Headlights: High-4 Possible?? (Low+Highs) Electric Guru's Unite!!

[Obi..]

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/style_emoticons/default/lightbulb.GIF
Saw a buddy's imported Hilux from Oz, 1995 to be specific, and when he hits his high beams they both (low+highs) go on.

If you hold the switch on stateside editions (like mine for example) the switch does let it work, but most likely will fry the contcts really quickly.

There was a relay'd circuit available for the Suburban I used to own that let you do this trick, without frying any wires/etc, and I wonder if it can be done to our models. I've looked online, and at my FSM sheets, but there is nothing there for it, and of course, they don't show Hilux or Surf wiring.

Chime in, it's a nice thing to have when driving through Central Mexico at 2am in pretty much pitch black. :wrenchin:



*O/T-Mods, can we get this smiley, kinda useful for this kind of stuff.
http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/style_emoticons/default/lightbulb.GIF

[YotaFun]

You know I always had this idea in my head.
But I figured it couldn't be done cause the one bulb might get to hot and bust.
But if someone can chime in on getting this done that would be awesome, here in deer country more lights the better!

[bamachem]

I did this once on a 79 Toyota Pickup that I had.

I pulled the headlight switch off the tree and tore it down. it had contactors for the highs and lows. If you bent the contactors (trial and error) just right, you could get the lows to stay on when the high beams were activated. Since both the low beam power and high beam power to the bulb are via relays, you don't have to worry about overloading any circuits - they're seperate. However, you'll generate more heat (these were the old sealed-beam type headlights).

To do this on a modern vehicle, you really have three options.

1. See if you can do the same trick w/ the contactors in the switch.

2. Get a relay and some of those crimp-on wire taps. Tap the high beam circut for the trip on the relay. Run power and ground for the relay, then run the "hot" wire and crimp it to the low beam supply. Doing this, the relay will be "open" when the low beams are activated and operate like normal. Using a relay won't allow any of the low-beam power bleed back into the high-beam circuit. When the high beams are activated, the relay goes to "closed" mode, supplying power to the low beam circuit via the new relay, while the OEM wiring energizes the circuit for the high beams. The OEM low beam relay will also keep the power from back-feeding anything else.

http://4rnr.net/LIGHTS.jpg

The downside is that you'll run hotter, and probably shorten bulb life, but gain a big boost in light output.

3. Get some 100+ Watt Driving Lights and mount them on your bumper to supplement your high beams.

[oly884]

This is what happens when you run both the low and high filaments at the same time:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/oly884/Truck/DSC_7744.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/oly884/Truck/DSC_7745.jpg

Now, keep in mind that these were 130 watt low, and 100 watt high bulbs.

But you can see what extra heat can do!

[bamachem]

LOL... yeah, there should be a DISCLAIMER...

DISCLAIMER: don't do this w/ high-output bulbs. if you try this, ONLY use standard-output 55W bulbs.


:D

[oly884]

It WAS cool how the bulbs turned out.

[YotaFun]

This is what happens when you run both the low and high filaments at the same time:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/oly884/Truck/DSC_7744.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/oly884/Truck/DSC_7745.jpg

Now, keep in mind that these were 130 watt low, and 100 watt high bulbs.

But you can see what extra heat can do!


so my thought process behind the bulb possibly blowing has been proven.
The only reason that thought ever came into my head was due to a time when I had a set of cheap dinky fogs that I threw 100 watt bulbs in taht would blow all the time...



3. Get some 100+ Watt Driving Lights and mount them on your bumper to supplement your high beams.


Check state laws when you do this... and if you do have them wired up have them only come on when your high beams are on, or else you will get a nice ticket.
I think here in PA its somewhere in the range of $186 dollars A LIGHT!
Good thing I had the light covers in the cargo area, the cop let me off with a warning...

[bamachem]

well, that's the ONLY way that driving lights should be wired in my opinion. the cool thing about wiring them that way is you just leave them "ON" all the time, and when you swap to brights, the driving lights automatically come on w/ the high-beams.

[YotaFun]

well, that's the ONLY way that driving lights should be wired in my opinion. the cool thing about wiring them that way is you just leave them "ON" all the time, and when you swap to brights, the driving lights automatically come on w/ the high-beams.


Yeah this is true.
But here in PA, no matter what way you have them wired, if there aftermarket they need to be covered...
So even if I put the hella's on my bumpers they would have to be covered

[oly884]

well, that's the ONLY way that driving lights should be wired in my opinion. the cool thing about wiring them that way is you just leave them "ON" all the time, and when you swap to brights, the driving lights automatically come on w/ the high-beams.


Yeah this is true.
But here in PA, no matter what way you have them wired, if there aftermarket they need to be covered...
So even if I put the hella's on my bumpers they would have to be covered


So, could one justify going after the state if the use of additional lighting would have prevented an accident? Without looking at the laws I would say no, but it seems silly that such a law would be on the books.

Now, driving down the road with them on and not turning them off for oncoming traffic isn't a nice thing to do, but for driving on a dark road in the woods, it sure helps to avoid deer, runners, etc.

[YotaFun]

well, that's the ONLY way that driving lights should be wired in my opinion. the cool thing about wiring them that way is you just leave them "ON" all the time, and when you swap to brights, the driving lights automatically come on w/ the high-beams.


Yeah this is true.
But here in PA, no matter what way you have them wired, if there aftermarket they need to be covered...
So even if I put the hella's on my bumpers they would have to be covered


So, could one justify going after the state if the use of additional lighting would have prevented an accident? Without looking at the laws I would say no, but it seems silly that such a law would be on the books.

Now, driving down the road with them on and not turning them off for oncoming traffic isn't a nice thing to do, but for driving on a dark road in the woods, it sure helps to avoid deer, runners, etc.


Oh I agree 100%.
But the cops around here.... don't....

[4runnerchevy]

What about those sealed lights in older trucks ? I think I will set up a test light just to see how long it lasts, and what it does. The wiring is easy, just never thought of it before.

[bamachem]

What about those sealed lights in older trucks ? I think I will set up a test light just to see how long it lasts, and what it does. The wiring is easy, just never thought of it before.


the sealed beam headlights is what i initially did this to on my old 79 pickup. they seems to last just fine...

[oly884]

Thanks guys, the two worries I had are the heat within the bulbs, and surrounding plastic, as well as the bleed-back amps and voltage that could just fry wiring.
David: See the note below.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2890694519_6a9f187b91.jpg

On some older vehicles you could get away with it, the thing is with the newer stuff, like the 95's (w/ sealed housings like ours) and newer it might be an issue.

*David, I can't see the meta on your pic of the fried bulb, when did this happen, and if from my prompting, if you want, I'll comp or send out a new set for the hassle??




That happened almost 4 years ago. I had put an aftermarket headlight harness on the truck that didn't work as well as I wanted and allowed the low's and high's to be on at the same time.

I have since took the harness off so it is not an issue.

[made in canada]

well, that's the ONLY way that driving lights should be wired in my opinion. the cool thing about wiring them that way is you just leave them "ON" all the time, and when you swap to brights, the driving lights automatically come on w/ the high-beams.


when i got my driving lights i went and got a kit that did this, but i had no-idea how to do it and just wired them (fused) direct with a toggle.

[CJM]

The reason you see so many for older gm vehicles is b/c they used 2 headlights actually that are separately wired iirc.

I just have fog/driving lights, totally work on thier own switch and super bright.