Headlight moisture / desiccant packets in dust cap?

[Sequoiasoon]

I searched under multiple terms on Hyundai-Forums, maybe not using correct one. Lots of other knowledge here at BITOG.

My son and I changed the low beams on his wife's '21 Tucson, value edition with projector low beams. We put H7 LED's in probably 3 years ago, one started to give a low bulb warning but was still working. For $30 for a new set H7 Sealight Canbus we changed both and they work well, low bulb warning gone also. The original LED's we put in were a large improvement over the halogen in the dark, no street lights areas they drive. She doesn't want us adding fog lights or other, still working on that.

When we did the original bulb/LED change I noticed the desiccant packet in the access/dust caps were bowing out the mesh. That hasn't changed 3 years later. Are these supposed to be or stay swollen like this? Are they supposed to be replaced? What is life span on them? I doubt anyone changes them.

My '07 Sonata did not have them and neither did any other of my vehicles.

 

[Ursatdx]

That's a 1st for me.
I've changed, literally, thousands of headlights and have never come across desiccant packs.

 

[D60]

Do you think they work? My experience with dessicants is that they don't seem to do much, at least against any condensation visible to the naked eye.

Just curious....maybe they are truly helpful

 

[The_Jeff]

In normal use, dessicants can be "reset" by heating them in a hot oven. They used to change color when saturated. IDK if the paper envelopes will "take it". Obviously unscrew them from the housings. They're cheap enough on ebay you can replace them as needed, it doesn't have to be a genuine hyundai part.

I also wonder if Hyundai was kind of counting on the heat from the halogens drying the things out as needed, heat which is now missing wtih your LEDs.

 

[97prizm]

I searched under multiple terms on Hyundai-Forums, maybe not using correct one. Lots of other knowledge here at BITOG.

My son and I changed the low beams on his wife's '21 Tucson, value edition with projector low beams. We put H7 LED's in probably 3 years ago, one started to give a low bulb warning but was still working. For $30 for a new set H7 Sealight Canbus we changed both and they work well, low bulb warning gone also. The original LED's we put in were a large improvement over the halogen in the dark, no street lights areas they drive. She doesn't want us adding fog lights or other, still working on that.

When we did the original bulb/LED change I noticed the desiccant packet in the access/dust caps were bowing out the mesh. That hasn't changed 3 years later. Are these supposed to be or stay swollen like this? Are they supposed to be replaced? What is life span on them? I doubt anyone changes them.

My '07 Sonata did not have them and neither did any other of my vehicles.

View attachment 317749

View attachment 317750

This is really odd. Have you called the Hyundai dealership to see if this is a normal part? I've changed lots of bulbs but never seen a need for something like this.

 

[GSCJR]

If they're swollen, they've expired. Either replace or remove as necessary to control condensation.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

They were like that with the halogens in there from factory. I just kind of ignored it first time as we were doing quick swap before long road trip. Same experience in all my headlight swaps, never seen it. Factory caps, no one else has touched it. Weird that the actually have a space to screw them in.

I'll need to check with Hyundai though my local one has a crappy parts access to see diagram (no counter, call them from lobby). I just didn't know if any other Hyundai/Kia owner had found this.

YT video for Tucson also showing them at 36 seconds. Another at 2:17

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Do you think they work? My experience with dessicants is that they don't seem to do much, at least against any condensation visible to the naked eye.

Just curious....maybe they are truly helpful

No condensation in her lights if that means anything.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Hyundai / Kia part# 92125-H8350

 

[meep]

That is wild. It could be brilliant. Dessicant packs absorb moisture until they are saturated. They are “recharged” by heating them which purges the moisture out of them. They are not fan forced, active devices, but they do work. Putting them behind the heat source would probably help them vent moisture, as long as the headlights are used for adequate periods of time.

Most manufacturers seem to …. Not need dessicant packs. Bad lamp assemblies fog up, but good ones dont.

A dessicant pack will not compensate for standing water.

I have a large ammo can in the truck bed with ropes and stuff. It would stay moist enough that cardboard was mush in a week. I put a large dessicant bag in it, about the size of 2 tri-fold wallets, and it’s been very effective.

 

[Unicorn01]

Could these just be intended for use in storage and transport to prevent corrosion by keeping them dry in the box? Then removed on installation. If open to air, they are going to become saturated very quickly.

 

[meep]

Could these just be intended for use in storage and transport to prevent corrosion by keeping them dry in the box? Then removed on installation. If open to air, they are going to become saturated very quickly.

I wondered that too. Also wondered if the location immediately behind the bulb could also warm them enough to “recharge” them?

 

[Unicorn01]

I wondered that too. Also wondered if the location immediately behind the bulb could also warm them enough to “recharge” them?

It would need to be hot for a long time to dry them out. Baking can take a few hours at 175 to 250 degrees. Maybe some long road trips in a dry climate would be enough.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

It would need to be hot for a long time to dry them out. Baking can take a few hours at 175 to 250 degrees. Maybe some long road trips in a dry climate would be enough.

Very rarely going to happen for most people. I know for this one the most it will see is 8-10 hour on a road trip from VA to NY and then the same back. Daily use may include about 30 minutes.