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Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
#79743
06/26/08 12:16 AM
06/26/08 12:16 AM
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Anonymous
OP
Unregistered
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Anonymous
OP
Unregistered
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I've seen most of the articles on putting headlights on relay's for 2 headlight cars....but "how to" on a 4 headlight car ?
If anyone has done this on an E or B body I would like to see a pic, and where you cut the wiring harness at.
Definately would like to know how many relay's and what colored wires went where on the relay's.
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
#79746
06/26/08 08:38 AM
06/26/08 08:38 AM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 719
Seminole County FL to Plymouth...
Barry70GTX
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 719
Seminole County FL to Plymouth...
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I don't see any reason to use 2 relays. I use one and wire it in at the dimmer switch. No wire cutting and it is hidden under the carpet and left kick panel.
NMCA NSS 67 Coronet
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: DaytonaTurbo]
#79747
06/26/08 09:20 AM
06/26/08 09:20 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,367
Jersey shore
Gary67
super street
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super street
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,367
Jersey shore
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Quote:
Pretty easy to wire up. Two relays. Relay #1 powers both hi-beam lights and relay #2 powers both low-beam lights. Other than the hi/low's being in physically seperate headlight buckets, the conversion is exactly the same as a 2-headlight car.
I just did my 67...I used two relays each individually fused off the bat+ terminal on the alternator.
If you have a factory service manual it should have an electrical diagram, that will help tell you the color to tap for the trigger wires, even if you don't have a manual just use a test light to verify....I put my relays on the engine side of the rad support on the alt side under the horn so it's pretty stealthy and still easy to swap a relay out and or a fuse.......
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: Barry70GTX]
#79748
06/26/08 09:20 AM
06/26/08 09:20 AM
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,968
North Riverside IL & Lowell IN
GTXKen
super gas
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super gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,968
North Riverside IL & Lowell IN
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I did this on my GTX with great results, my headlights are bright and there is no dimming. Use two relays and mount them as close to the headights as possible, cut your harness at the relay and run a heavy power source cable to the relays. I would upgrade the wires from the relay to the headlights for best results. I ran a #6 wire from the alt output to my relay box, I scavanged a relay box out of a junkyard intrepid to make mounting of the relays neat. Madd electrical is a good source, do a google search for headlight relays as well. These shoule help you wire the relays...  
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: Barry70GTX]
#79749
06/26/08 12:04 PM
06/26/08 12:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
toronto canada
69chargeryeehaa
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
toronto canada
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Quote:
I don't see any reason to use 2 relays. I use one and wire it in at the dimmer switch. No wire cutting and it is hidden under the carpet and left kick panel.
you can do that but you defeat the purpose of the relay in the first place, unless you run a heavy wire from the batt to the relay, but that would also give you a false reading on the amp meter...
The way i did it, was if you look right next to the battery, there is a connector for the forward harness, you can just use crimp on connectors and make your own intermediate harness and wire it to the relay. Run wires from the battery, and you can locate the relays under the battery if you want it hidden. i just put mine on the top. you'll have to wire in jumpers for the parking lights, and directional wires, the good thing about doing it this way is you don't cut/alter any wire harnesses, you can simply remove the jumpers/wires you made and plug the factory connector back together. But keep in mind, your amp gauge on the dash (stock) will give you a false reading when the headlights are on from back feeding the amp gauge. I found that putting the relays in made a HUGE difference, all that factory wiring had alot of resistance due to age and that the gauge of the wire in the first place was too thin/marginal. In the stock setup my headlights pulled 24amps, with the relays, 11amps. What a huge difference, and a huge load off the stock electrical system, and no more dimming of the headlights at idle.....next up is the tail lights.....they pull ALOT on a 69 charger with 4 1157's and 2 single element bulbs (running lights).....about 15amps!!!!   
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: GTXKen]
#79752
06/26/08 12:19 PM
06/26/08 12:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
toronto canada
69chargeryeehaa
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
toronto canada
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Quote:
Don't ever use crimp connectors and make sure there is a fuse between the power source and the relays. You don't want to take a chance on burning down your car.
why? good quality connectors, good crimp tool,  I've never had a problem, besides everything is fused..separate...
besides; last time i checked the whole car is factory crimp connectors.... 
