duramaxsky

I made my low beams stay on with my high beams. I don't like to cut wires if its not necessary. I did the whole thing in the under hood fuse box. I used parts from O'Rileys to do it. I used 2 add a circuit # FMH200BP 1 mini fuse holder FMH2BP and 1 relay BWD R3177. The headlight fuses are 8 9 10 & 12. The hot side of the fuses are the terminals in the center of each set of fuses. I installed 1 add a circuit to #10 with the wire pointing away from the #8 fuse. I installed the other add a circuit in the #9 fuse with the wire pointed away from the # 12 fuse. The wire from the #10 add a circuit goes to the # 87 terminal on the relay. The energized output terminal. The wire from the # 9 add a circuit goes to the # 85 terminal. One side of the coil. A wire from the Batt Terminal on the fuse box goes to the fuse holder. The other end of the fuse holder goes to the # 30 terminal on the relay. Power input. A wire for the factory ground point below the battery goes to the # 86 terminal of the relay. The other side of the coil. The #87A terminal on the relay is not used. The stock headlight fuses go in the add a circuit in the slots not parallel to the wire. The fuse holder gets a 20 amp fuse. The # 8 add a circuit gets a 20 amp fuse parallel to the wire. That gives it enough to handle both headlights and is not feeding through the stock headlight fuse. the # 9 add a circuit gets a 5 amp fuse as it just powers the relay coil. No wires to cut and it can be removed if so desired with no harm.

duramaxsky

I just looked at the photo and realised I installed the add a circuit on the #8 fuse. I need to go change it. That will make the power travel through the stock RH low beam fuse. If the fuse taps are installed with the input on the same side as the wire they draw through the stock fuse. The wires must point away from the center of the two headlight fuses. I added a correct picture.

warpster

Could you possibly add a schematic to the post. It's kind of hard to envision the electrical connections by description only.

C5FORFUN2

Cool! Can you figure out a way to keep the fogs on w/ high beams without adding the extra relay and splicing wires? I used the kit to do the 4 headlights deal, but didn't want to go with another added on relay etc. for the fogs.

Thanks

m6 c5

I am also having trouble following the instructions, but then again its been a long day. Looks like a pretty clean install though.

Bill Curlee

Cool project. Heres a schematic that you can mark up with the installed parts.

duramaxsky

The same way just use the fog light fuse instead of the low beams fuse. I will try to find time to make a diagram tonight.. Drove in the dark last night and it helps a lot. I live in a rural area on a high speed road. I have already hit a deer with my truck and fear hitting one in the Vette or Sky. It went flying when the truck hit it and only did $1800 damage. It would come over the hood on the cars and do more damage maybe to me as well. Especially in the Sky with the top down.

C5FORFUN2

Thanks Mat. I will try it out when I finish up my other projects and see. I wish it was as easy as the '00 SS Camaro to make the fogs work independant of all the other systems.

duramaxsky

Its not real good. Its a rushed deal but should give you the idea. What is happening here is the high beam fuse is sending power to the coil of the relay. The other side of the coil is grounded. Fused power (I forgot the fuse in the drawing but make sure you put one between the bat term and the relay 20 amps as it will operate 2 lights) is sent to the input side of the relay. The closed when energized side of the relay goes to the low beam fuse. Basically what happens is the switch turns off the low beams and the relay turns them back on. It does so using the high beam power. A disclaimer is do not assume this will work on any GM car where the lights drop the lows on high. This is one of very few GM cars that do not switch the negative side of the headlight circuit. All GM trucks and most cars are switched on the negative side and need a different set up. The C5 switches the headlights from the headlight switch and dimmer switch. Most newer GM vehicles send a request to the BCM from the headlight and dimmer switch and the BCM grounds the appropriate circuit. I was surprised when I looked in my GM service manual for the C5 and found it was positive switched. On my truck and Michelles Malibu this required cutting wires near the headlights to add the relays. There is no way to do it without overloading the circuit when all 4 are on with a negative switched system but to cut wires. At least they seem to have gotten away from this stupidity as all 4 come on with the highs on the Sky.

duramaxsky

The reason I do this is if HIDs are installed when you switch back to low beams they take a few seconds to come on. I have HIDs in the truck and Malibu. Don't have them in the Vette yet. Probably won't on the Sky as it uses the low beams as DRLs. So does the Malibu and that required a relay to give them full power even when the DRLs are on. Too much work on the Sky I only drive in nice weather when I can put the top down. Plus it has the projector beams and they work better on halogen than the old style did. HIDs would be even better though. On the Vette its pretty good with halogens so I might just put the 100 watters I had in the truck in it. When its really nasty out I drive the truck anyway.

duramaxsky

Another way to do it is put a diode between the fuse taps so power can only go to the lo beams but not the other way. 2 drawbacks with that method are you will draw all 4 lights from the main headlight fuse and that is pushing it for a 20 amp fuse. 4 65 watt bulbs at 12 volts is 21.7 amps. With the engine running at 14 volts it would still be 18.57 amps. If that one blows you are in the dark. Also diodes that can handle 12 amps are hard to find. But it would work. I dispensed with that idea as I will likely put high watt bulbs in. I would never recommend putting in a larger fuse. A diode would work better for the fog lights as they are a low wattage bulb. saves having to bring power and ground to the relay.

KrispyZ06

Good read.

redrckt97

congratulations on figuring it out.

I was lazy and just got the kit from RadioFlyer .. 10 min install.
no wires cut - works great.

buddyroth

Radioflyer has the harness ready to go.

C5FORFUN2

Some guys like to do it themselves instead of handing out cash when they don't know how.