'81 high beams flicker
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3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2015
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'81 high beams flicker
This is my first post although I have used the site to research and help solve problems , so hopefully I am doing this properly. My high beam lights flicker off and on - all four - after a few minutes. I have cleaned up the grounds and cleaned the plugs on all four headlights as people have said to do on this site. Also I have installed a new headlight switch. The low beam works fine. I am thinking that to solve the problem I am going to have to install a relay , but would a relay on the bright circuit solve the problem ? I have read the older threads on people installing two relays but if the low beam is working ok would it be necessary to install a relay on the low beam side ? Looking forward to opinions and suggested solutions as this sight seems to have a lot of knowledgeable people. Sorry for being a bit long winded !
Racerguy
Racerguy
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
The headlight switch acts like a circuit breaker if too many amps are drawn through the circuit. Do you have high wattage/amp headlights like my Hella Euro lights? When I originally installed my 4 Hella Halogens Euro's back in 1983, I could not run (4) 55/60 watt low and the 55 watt Hella highs...The lights would flicker, which about 18 amps draw. The easy fix at that time was to replace one of the highs with a sealed halogen which only pulled 35 watts instead of 55 watts.
The cure for the last 35 years was too run a relay on the highs only which I did and the problem was solved. Even today I run 100 watt halogen highs. The low beam circuit is on the headlight switch with no relay. I have never had an issue since.....
The cure for the last 35 years was too run a relay on the highs only which I did and the problem was solved. Even today I run 100 watt halogen highs. The low beam circuit is on the headlight switch with no relay. I have never had an issue since.....
Last edited by jb78L-82; Oct 15, 2016 at 06:12 AM.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2015
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Thanks jb78L-82, that was my theory but finding someone who has done it sure makes it easier to make the final decision to move forward ! Did you purchase a kit, or make up your own as I know of a vendor that makes a kit and I lean that way because it looks so much cleaner and professional than what I might end up with if I do it myself, plus I think the price is reasonable ? Thanks again for the help ! !
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,444
Likes: 970
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
Thanks jb78L-82, that was my theory but finding someone who has done it sure makes it easier to make the final decision to move forward ! Did you purchase a kit, or make up your own as I know of a vendor that makes a kit and I lean that way because it looks so much cleaner and professional than what I might end up with if I do it myself, plus I think the price is reasonable ? Thanks again for the help ! !
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,444
Likes: 970
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
