headlight wiring question

[blazerbones]

I just hooked up my headlamp relays in my burb. Cool mod.

I want my low beams to stay on when I activate my high beams (factory switch shuts them off while simultaneously turning on high beams).

Thinking that the easiest way would be to jump the "signal" lines (factory headlamp power wires) that activate the new relays and put a diode in between that inhibites current flow from low beam activator line to high beam activator line.

That should be easier/cleaner than adding a 3rd relay to kick on the low beams when the high beams turn on.

Anybody think of a better idea... or try this before?

 

[AZ79K5Project]

The diode would probably be the easiest and cheapest approach.

 

[4X4HIGH]

This is the easiest solution. http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2D890300&N=700+115&autoview=sku

I installed this relay kit about 5 years ago.

 

[blazerbones]

Thanks for info. Both ideas should accomplish the same outcome cheaply.

 

[dremu]

I just hooked up my headlamp relays in my burb. Cool mod.

I want my low beams to stay on when I activate my high beams (factory switch shuts them off while simultaneously turning on high beams).

Thinking that the easiest way would be to jump the "signal" lines (factory headlamp power wires) that activate the new relays and put a diode in between that inhibites current flow from low beam activator line to high beam activator line.

That should be easier/cleaner than adding a 3rd relay to kick on the low beams when the high beams turn on.

Anybody think of a better idea... or try this before?

Someone who understands solid state!

Yep. The relay idea is great for folks who haven't already done the relay mod, but it is kinda silly to use a (third) 30A relay solely to drive a 70mA relay coil. The diode is just fine, as the cut-in voltage of the relay coil is WAAAY lower than 12V minus the .6 or .7V drop across the diode. It's also smaller and is one less moving part, which is always good.

-- A

 

[blazerbones]

Someone who understands solid state!

Yep. The relay idea is great for folks who haven't already done the relay mod, but it is kinda silly to use a (third) 30A relay solely to drive a 70mA relay coil. The diode is just fine, as the cut-in voltage of the relay coil is WAAAY lower than 12V minus the .6 or .7V drop across the diode. It's also smaller and is one less moving part, which is always good.

-- A

I hooked up with a 0.7V drop diode from my school that should do the trick! Clean and easy. There's also those mini-starter diodes (for the ballast resistor type ignition setups) from summit/jegs that should do the trick for cheap if anyone else needs it.

 

[dremu]

I hooked up with a 0.7V drop diode from my school that should do the trick! Clean and easy. There's also those mini-starter diodes (for the ballast resistor type ignition setups) from summit/jegs that should do the trick for cheap if anyone else needs it.

Eh, your basic 1N4001 (or similar) from Radio Shack would work too. Basically any "signal" diode (i.e. non-Schottky or whatever other weird types.)

But yeah, clean, tidy, and you can even hide it in the heatshrink for the other connections.

-- A