ‘do’ them can costs ££’s if the company has a ‘jobsworth’ or a ham-strung Numpty at the helm …or the company has that vague communication culture that we’ve all encountered at Mr M. Mouse’s transport offices nationwide, etc.

It boils down to whether we drive for a legally proficient or cowboy outfit but it’s ultimately a shared problem if our professionalism exposes blurred leadership & we keep zip about it …suggesting that vehicle maintenance issues are arguably incompetent - leading to potential VOSA (via the HSE) mega-interest if anyone cared to info either/both of them that Risk Assessments are non-existent at such ‘n’ such company…

Tea, white - no sugar.

20

I think i need a lye down in a darkened room after reading that!