question for those that run headlight loom /relays

[steveo29 0]

for those that have headlight looms/relays

 

do you run them bare in the engine bay , or have you made any attempt to waterproof them

 

if you run yours bare..please say how long its been like it and if the car gets used year round

Edited November 22, 2011 by steveo29

[elliott 10]

Mine are bare but tidy, need re-wired as they come on with the side lights...

[steveo29 0]

thats prob your dim dip needs unplugging

 

how long u been running em and does the get used in all weathers

[Critical_Mass 10]

Yeah unplug the yellow bar thing on the side of the passenger wing next to the headlight.

 

Mine were bare, but they got water in them eventually and i went out one night to find the headlights on full blast :lol: Also another time they failed to work for the MOT. I eventually wrapped them in a plastic bag and tucked it behind the light. Some have used a tupperwear like box and modified it to hold the relays and they be sealed

[fla 9]

i installed a single relay which i got off ebay. It runs unprotected in the bay, but the relay is really well sealed. I bought one of those SX3 looms and it is not very well put together at all - poor looking realys and crimps which would never survive a lack of water protection. Mine has been in place for about 2 years with no problems so far. Will be putting a 3-realy lom together shortly in a spray-proof box (modifying the SX3 loom)

[steveo29 0]

any ideas what box

 

i feel they arent really up to being left bare , but never see any nice oem ways to make it look smart , mine are in a glove at the mo

[fendervg 33]

I waterproofed mine by wrapping all the connectors in self-amalgamating tape and loom wrap - stuck the relays into a waterproof plastic box - have not had any problems with it in 2 and a half years, and it rains a lot over here in Ireland - you can find some pictures at the end of this thread:

http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?45477-Uprated-loom-and-sidelights-question&p=638858&viewfull=1#post638858

[steveo29 0]

fendervg...whats the box from?

[elliott 10]

thats prob your dim dip needs unplugging

 

how long u been running em and does the get used in all weathers

 

Car was bought with it already done but it looks good, two relays and all the wires run inside some plastic pipe that's been cable tied under the slam panel. Its not water proof but the relays sit tight infront of the battery and i've never noticed any water up there.

[owen g60 10]

Mine are in a box like this

Then wired in and tucked against the wing behind the light

 

Fully water tight I tested this in a bath tub

[fendervg 33]

Got the box from Maplin's - you can also get the plastic screw on grommets there for where the wires come in - not sure if I'd test mine in the bath though! lol:

[Storm Guy 0]

Didn't go down the bath testing route either..lol. Good IP rated box (even though penetrations made without proper grommets! - 'cause wiring all pre-assembled) should be good enough to provide some decent protection, with boxes corretly orientated.

Good choice available at http://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/enclosures-fans/electronic-instrumentation/plastic-boxes/...either plastic or alu of your choice. Endless choice, easiest to take your loom down and see what fits best or takes your fancy.

Both boxes, one with fuses, the other with relays are located side by side in front of battery.

[Wild-Animal 0]

I will vouch for you water proofing them, I have had a hell of a time of water getting into the relays and fuses, its by far worth making them water proof.

[fendervg 33]

There used to be a guy in Germany that made really high quality looms - including the fogs - but they were expensive. Not sure if he still does them:

http://www.lichttuning.homepage.t-online.de/relaissatz/v6/daten.htm

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The simplest, neatest and most compact solution is this - http://www.route66supply.com/store/page85.html But can I find a UK supplier? Nope!

 

I got fed up with mine getting wet (20K miles a year daily car) so I ran mine internally in the end.

[steveo29 0]

There used to be a guy in Germany that made really high quality looms - including the fogs - but they were expensive. Not sure if he still does them:

http://www.lichttuning.homepage.t-online.de/relaissatz/v6/daten.htm

 

thats more like it

 

cant we get our heads together and sort a kit out ourselves ?? anyone up for it

 

i dont mind doing some leg work , but im not too clued up on elecs

 

would suit mk1/2 golfs and polos as well...any ideas anyone

Edited November 23, 2011 by steveo29

[Jim Bowen 1]

I got fed up with mine getting wet (20K miles a year daily car) so I ran mine internally in the end.

 

Is that quite easy to do?

 

I already have a couple of the uprated looms from the forum but not fitted one yet, one is spade connectors the other has the VW plugs on, would i be able to adapt them?

 

I'm not very good at electrics.

[elliott 10]

I will vouch for you water proofing them, I have had a hell of a time of water getting into the relays and fuses, its by far worth making them water proof.

 

Another job added to the list, i was going to use the shrink wrap from work and rewire the front when i come to replace the support beam. I only do 15-30 miles a week.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Is that quite easy to do?

 

I already have a couple of the uprated looms from the forum but not fitted one yet, one is spade connectors the other has the VW plugs on, would i be able to adapt them?

 

I'm not very good at electrics.

 

Yep, very easy. I drew up a complete end-to-end wiring diagram and posted it in my gallery, but no one was interested.

[andy 0]

Mine are bare, been like that for 5 years with no problems. I mounted the relays such that any water would run away from them rather than into them. I always expected to need to box them up but they only glitched once....they wouldn't come on at -12degrees C! A good tap of the relay cured that. Obviously better if you can box them but not essential. Mine has been through all sorts of weather and flooding, 15k miles a year.

[elliott 10]

thats prob your dim dip needs unplugging

 

Just did this today, thanks for the info. I'd have pulled it all to bits before i thought of this.

[guildmage 11]

Hi, this is my attempt on making an uprated loom watertight. As you can see relays fit nicely into the IP55 box... tomorrow final test of "where-and-will-it-fit"... and over the weekend, this should become an official part of my car :)

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]54477[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]54481[/ATTACH]

[dannyboy 0]

I done the same as u guildmage but my box is just about big enough to fit relays in with wiring but small enough to slip down beside the battery

[edd 0]

mine aren't and they go wrong when it gets very wet and go wrong when engine bay gets too hot sat in traffic.....there's a moral to this story!!!