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Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?
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56D500boy
Posted 2016-12-01 11:27 AM (#527643)
Subject: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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My 56 Custom Royal D-500 came equipped with Halogen sealed beam headlights, very likely 25 years old. The light is quite bright and definitely on the white end of the scale (not yellow) so I am happy with that. My question is, how many watts can I draw through the headlight switch. (I can't tell what the wattage on the sealed beams is). Should they be relayed to the battery?

Dave F



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Viper Guy
Posted 2016-12-01 1:52 PM (#527655 - in reply to #527643)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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I replaced all 4 of the headlights on my '59 DeSoto with Halogens and the only downside was I got docked points at AACA judged shows for them not being "original". Never been a problem electrically and it is common practice to replace older sealbeams with Halogens by guys that couldn't care less about factory originality.


Edited by Viper Guy 2016-12-01 1:54 PM
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wizard
Posted 2016-12-01 2:36 PM (#527659 - in reply to #527643)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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Install a relay and be safe - the old contacts and voltage drop is a problem waiting to happen.

In my car, before the installation of relays the supply voltage to the sealed beams was roundabout 9 volts - now, with realys installed I have the same voltage as the battery as supply.

This gives the old sealed beams better light than the xenon ones in my 2007 300C Touring (kind of sad that new technology doesn't do better (yes, the bulbs has been exchanged, but with absolutely no improvement)
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56D500boy
Posted 2018-11-16 8:57 PM (#573654 - in reply to #527659)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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wizard - 2016-12-01 2:36 PM

Install a relay and be safe - the old contacts and voltage drop is a problem waiting to happen.


Old thread. I am just getting back to it while waiting to see whether the H4 LED bulbs are going to work (they've been ordered but are a week or two away).

Anyway, I have decided to relay both the high and low beams direct to the battery regardless, using two 4 pin relays and 2 inline fuses.

Here are the diagrams: First the basic 56 Dodge lighting wiring diagram showing the headlight wiring in colour and then the proposed wiring for the two relays. (I will NOT cut any stock wires - I will "create" a connector between the OE wiring from the switch to the wiring bus bar and the new wiring to the two relays.)





(HeadlightWiring_Stock.jpg)



(HeadlightWiring_WithRelays_AndSwitchPhoto.jpg)



(LocationForHeadlightRelaysOn56DodgeRadSupport.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments HeadlightWiring_Stock.jpg (174KB - 231 downloads)
Attachments HeadlightWiring_WithRelays_AndSwitchPhoto.jpg (167KB - 241 downloads)
Attachments LocationForHeadlightRelaysOn56DodgeRadSupport.jpg (203KB - 228 downloads)
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wizard
Posted 2018-11-17 2:18 PM (#573662 - in reply to #527643)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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That will work, but not needed if you're running with LED's - If you will go with normal H4 halogen bulbs, change the fuses for 1 circuit breaker instead. If something happens you'll not be totally without light, just for a short while…..
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56D500boy
Posted 2018-11-17 7:04 PM (#573664 - in reply to #573662)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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wizard - 2018-11-17 2:18 PM

That will work, but not needed if you're running with LED's - If you will go with normal H4 halogen bulbs, change the fuses for 1 circuit breaker instead. If something happens you'll not be totally without light, just for a short while…..


Thanks for the circuit breaker idea Sven. I know that I will not need the relays with the LEDs but while I wait for them to show up, I might run the H4s with the Halogen bulbs. Plus I like this wiring stuff.;)

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56D500boy
Posted 2018-11-17 9:38 PM (#573677 - in reply to #573654)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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56D500boy - 2018-11-16 8:57 PM

I will NOT cut any stock wires - I will "create" a connector between the OE wiring from the switch to the wiring bus bar and the new wiring to the two relays.



Went out today and bought most of the supplies to create the relayed headlights, i.e. two four pin HELLA relays, more 14 gauge wire (now I have Green, Blue, Red and Black), insulated female 0.25" spade connectors for the connections on the bottom of the relays and Pico 3157C 12-10 AWG(Yellow) Electrical Wiring Flared Vinyl Insulated 0.375" Tab Female Quick Connect for Volkswagons (big enough to connect to the OE harness wire terminal ends). I could only find the uninsulated version though. I wanted the insulated 0.375" version.

What I got:



What I want/need (I found 0.25" but I need 0.375"):



Edited by 56D500boy 2018-11-17 9:39 PM
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wizard
Posted 2018-11-18 3:33 AM (#573688 - in reply to #527643)
Subject: Re: Halogen Sealed Beams through Light Switch - Bad Idea?



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Dave, for the power feed wires 30 and the output 87, use AWG 11, for the signal 85, it's enough with AWG 15, but you can use the AWG 14.


The concept is that a thin signal wire activates a thick wire lead through the relay, thereby avoiding voltage drop to a consumer.


That means, that if your existing wires from the Connection block to the headlights are AWG 16, then there will be a voltage drop, but acceptable.

Best thing would be to exchange the wires from the connection block to the headlights with AWG 11.


This is of course based on the usage of normal filament H4 bulbs.

I always use unisolated cable connectors, crimp them to the cable and solder them, thereafter insulate them with black shrink tube with glue inside. This gives a more period correct look as well as a very good connection.


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