Headlight upgrade
11-26-2017, 12:32 AM
#1
Headlight upgrade
Hey guys, I just added the rice performance non flip up headlight upgrade to my 87 coupe. Pricey but well worth the cost. I always believe you get what you pay for.
My question is, on this 4 light system, 2bulbs are low beam, the other 2 are high beam with 1 wire plus a ground to each. I want to make all four come on with high beam only. Do I use a relay on high beam circuit only to all 4 lights or ??? They are projector lights, do I really need all 4 on high beam or just leave it alone.....Thx...ol vette
My question is, on this 4 light system, 2bulbs are low beam, the other 2 are high beam with 1 wire plus a ground to each. I want to make all four come on with high beam only. Do I use a relay on high beam circuit only to all 4 lights or ??? They are projector lights, do I really need all 4 on high beam or just leave it alone.....Thx...ol vette
11-26-2017, 07:05 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: South-central Missouri
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Hey guys, I just added the rice performance non flip up headlight upgrade to my 87 coupe. Pricey but well worth the cost. I always believe you get what you pay for.
My question is, on this 4 light system, 2bulbs are low beam, the other 2 are high beam with 1 wire plus a ground to each. I want to make all four come on with high beam only. Do I use a relay on high beam circuit only to all 4 lights or ??? They are projector lights, do I really need all 4 on high beam or just leave it alone.....Thx...ol vette
My question is, on this 4 light system, 2bulbs are low beam, the other 2 are high beam with 1 wire plus a ground to each. I want to make all four come on with high beam only. Do I use a relay on high beam circuit only to all 4 lights or ??? They are projector lights, do I really need all 4 on high beam or just leave it alone.....Thx...ol vette
. AND, if you got what you paid for...the new headlights should already be connectorized i.e., plug and play. But, that not being the case, you'd want to gang the wires to a connector that plugs into the existing harness. (Goto del city.com for the connector and weatherproof splices you need, if any.)
. If the new lights are LEDs, then you may need some further alterations.
11-26-2017, 07:49 AM
#3
Headlight upgrade
The stock harness already provides hi/lo circuits. So, all you should have to do is connect the hi/lo beam wires to the appropriate harness and gang the ground wires with the existing ground provided.
. AND, if you got what you paid for...the new headlights should already be connectorized i.e., plug and play. But, that not being the case, you'd want to gang the wires to a connector that plugs into the existing harness. (Goto del city.com for the connector and weatherproof splices you need, if any.)
. If the new lights are LEDs, then you may need some further alterations.
. AND, if you got what you paid for...the new headlights should already be connectorized i.e., plug and play. But, that not being the case, you'd want to gang the wires to a connector that plugs into the existing harness. (Goto del city.com for the connector and weatherproof splices you need, if any.)
. If the new lights are LEDs, then you may need some further alterations.
Last edited by Ol Vette; 11-26-2017 at 07:53 AM. Reason: Spelled the name wrong
11-28-2017, 08:45 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: South-central Missouri
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Thanks Paul for the reply, yes, I have put the appropriate connector on the light kit to match up with the factory wiring. It does work, I just thought that on high beam all 4 lights would be on. Not just the high beam 2 bulbs. I guess if I have all 4 working I will have the 2 low beam as well as the 2 high beam on which makes all 4 on. The instructions do not specify if in fact 4 lights are on when in high beam....curious.....thx.
The hi/lo filaments share a common ground (black/white) wire, and the lo beam power is tan (in my 90 FSM) and green for the high beam.
I don't know what kind of headlight replacement you bought. But, from your description there are 2x2 lights (2 for hi, 2 for low) each powered by their respective wires. But, IF the intent (of the manufacture) is to power both sets when on high, instead of one pair at a time, then the circuit wiring will have to be altered so that when the hi beam switch is turned ON, the low beams remain lit. (Many of the LED replacements for our cars are configured internally this way; i.e, the low beam LEDs remain lit when the high beam lights are ON. For instance: a diode of sufficient size between the high and low beam circuits might work.)
Well... this is all so much conjecture on my part. More info is needed, e.g., a schematic, what kind of lights (LED, HID, etc) are these, and such. LEDs, for example, impose additional considerations beyond connectorization.
I really don't want to go any further down the rabbit hole w/o more info. So, the "Ball's in YOUR court!"
11-28-2017, 09:12 AM
#5
headlight upgrade
The STOCK configuration hi/lo switch and harness operates the hi and the lo beams SEPARATELY, i.e., either the high beam filament is energized, OR the low beam filament is energized; NOT both at the same time; one or the other ONLY.
The hi/lo filaments share a common ground (black/white) wire, and the lo beam power is tan (in my 90 FSM) and green for the high beam.
I don't know what kind of headlight replacement you bought. But, from your description there are 2x2 lights (2 for hi, 2 for low) each powered by their respective wires. But, IF the intent (of the manufacture) is to power both sets when on high, instead of one pair at a time, then the circuit wiring will have to be altered so that when the hi beam switch is turned ON, the low beams remain lit. (Many of the LED replacements for our cars are configured internally this way; i.e, the low beam LEDs remain lit when the high beam lights are ON. For instance: a diode of sufficient size between the high and low beam circuits might work.)
Well... this is all so much conjecture on my part. More info is needed, e.g., a schematic, what kind of lights (LED, HID, etc) are these, and such. LEDs, for example, impose additional considerations beyond connectorization.
I really don't want to go any further down the rabbit hole w/o more info. So, the "Ball's in YOUR court!"