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: GTXKen]
#79753
06/26/08 12:25 PM
06/26/08 12:25 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 938
White House,TN
stroked470
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 938
White House,TN
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I just installed a Painless harness in my 68 Charger would it be necessary to intall relay's. My biggest concern is the actuall headlights. On my 69 Roadrunner I installed GE Halogen lamps(the only thing I could find). I hated them, they shined a straight beam of light and I couldn't see anything. I hated driving the car at night. Is there anything available other then Halogens lamps. I have seen the newer style with the replacement bulbs like on newer cars but haven't seen anyone use them on the older cars or seen any feed back on them. Do they pull more amperage then a standard headlight.
I also done away with the amp meter. I used all new Autometer gauges including volt gauge, with the painless harness.
Last edited by stroked470; 06/26/08 12:27 PM.
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: 69chargeryeehaa]
#79754
06/26/08 12:30 PM
06/26/08 12:30 PM
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,968
North Riverside IL & Lowell IN
GTXKen
super gas
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super gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,968
North Riverside IL & Lowell IN
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Quote:
Quote:
Don't ever use crimp connectors and make sure there is a fuse between the power source and the relays. You don't want to take a chance on burning down your car.
why? good quality connectors, good crimp tool, I've never had a problem, besides everything is fused..separate...
besides; last time i checked the whole car is factory crimp connectors....
Crimp connecters don't provide the same quailty connection as a soldered connection, and for that matter the connection should be crimped and then soldered. I'm glad you have everything fused. 
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
#79756
06/26/08 01:06 PM
06/26/08 01:06 PM
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Anonymous
OP
Unregistered
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Anonymous
OP
Unregistered
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GTXKen....diagram is exactly what I'm looking for (not sure of the wire colors tho).
My plan is to get power off the starter relay stud....2 fused 10 guage wires.
I'll be running 4 halogens.
My headlights are very bright as is, but I want to take the load off the headlight switch.
I have already re-wired with 10 guage all the wiring from the alternator, thru the dash, back out to starter relay stud with a 14 ga. fusible link. I have eliminated all the connectors (5 ?)in between...so I have very little voltage loss to the battery. Headlights scream at idle !
69Charger.....your pic looks scary ! Should have some fuses on there !
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
#79757
06/26/08 01:19 PM
06/26/08 01:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
toronto canada
69chargeryeehaa
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
toronto canada
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Quote:
69Charger.....your pic looks scary ! Should have some fuses on there !
there is fuses on all the relays, you just can't see them well in the pic, they are on the front of the pic, there is one to the left, and 2 to the right.
i just wired these all in temporary, but basically it is wired the same as the diagram posted, one day when i have nothing to do, probably this winter I'll relocate it all under the battery maybe put it all neat and tidy in a little box with externally accessible blade fuses....
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: GTXKen]
#79760
06/26/08 02:51 PM
06/26/08 02:51 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 824
NH
72challorange
He's Game
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He's Game
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 824
NH
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Just buy replacemnet pigtail wire connectors and get he trigger for the relays at the old headlight connector, don't have to splice/cut the factory stuff if you want to swap back. Add the heavy guage fused from the starter relay and you'll be good to go. You can swap back to factory in 10 minutes if necessary. Tom I use crimps all the time along with shrink-wrap and no solder and I've never had to re do one. Shrink wrap along with some dielectric grease in the connector will last longer than the car. You have to use the tools properly to get a solid connection.
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: Barry70GTX]
#79761
06/26/08 03:02 PM
06/26/08 03:02 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,406
UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...
NITROUSN
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,406
UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...
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Quote:
I don't see any reason to use 2 relays. I use one and wire it in at the dimmer switch. No wire cutting and it is hidden under the carpet and left kick panel.
Please explain how you wire one relay in to do the job?
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Re: Four (4) Headlights on relay's ?........
[Re: 69chargeryeehaa]
#79762
06/26/08 03:47 PM
06/26/08 03:47 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168
Vancouver, WA
MoparMarq
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168
Vancouver, WA
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Or you could a little more trick and use a relay box from another rice car, rewire it inside and have your relays and fuses look a little more factory.
The first pic is the relay box from a '89 Tercel mounted on the left fender behind the headlight buckets. Two relays, one for high, one for low, three fuses (after the relays), one for low, one for high left side, and one for high right side. The power source for the relay box is an 8 gauge wire from a power junction box on the firewall. The donor car for that was a '84 Nissan Maxima.
Nice and tidy, like this...
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