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Lazarus; 1996 1.3...no longer an auto, now a manual, wait no it's an auto.
Topic Started: Apr 12 2014, 12:35 PM (10,031 Views)
M4tthewd
Matt

So wire a hot straight to the relay, and the relay to the lights, and use the old light power (red, and red/white, hi beam/low beam) to trigger the relay?
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M4tthewd
Matt

I also pulled all the fuses and connections when I got the car and cleaned up everything and had to make some jumpers because the fuses burnt out at the connections. But I have one black wire that's not plugged in and I have no idea what it's for lol
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Metromightymouse
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Powdercoat Wizard

M4tthewd
Jan 29 2015, 07:35 PM
So wire a hot straight to the relay, and the relay to the lights, and use the old light power (red, and red/white, hi beam/low beam) to trigger the relay?
That will work, although if you have DRLs they will be full bright. Might put a fuse on the hot wire to the relay, just in case.
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Woodie
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MUST put a fuse in the hot wire, no matter what else you do.

The tricky bit about messing with the headlight wiring is that our headlights are wired backward from convention. They are supplied with 12V at all times, yes, even now as we both stare at our computer screens with the keys in our pockets. All the rest of the wiring, from the separate poles of the high and low beams, through the switch and the underdash fusebox, is ground. So you need to either follow that same backwards wiring on the high power side of your relays, or think two different ways when you're thinking of the switched or the switching side of the relays. You'll need two relays, one for high beam and another for low. Use the wires currently going to your headlights to switch the relays on and off and use the high power side of the relay to switch the ground on and off for the individual high and low terminals on the headlight bulb. This part reduces the load on the factory wiring, and provides a much better ground to the light. For a complete pure circuit, you should also run a heavy wire off the positive side of the battery through a fuse, and then on to the common terminal of the bulb. This side doesn't often cause trouble, but it does meander it's way around quite a bit in the thin factory wiring, doing it more directly will provide more power.
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M4tthewd
Matt

So I drew this up real quick, as a guide for how I plan to upgrade my headlights.

Posted Image

Picture 1 (low beams)

30-to low beam (red/white) and my fog lights.
85-ground
86-from harness (red/white)
87-12v

Picture 2 (high beams[with low beam mod])

30-to high beams (red)
85-ground
86-from harness (red)
87-12v

I believe I have the colour codes correct, I'll check before I do it. And I think I drew this up correct as well. If I didn't someone tell me lol
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M4tthewd
Matt

And then run a fuse some where in there? And run a HOT AT ALL TIMES to the white wire?
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M4tthewd
Matt

So that also means that 87a is a ground?
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M4tthewd
Matt

I believe I wired it wrong. Or something is up with my lights, because there is always power from what my wiring diagram says is the highbeams. So I'm a little baffled at the moment lol
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Metromightymouse
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Powdercoat Wizard

Re read Woodie's post. Most of the electrical on these cars is ground switched, meaning that it all has battery voltage all the time and the switch provides the ground instead of the power. It is really easy to wire things up and not properly account for where the switch is in the circuit and turn things on when you don't want them to be.

Search Google with "geometroforum headlight relay" and look for how someone who has successfully added relays did it.

Or use this post,
http://geometroforum.com/topic/2790987/1
Edited by Metromightymouse, Jan 31 2015, 05:43 AM.
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M4tthewd
Matt

I didn't see his post until after I posted lol. Yeah I got it now, it's backwards but I pretty easy. I was really confused until I read that there's always power lol
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M4tthewd
Matt

I looked it up as you suggested, and I understand. What one guide shows me to rewire it the correct 'normal' way. I'm going to keep with the backwards geo way, just because I actually have most of the wiring correct, I just need to switch some connections and it should work! It's currently -30c (not taking in account the windchill) where I am, so I may wait till it's slightly warmer out. Yesterday was only -6, so I got a lot done still. Can't wait for warmer weather lol
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M4tthewd
Matt

So I had a cup of coffee and rewired the lights in about 30 seconds lol here's the up dated diagram. I kept with the backwards lighting.

Posted Image

And a pic of the new head light assembly, definitely much clearer :)

Posted Image
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t3ragtop
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Turbo3 and Twincam Tweaker

i needed to set a diode in the low beam circuit when i use aux relays or the lights would lock on the high beams. ;)
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M4tthewd
Matt

That's weird :/ I had no problem with mine.. And I'm really confused as why or how it happened, but my DRL are my low beams....
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M4tthewd
Matt

On the hunt for a parts car or a first gen today! Found an ad in the local buy and sell app, not in the car section oddly. Crossing my fingers!
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