Headlights again!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

When you switch on the main beams, are all 4 bulbs supposed to come on?

 

I noticed the other day in window a reflection that when the driving lamps come on, the mains drop down to side lights.

 

Is this by design to reduce current draw? Mind you, the engine and ignition were off at the time, if that makes a difference?

 

If it's relevant, I have a 4 relay / 4 fuse uprated loom and the ballast resistor has been removed.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Thats correct as far as i know Kev. Mine does the same and whilst the car is running. But if you hold the stalk with full beam half on you can get both main and full beam stay on. Would be good if the main stayed on with the full. Not sure why though.

 

I have 2 relay loom btw.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Cheers chap! Strange really as my MK2 GTIs used to light up all 4 bulbs on main beams. Kind of makes the high beam filament in the H4 lamp pointless doesn't it? I'll check later on if holding the stalk lights all 4 up, but I think it does now you mention it.

 

I guess VW didn't want to burn out the headlight switch on the Corrado by running over 200 Watts through it, which leads me nicely onto: Is there a way to modify the headlight switch / stalk so that it runs all 4 bulbs on high beam? :)

 

With a tasty uprated loom and a healthy battery, there's no reason why we can't have some 200W action imo.

[boost monkey 0]

I'm sure you could rewire the switch to trigger the lazy bulbs Kev. I am beyond shíte at electronics though so i'll leave the diagrams for someone else!

[andy 0]

I'd modify the loom at the relays, whichever signal wire triggers your driving lamps can also be used to trigger the relay that powers your high beam on the H4. I have only 2 relays so its fairly straightforward. What do each of your 4 relays do?

[Yandards 0]

I think it's just the switchover point in the H4s, so you get both filaments having power at the same time hence the massive amount of extra light.

 

If I was designing a main beam toggle switch I would want to ensure that you didn't get less light during the change over from dipped to main.

[Supercharged 2]

Yep - as above they should both be on main only but you get H4 dipped on switchover... you also get this is you pull the stalk to 'flash' while on mains.

[davidwort 0]

C...

With a tasty uprated loom and a healthy battery, there's no reason why we can't have some 200W action imo.

 

200W, pah!

with 100/80W H4's and 100w spots I was running 400W main beam

I've put those bright phillips jobs in the H4's now and the output is about the same as the old 100W main 80W dips just less heat, but the mains are on so little they've not done any reflector damage.

I've relayed dip and main, left and right separately so the wiring can take the current with plenty to spare.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah I ran those too :)

 

That's what I was going to explain about the 4 relay thing in answer to Andy. It increases current carrying capacity (for crazy fools like us who want instand daylight!) and also acts as redundancy should you lose a bulb, fuse or relay. I had some nasty experiences with both bought and DIY looms, mainly because of corrosion, so watch this space for "Haywire Loom 2", LOL! :)

 

It's gonna be sealed like DG Autotech's, but more compact and the fuses and relays will be accessible via a flip top lid :)

[Critical_Mass 10]

Yeah I ran those too :)

 

That's what I was going to explain about the 4 relay thing in answer to Andy. It increases current carrying capacity (for crazy fools like us who want instand daylight!) and also acts as redundancy should you lose a bulb, fuse or relay. I had some nasty experiences with both bought and DIY looms, mainly because of corrosion, so watch this space for "Haywire Loom 2", LOL! :)

 

It's gonna be sealed like DG Autotech's, but more compact and the fuses and relays will be accessible via a flip top lid :)

 

Keep us informed then Kev, would be interested in of these. I've fallen victim to it and stepped outside to find the lights stuck on.

[Timbo 0]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am...). If you're using an uprated headlight loom is it not the case that the only thing the headlight switch is in circuit with is the relay(s)? Since presumably the current draw of a few relays is a lot lower than the headlights themselves, does this not mean that the wiring that goes between the headlight switch and the relays (the ones that have a tendency to catch fire), don't need to carry as much current and thus don't need to be all that big?

 

As I say, if what I'm saying is full of poo, by all means say so :). I'm certainly no expert with electrics.

