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Another headlight question, running both low/high beams #1518730 10/17/13 02:55 AM 10/17/13 02:55 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion hp383 OP Just a normal tag again
hp383 OP Just a normal tag again Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion	Is there any issue, or would it be harmful, to wire the headlights on my 86 Ramcharger (used the combo low/high light) to function so that on HIGH i get both low and high beams active? I am going to be deleting the floor mounted dimmer switch as its in the way of where I need to rest my bad leg. So the plan was to add a high beam rocker switch to a blank panel on my dash bezel. I plan to do a relay conversion on the headlights when I do the dimmer delete. And then run the high beams to there own switch, doing so I wont get the low beam off as is normal with the dimmer switch. I dont want to let the smoke out of any wires! Since I live in very active deer country, the extra light makes a big difference. Part II. Has anyone already done this or a similar conversion, and maybe know what or where I need to look for for wiring on the truck?

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518731 10/17/13 03:06 AM 10/17/13 03:06 AM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa 340SHORTY Truck Nut
340SHORTY Truck Nut Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa	IIRC theres a conversion wiring kit thats is used on GM pickups to do something like that .. I cant see why it wouldnt work on our trucks.. You could always add some road lights aswell.. I am truckless..

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: 340SHORTY] #1518732 10/17/13 03:08 AM 10/17/13 03:08 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion hp383 OP Just a normal tag again
hp383 OP Just a normal tag again Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion	I am adding off road lights on the roof, but sometimes the local LE gets a bit picky about those. A few guys have been getting tickets for not having covers over their lights while on road. Join the Penguin Liberation Front!! Stop the Hippo Occupation!

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518733 10/17/13 03:15 AM 10/17/13 03:15 AM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 434 DELAWARE bee71mopar mopar
bee71mopar mopar Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 434 DELAWARE	Try these guys... http://www.webelectricproducts.com/products.htm

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518734 10/17/13 03:22 AM 10/17/13 03:22 AM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa 340SHORTY Truck Nut
340SHORTY Truck Nut Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa	Quote: I am adding off road lights on the roof, but sometimes the local LE gets a bit picky about those. A few guys have been getting tickets for not having covers over their lights while on road. Yep, illegal around here to unless your offroad and must be covered if they are mounted higher than the head lights.. On my old F250 hiboy I ran a pair og 4" 250 watt aircraft landing light mounted on the bumper.. Worked great on those dark nights.. I am truckless..

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518735 10/17/13 02:12 PM 10/17/13 02:12 PM
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 12,271 Overpriced Housing Central RobX4406 I Live Here
RobX4406 I Live Here Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 12,271 Overpriced Housing Central	Not a good idea. It will likely overheat the fixture.

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518736 10/17/13 02:18 PM 10/17/13 02:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,757 Rio Linda, CA John_Kunkel Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,757 Rio Linda, CA	I'm wondering if both beams lit at the same time would actually be brighter, it possibly will only be as bright as the high beam by itself. The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518737 10/17/13 02:30 PM 10/17/13 02:30 PM
Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 85 Lavonia, GA cjbill member
cjbill member Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 85 Lavonia, GA	I don't know that it would actually be "that much" brighter. I, myself, added another set of lights to my car. Just be aware, local LE sometimes gets "picky" if you have more than 4 forward beams lit (in total, I have 8 forward beams, or 4 pair on my Subaru). In GA, they don't care, but I was driving in the NE and got asked about it. Uploaded with ImageShack.us ex-Ford guy, but Mopars nowadays

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: John_Kunkel] #1518738 10/17/13 02:56 PM 10/17/13 02:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion hp383 OP Just a normal tag again
hp383 OP Just a normal tag again Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion	Quote: I'm wondering if both beams lit at the same time would actually be brighter, it possibly will only be as bright as the high beam by itself. I know with my 92 Dakota, it has the dimmer on the column. If I pull back on the dimmer, and hold it, I get both low and high beams simultaneously, and it is much brighter than just the high beams. I dont do that often, or for more than a few seconds when looking out for critters, because I dont want to melt anything. It sure would be nice to get all the light to the front as possible, but I want to do it without hurting the system, wires, or me. Join the Penguin Liberation Front!! Stop the Hippo Occupation!