The hi/lo filaments share a common ground (black/white) wire, and the lo beam power is tan (in my 90 FSM) and green for the high beam.
I don't know what kind of headlight replacement you bought. But, from your description there are 2x2 lights (2 for hi, 2 for low) each powered by their respective wires. But, IF the intent (of the manufacture) is to power both sets when on high, instead of one pair at a time, then the circuit wiring will have to be altered so that when the hi beam switch is turned ON, the low beams remain lit. (Many of the LED replacements for our cars are configured internally this way; i.e, the low beam LEDs remain lit when the high beam lights are ON. For instance: a diode of sufficient size between the high and low beam circuits might work.)
Well... this is all so much conjecture on my part. More info is needed, e.g., a schematic, what kind of lights (LED, HID, etc) are these, and such. LEDs, for example, impose additional considerations beyond connectorization.
I really don't want to go any further down the rabbit hole w/o more info. So, the "Ball's in YOUR court!"
11-28-2017, 10:00 AM
#6
Race Director
Member Since: Dec 2002
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Sounds like you need to rig a relay for the low beams so that they receive power when the highs are on.
My Grand Cherokee works the way you are trying to achieve: low beams are on all the time. The beam switch just turns the highs on and off. Very effective.
My Grand Cherokee works the way you are trying to achieve: low beams are on all the time. The beam switch just turns the highs on and off. Very effective.
Last edited by rocco16; 11-28-2017 at 10:02 AM.
11-28-2017, 10:32 AM
#7
headlight upgrade
Thx. R0CCO 16..for your reply. I was speaking with another member on this forum about my issue, relays and diodes were discussed.....relays I understand... diodes well....not so much. My everyday car does the same as your Cherokee with regards to lights, that is what got me thinking about this change.....high..4 on............low.....2 on. But the manufacturer did not wire the upgrade for that to happen.....perhaps I should leave it alone, but it would make a difference with 4 ON.. same as you are thinking...The other member says it can be done... but I need a diagram for the diode placement......thx. ..........Ol Vette
11-28-2017, 11:50 AM
#8
Race Director
The only stock vehicles that keep lowbeams on with high beams use bixenon projectors, where they move a cutoff shield. Otherwise, they are separate paths electrically. That saod, many cars offer a high beam flash that triggers both pathways.
The easiest thing to do.would be ton use a diode to provide signal from.the high beam relay to the low beam relay, so that thenlowbeam.relay is powered both by its enable, and by the HB relay enable. Make sure you use a diode, as you do not want the low beam enabling the high beam.
The easiest thing to do.would be ton use a diode to provide signal from.the high beam relay to the low beam relay, so that thenlowbeam.relay is powered both by its enable, and by the HB relay enable. Make sure you use a diode, as you do not want the low beam enabling the high beam.
11-28-2017, 11:56 AM
#9
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
This should be super easy to do; I did it on my stock headlights on my '92.
I ran a simple jumper wire from the power feed to the high beam switch, to the low beam wire leaving the switch. That's it.
Now, when you turn on the headlights, the switch provides power to low beams...in parallel with the jumper wire. When you click to high beams, the switch sends power to the high beam filaments, while the jumper wire continues to provide power to the low beams; both are on at the same time.
I ran a simple jumper wire from the power feed to the high beam switch, to the low beam wire leaving the switch. That's it.
Now, when you turn on the headlights, the switch provides power to low beams...in parallel with the jumper wire. When you click to high beams, the switch sends power to the high beam filaments, while the jumper wire continues to provide power to the low beams; both are on at the same time.
11-28-2017, 12:11 PM
#10
headlight upgrade
This should be super easy to do; I did it on my stock headlights on my '92.
I ran a simple jumper wire from the power feed to the high beam switch, to the low beam wire leaving the switch. That's it.
Now, when you turn on the headlights, the switch provides power to low beams...in parallel with the jumper wire. When you click to high beams, the switch sends power to the high beam filaments, while the jumper wire continues to provide power to the low beams; both are on at the same time.
I ran a simple jumper wire from the power feed to the high beam switch, to the low beam wire leaving the switch. That's it.
Now, when you turn on the headlights, the switch provides power to low beams...in parallel with the jumper wire. When you click to high beams, the switch sends power to the high beam filaments, while the jumper wire continues to provide power to the low beams; both are on at the same time.
11-28-2017, 12:46 PM
#11
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
I can't see why you'd need to add relays OR diodes, unless the new headlights draw significantly more amperage than the stock ones.
11-28-2017, 12:59 PM
#12
headlight upgrade
Wow......thx. to everyone who helped me with this problem...you guys are what makes this forum the place to be on......Yahooo....we did it again..Ol Vette
11-28-2017, 10:27 PM
#13
Headlight upgrade
Thx. To everyone who sent me info. I phoned the manufacturer and they said LEAVE IT ALONE it will be bright enough. They said when they designed the system if they wanted 4 lights on they would have designed it that way.....I said....OK.....this issue has been solved and put to bed...thx. Guys
11-29-2017, 12:42 AM
#14
Race Director
Thx. To everyone who sent me info. I phoned the manufacturer and they said LEAVE IT ALONE it will be bright enough. They said when they designed the system if they wanted 4 lights on they would have designed it that way.....I said....OK.....this issue has been solved and put to bed...thx. Guys
is it a net weight savings?
are these LED or halogen projectors ?
What do you think of the down road lighting? Is it good? Its always tricky with our car being such low ride height
11-29-2017, 11:56 PM
#18
Race Director