[davidwort 0]

yes :) I mean no you're right, I mean yes you're right

 

the switch from the dash is just a switching feed now, all the juice goes directly from battery though relay to bulb, and the main benefit of course is no voltage drop as there's hardly any connectors and switching contacts not to mention only new and shorter runs of wire.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Aye, Automotive relays only need ~100ma to engergise the coil, so you could run bell wire from the headlight switch to those if you wanted :) Try some bell wire to the headlights as well if you want some fun pyrotechnics to watch at night :)

 

Will do Critical Mass. Currently my nearside dipped beam stays on when I turn the ignition off. Have to de-energise the relay by switching the lights on/off again, so that'll be one damp relay then! What we need is these - http://www.route66supply.com/store/page85.html - but can I find any in the UK? Yeah, right.

 

Oh and I was being a pillock. Checked the lights in my lunch break and the 4 lamps do go on with the full beam (car running), it's just that the H4 high beam is not as bright as the H7, or what ever the bulb in the spot lamp is, LoL!

[Jim Bowen 1]

could you use some sort of relay box? i notice my aircon ones are mounted in something like this, i'm not 100% sure if that the right thing.

 

 

i have two uprated looms at home, but been worried about fitting them so they have just sat there, £140 worth :lol:

Edited February 10, 2011 by Jim Bowen
forgot the link/pic

[fla 9]

what is the wiring for the full beam circuit (colours etc)? I've relayed the dipped beam, but that has meant that the full beam is crappier than dipped. Just want to relay these up too. I've got a single relay on the dipped, but i'll want to shift this to the full beam, and use the twin relay setup (thats sitting in a box in the garage) for dipped, if that makes sense?

[andy 0]

Oh and I was being a pillock. Checked the lights in my lunch break and the 4 lamps do go on with the full beam (car running), it's just that the H4 high beam is not as bright as the H7, or what ever the bulb in the spot lamp is, LoL!

 

I'm glad you said this, I've been doing my head in trying to figure out why on earth, or even how on earth you'd have no high beam on the H4s on main beam. I've just checked my own, its either 2 dipped beams or 2 main beams with 2 driving lamps. Thats just my own home made 2 relay set up.

[davidwort 0]

I'm glad you said this, I've been doing my head in trying to figure out why on earth, or even how on earth you'd have no high beam on the H4s on main beam. I've just checked my own, its either 2 dipped beams or 2 main beams with 2 driving lamps. Thats just my own home made 2 relay set up.

 

the headlight only has a single main beam feed, the main beam element on the H4 and the spot bulb is fed internally in the light unit from the same wire :)

only way you'd get no H4 on main beam is if the filament is toast or someone's wedged in single filament bulbs somehow.

Just out of interest the mk4 golf (and probably later) keeps the dip beam bulb on when the spots come on, there's no second main beam filament which I thought was odd at first but it's obviously cheaper to make, but more expensive when you want to uprate the bulbs - typical

[andy 0]

the headlight only has a single main beam feed, the main beam element on the H4 and the spot bulb is fed internally in the light unit from the same wire :)

Exactly, it wouldn't be a simple job! Or a worthwhile job!

[fla 9]

That should mean that if the dipped beam is relayed then the main beam should also benefit from the new relay, if its on the same feed? Or would it need another relay? If so, how do you wire this in? as above, my full beam is really poor.

[davidwort 0]

That should mean that if the dipped beam is relayed then the main beam should also benefit from the new relay, if its on the same feed? Or would it need another relay? If so, how do you wire this in? as above, my full beam is really poor.

 

I think you're a bit confused, the plug to the headlight has 4 wires:

earth

sidelight (little bulb) +ve

dip +ve

main beam +ve

 

the dip +ve just feeds the dip beam element in the twin filament H4 bulb (the main big reflector)

the main beam feed goes to both the centre spot (inner reflector) and the high/main beam filament in the H4 bulb

 

to relay one headlight you need 2 relays, one for dip one for main beam, I'd always do dip first as you improve the vision most by doing this.

 

to have a reliable, fail safe setup you really need 4 relays, two for each side, each separately fused, that way if one fuse blows or one relay sticks you only lose one side on dip or main beam, I've heard of a few people with dip beam relayed lights go to dip from main beam only to lose all lighting!

[dukest 0]

I've heard of a few people with dip beam relayed lights go to dip from main beam only to lose all lighting!

yup, thats pretty hairy at 1 in the morning on an unlit M40 when your old loom starts to give up..!

[fla 9]

so what is the suggestion for sorting the full beam (ie how to wire in a relay)? I just tried mine and you're right when the stalk is pulled the beam is great, but whn yiou lave it for the 'fixed' full beam its worse that than dipped.