2006 VFR Keeps blowing headlights

I have a 2006 VFR800. Over the last month it has blown 3 headlight bulbs (2 left 1 right). Looking through the forum, the RR, regulator rectifier is mentioned but it tends to point to older VFR’s, pre VTEC.
I have put a multimeter across the battery terminals and it’s showing a constant 14.8 v when the engine is running either idle, fast idle or revving.
My local dealer is shrugging his shoulders. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Are you wearing gloves on the change out. I've heard and read that you can't/shouldn't touch several types of the newer style bulbs out there; with your bare hands. In fact, there is a least one (maybe HID?) that even suggests that you use static resistant gloves for the install.

 

Interesting... I've been cautious not to touch the glass but handled the base of the bulb.
I'll bear that in that in mind - thanks. I'll also keep an eye on whether they may be blowing at engine startup - I've only noticed them out by reflection so far.

 

If the bulb is touched, oils from the skin get on the glass and then degrade it when it is hot. However I think this failure mode causes the glass to rupture, so if you are seeing just the filament blown but not a hole in the glass then it is probably not oil on the glass.

What's the max voltage supposed to be at idle? To me 14.8V seems high.

 

According to the service manual.....
With the engine warmed up and hi beams on you should get 15.5v @ 5000 rpm at the battery terminals.

 

Wow ok so 14.8V isn't high at all.

 

I'm not completely sure, but 15.5 Volts should be too high. I don't think you should see anything above 14.8 V.

This is a pretty good tutorial to show how the charging system should be working:

http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf

 

Everything about touching the glass on the bulb is true. The real indicator that you have this issue is that the glass on the bulb will have a very big blister where you touched it after it has been heated up.

If that is not the case, I would reccomend going back to the OEM bulb. When I worked for a honda dealer in my early years in the motorcycle industry, the goldwing (GL1500) would destroy aftermarket H4 headlight bulbs. The reason is that not al H3/H4 bulbs are created equal. The OEM honda bulb has an extra support in the middle of the filament to stop a harmonic vibration that was known to kill the bulb. It was a common problem because nobody wanted to pay the 50 bucks for the honda bulb, but it cured the problem 100% of the time.

Take a look at the bulbs side by side and you will see the difference.

Hope that helps.