Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: MONC]
#1523187
10/25/13 03:54 PM
10/25/13 03:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,988 Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel
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The headlamp switch has a built-in circuit breaker, it's probably tired and won't carry the extra
The floor-mounted dimmer switch doesn't need to be grounded.
The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: MONC]
#1523188
10/25/13 04:03 PM
10/25/13 04:03 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822 Colorado
denfireguy
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I would double check with a voltmeter to see if the voltage goes away at the switch. The wiring sockets for the switch are notorious for corroding with all the tracked in water and snow that soaks in there. Make sure they are clean. Also, this would not be the first time a defective switch made it into the marketplace.
Craig
2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: denfireguy]
#1523189
10/25/13 04:16 PM
10/25/13 04:16 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 288 Birmingham, England
Mick70RR
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This happened to me once when I was doing 60 mph down an unlit country lane in pitch darkness. Switched main beam on and all the lights went out. Slammed the brakes on and stopped in the middle of both lanes. Couldn't get the lights to work at all and had to wait for another car to come behind me and use the light from his headlights to get me onto a street lit road. Removed the floor switch the next day and cleaned all the connections and used some electrical grease and it's been ok since then.
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: John_Kunkel]
#1523190
10/25/13 04:33 PM
10/25/13 04:33 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,683 The Historic Hudson Valley
MONC
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Quote:
The headlamp switch has a built-in circuit breaker, it's probably tired and won't carry the extra
The floor-mounted dimmer switch doesn't need to be grounded.
Did you mean the high beam switch/dimmer has a built-in circuit breaker or the switch at the dash?
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: Mick70RR]
#1523191
10/25/13 04:35 PM
10/25/13 04:35 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
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What make/year vehicle are we working with? Mind the colors at www.mymopar.com Seperate the bulkhead connector that has that circuit & see if the high beam wire is hot when it's supposed to be. That'll tell you to work toward the headlight connectors up front or back inside toward the dimmer switch for the open. Wires go bad at the terminals/connectors on the ends (unless there's frayed insulation from rubbing or heat/broken strands from flexing/burnt strands/insulation from excessive amperage flow which ain't the case here)so check the terminals either forward or inside from the bulkhead (& the open might be in the problematic bulkhead, an easy fix)
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: denfireguy]
#1523192
10/25/13 04:36 PM
10/25/13 04:36 PM
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MONC
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Quote:
I would double check with a voltmeter to see if the voltage goes away at the switch. The wiring sockets for the switch are notorious for corroding with all the tracked in water and snow that soaks in there. Make sure they are clean. Also, this would not be the first time a defective switch made it into the marketplace.
Craig
I did check the wires and connections for corrosion that go into the high beam switch/dimmer, they all looked good from what I could see.
When you say check to see if the voltage goes away at the switch, you mean at the wires that connect to the high beam switch/dimmer, correct?
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1523194
10/25/13 06:29 PM
10/25/13 06:29 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,683 The Historic Hudson Valley
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Quote:
What make/year vehicle are we working with? Mind the colors at www.mymopar.com Seperate the bulkhead connector that has that circuit & see if the high beam wire is hot when it's supposed to be. That'll tell you to work toward the headlight connectors up front or back inside toward the dimmer switch for the open. Wires go bad at the terminals/connectors on the ends (unless there's frayed insulation from rubbing or heat/broken strands from flexing/burnt strands/insulation from excessive amperage flow which ain't the case here)so check the terminals either forward or inside from the bulkhead (& the open might be in the problematic bulkhead, an easy fix)
69 Charger. Didn't understand what you meant by mind the colors? Are there wiring diagrams available on mymopar?
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: MONC]
#1523195
10/25/13 07:06 PM
10/25/13 07:06 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
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Lincoln Nebraska
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Quote:
69 Charger. Didn't understand what you meant by mind the colors? Are there wiring diagrams available on mymopar?
My bad I meant to say find the colors. yes, click on mymopar tools/reference then scroll down a bit & click on wiring/electrical then click on mopar wiring diagrams then click on the group that covers your year (69) then schematic A will have the rear half & schematic B will have the front half. I like to bring both of em up then I can click on either header on the bottom of my screen to easily pull em both up as that makes it easier to trace a wire as each schematic has a cutoff on the diagram. EDIT ohmed a 3 terminal headlight today & got 1.7 ohms side to side & 2 ohms from one of the side (parallel) terminals to the odd one & 2.2 ohms from the other side terminal to the odd one
Last edited by RapidRobert; 10/26/13 08:34 PM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1523198
10/25/13 07:34 PM
10/25/13 07:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,224 JERSEY
RJS
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Quote:
Quote:
I have power on one side of the connector at the headlight and then on the other side as you switch from Hi to low beam. Even changed both headlights in the off chance.
If there's fire to both of the respective terminals when you hit hi/low & the headlites are good all that is left is the black (3rd) ground wire
With my car (2 headlight system) show both wires be hot or switch from one to other? Mine the power switches from one to the other. Thanks Ron
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: RJS]
#1523200
10/25/13 07:45 PM
10/25/13 07:45 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
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The red wire at both lights would be hot on high beams & the violet wire with tracer at both lights would be hot on low beams. The third wire (black on each headlight) connect together then T to a ground
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1523201
10/25/13 08:22 PM
10/25/13 08:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
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You realize that the head light circuit is the same high or low for both ground and up to the dimmer switch. Only the supplied voltage changes between high or low, so ground should be ok if the lows work. the floor mounted dimmer or the wiring to the lights is your issue.
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: RJS]
#1523202
10/25/13 08:27 PM
10/25/13 08:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Quote:
I have the same problem with my 71 Demon, changed the dimmer switch first but still NG Then I changed the headlight switch still NG Traced, cleaned and untapped the forward light harness still NG I have power on one side of the connector at the headlight and then on the other side as you switch from Hi to low beam. The indicator works in the dash when in Hi mode. Even changed both headlights in the off chance. Had to walk away for another time. Ron
Well that's encouraging ...
Thanks for the other replies, I'll see if I can do some further testing of the headlight switch in the dash, check wiring at bulkhead etc..
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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated
[Re: Supercuda]
#1523204
10/25/13 09:40 PM
10/25/13 09:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,224 JERSEY
RJS
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Quote:
You realize that the head light circuit is the same high or low for both ground and up to the dimmer switch. Only the supplied voltage changes between high or low, so ground should be ok if the lows work. the floor mounted dimmer or the wiring to the lights is your issue.
OK so if I follow what your saying since the low works the third wire (ground) at the headlights is good
Then when you tap the dimmer I see with a meter the power come off the wire that lit the low beam and the wire to the other filament is hot but the high filament doesn't come on so the dimmer switch is the culprit because both of those wires should have stayed hot???
The dimmer is new but that doesn't mean much nowadays.
I'm still confused
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