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I understand what he is talking about, and it makes sense.
If you have a "skinny" wire feeding the headlights, with lots of other "draws" on it, it is subject to more resistance than a "fat" wire that feeds directly to the headlights, which is what most people/I do/did when adding the relays.
But if the stock wiring is left in place, you now have the "fat" wire that you added AND the "skinny" wire feeding the headlights, and any resistance of the "skinny" wire becomes a moot point because the fat wire makes up for it.
In fact, some current from the "relays/fat wire" could now backfeed through the "skinny" wire into the dash wiring perhaps even brightening up those lights a bit.
Of course, the fusing could now be "weird" because you are feeding current from "two directions" so you would need to fuse "both sides" and then how would you figure out what value each fuse should be for adequate protection?
that's exactly what I'm talking about. I have run an extra number 12 wire from the alternator to the horn relay busbar. Then two number 14 wires with 20 amp fuses to the high beam and low beam relays. The relays will go in between the connection where the headlight extension harness plugs into the main harness. Without disturbing the stock wiring harness. Do you think this fusing will work correctly?
I wasn't thinking about the back-feed into the rest of the system. And the appropriate fusing for a setup like that. There would normally be an open point in the circuit between the fuses. I may just do it like in buns above diagram. That means separating the factory wiring in the harness connection I circled in the above diagram.
Last edited by DSR; 04-24-2017 at 08:40 AM.
Reason: Spelling
BUNS diagram is the best, easiest, way to do it without butchering wiring and not creating other, hard to troubleshoot problems.
I use a fuse instead of a fusible link but other than that you're aren't going to improve on it.
The only 'disturbing' of stock wiring is unplugging the hi/lo beam leads off the dimmer switch into the relays' trigger circuit...and the headlight harness hi/lo beam wires onto the relay hi-current power take off.
I don't know of anybody that's replaced the 'fat' (low gauge) wire to the headlights with a 'skinny' (high gauge) wire when adding relays - so I'm still mystified about that...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 04-24-2017 at 09:04 AM.
The only 'disturbing' of stock wiring is unplugging the hi/lo beam leads off the dimmer switch into the relays' trigger circuit...and the headlight harness hi/lo beam wires onto the relay hi-current power take off.
Frankie I'm having trouble visualizing this connection. Is the output from the relays using the wires from the dimmer switch up through firewall to the front of the car? Ecklers has a relay kit that plugs straight into the dimmer switch. I'm not sure exactly how it works.
I don't know of anybody that's replaced the 'fat' (low gauge) wire to the headlights with a 'skinny' (high gauge) wire when adding relays - so I'm still mystified about that...
We were not talking about replacing any wire. We were referring to adding heavier wire to carry more current
He used the word fat to refer to a heavier wire than stock. But anyway thanks. You have been a great help.
Dave
Yes,
"Fat" meaning a "heavier gauge" (i.e., lower #) wire to be added to the system. "Skinny" meaning the existing, stock wire that feeds the headlights as well as the rest of the panel lights (other draws).
There is no discussion of adding the skinny wire, only leaving it in "parallel" with the new fat wire so that the combined gauge is now the sum of the two wires.
Frankie I'm having trouble visualizing this connection. Is the output from the relays using the wires from the dimmer switch up through firewall to the front of the car? Ecklers has a relay kit that plugs straight into the dimmer switch. I'm not sure exactly how it works.
I just used the existing headlight wires for the right hand headlight.
Unplug both headlights.
Tap into the wires for the right headlight (because it's closer to the horn relay), and extend them to the proximity of the horn relay, where you will draw power from.
There is even an existing hole in the core support for you to use. You can either splice into the wires, find the appropriate plug, our just use "spades" to mate with the existing plug. The power that previously went to the right hand headlights will trigger the relays.
Heavier wire with new plugs will then run from the relays, mounted proximate to the horn relay, to the headlights. Put a fuse(s) between the horn relay and headlight relays.
I just used the existing headlight wires for the right hand headlight.
Unplug both headlights.
Tap into the wires for the right headlight (because it's closer to the horn relay), and extend them to the proximity of the horn relay, where you will draw power from.
There is even an existing hole in the core support for you to use. You can either splice into the wires, find the appropriate plug, our just use "spades" to mate with the existing plug. The power that previously went to the right hand headlights will trigger the relays.
Heavier wire with new plugs will then run from the relays, mounted proximate to the horn relay, to the headlights. Put a fuse(s) between the horn relay and headlight relays.
I just used the existing headlight wires for the right hand headlight.
Unplug both headlights.
Tap into the wires for the right headlight (because it's closer to the horn relay), and extend them to the proximity of the horn relay, where you will draw power from.
There is even an existing hole in the core support for you to use. You can either splice into the wires, find the appropriate plug, our just use "spades" to mate with the existing plug. The power that previously went to the right hand headlights will trigger the relays.
Heavier wire with new plugs will then run from the relays, mounted proximate to the horn relay, to the headlights. Put a fuse(s) between the horn relay and headlight relays.
that's how I'm going to do it although I was going to put the fuses between the lighting relays and horn relay buss bar. That way the fuses protect the lighting relays as well.
What invent the wheel plug and play.
With the relay kit '
You wont have to engineer it or figure it out .
I was trying to see if I could do this without cutting into the stock wiring harness. But it looks like I will have to separate the trigger wires from the headlight wires running to the opposite side of the car. As per buns diagram.
Dave
I was trying to see if I could do this without cutting into the stock wiring harness. But it looks like I will have to separate the trigger wires from the headlight wires running to the opposite side of the car. As per buns diagram.
Dave
That is my whole point...you do not have to cut any factory wiring; unless you semantically feel that separating connectors is "cutting". Using appropriate spade male/female connectors and fabbing up a few pigtail wires you do NOT have to cut original wiring... The wires are already separated for you -- at the dimmer switch...
I've done it twice on a C1 and C2...instead of using the kit molded connectors (as shown); simply make short pigtails with crimped on spade connectors (male/female as required) and preserve the original wiring harness.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 04-25-2017 at 09:09 AM.
Under the windshield washer reservoir on the 61...
The C2 I did (not mine) was up inside the splash shield IIRC...
Hiding them in the voltage regulator case never occurred to me but then I guess you have to hide a voltage regulator somewhere or install an internally regulated alternator.
I was trying to see if I could do this without cutting into the stock wiring harness. But it looks like I will have to separate the trigger wires from the headlight wires running to the opposite side of the car. As per buns diagram.
Dave
This is a must read explains everything so easy no cutting on your stock harness just clip on of the plastic connector to dimmer .
Under the windshield washer reservoir on the 61...
The C2 I did (not mine) was up inside the splash shield IIRC...
Hiding them in the voltage regulator case never occurred to me but then I guess you have to hide a voltage regulator somewhere or install an internally regulated alternator.
So, did you run wires from your lighting relays output to the dimmer switch connection on the floor in side the car?
04-24-2017, 08:18 AM
Looking at the drawing above where in the car did you install your headlight relays?