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518739 10/17/13 03:39 PM 10/17/13 03:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX feets Senior Management
feets Senior Management Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX	Remember that an 86 Ramcharger has a single glass bulb on each side. Lighting both elements inside that bulb will likely overheat the bulb itself as well as the plastic adjusting clips and the wire harness. You have three leads going to those bulbs. Power to the low beam, power to the high beam, and a ground that serves both beams. Feeding the power shouldn't hurt the feeds but that ground wire will be smoking. Not a good idea. We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: feets] #1518740 10/17/13 09:15 PM 10/17/13 09:15 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,719 Space Station #5 471Magnum master
471Magnum master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,719 Space Station #5	Quote: Remember that an 86 Ramcharger has a single glass bulb on each side. Lighting both elements inside that bulb will likely overheat the bulb itself as well as the plastic adjusting clips and the wire harness.... Not a good idea. -Jim I can fix it... my old man is a television repairman. He's got the ultimate set of tools... I can fix it. Currently Mopar-less

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: 471Magnum] #1518741 10/17/13 09:35 PM 10/17/13 09:35 PM
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,696 Bitopia J jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds.. J Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,696 Bitopia	Quote: Quote: Remember that an 86 Ramcharger has a single glass bulb on each side. Lighting both elements inside that bulb will likely overheat the bulb itself as well as the plastic adjusting clips and the wire harness.... Not a good idea. , however regarding "brighter", lumens is lumens, percentage wise improvement is the question, and the main intended difference between low and high beams other then the wattage, is the beam spread, and in the hottest/brightest spot directly? ahead I suspect not a big improvement, but to the sides it would be a plus. maybe the best compromise to prevent filament/ glass envelope overheat issues would be a momentary button, can't believe the wiring wouldn't not handle that, unless they share a ground wire. I like the idea Last edited by jcc; 10/17/13 09:36 PM. Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: jcc] #1518742 10/17/13 10:22 PM 10/17/13 10:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 15,728 Jefferson State S srt ESYC
srt ESYC S Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 15,728 Jefferson State	Daniel Stern Lighting will likely set you up. I agree the stock wiring will need upgrading, yet by installing a relay circuit and head lamp upgrade you will probably find you do not need both elements 'on' at the same time.

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: srt] #1518743 10/18/13 04:36 PM 10/18/13 04:36 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada DaytonaTurbo Too Many Posts
DaytonaTurbo Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada	both elements in the same bulb might not be a good idea. separate bulbs I'd say would have worked fine.

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: jcc] #1518744 10/18/13 05:33 PM 10/18/13 05:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX feets Senior Management
feets Senior Management Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX	Quote: can't believe the wiring wouldn't not handle that, unless they share a ground wire. Three wires go to each headlight. One for the low beam. One for the high beam. One for ground. BAD IDEA. We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: feets] #1518745 10/18/13 09:28 PM 10/18/13 09:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion hp383 OP Just a normal tag again
hp383 OP Just a normal tag again Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion	Advise taken. No dual low/high Darn... Join the Penguin Liberation Front!! Stop the Hippo Occupation!

Re: Another headlight question, running both low/high beams [Re: hp383] #1518746 10/18/13 09:32 PM 10/18/13 09:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 85 Lavonia, GA cjbill member
cjbill member Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 85 Lavonia, GA	Get a nice set of off-road lights, trust me, they can be had second hand rather inexpensively. I ran into the same situation on my '93 truck years back, a couple 8" Bosch lights w/ 100-watt bulbs solved it! I love messing with lighting, I "improve" it on every car I own! ex-Ford guy, but Mopars nowadays

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