aye just std wattage. Think it helps that my headlamps are mint hella ones too, a proper good find from my scrappy
Little fatherless child has just eaten another headlight switch. Pulled in at home tonight, went for the dash switch and it was stuck ok! Tried to turn it off again harder and suceeded, but now when I turn the lights back on I only get dipped and no main (just the same as before-all lights come on when you flash from the column switch!) Everyone thick its the switch again as that did feel physically broke for a moment or two!?
So, to pass the time I've just taken my old (original - not the one thats just failed) switch to pieces and given it a damn good clean. I can't see what can possibly fail as all there is is a spring loaded contact that differentiates between which circuits are completed...anyone have ant light to shed on this?
I think its time for you to fit a relayed light loom, it sounds like the voltage running thru the switch has melted it!
Sounds like a superb idea, you mean do that along with uprated wiring for the whole headlight system. In looking at the circuit diagrams I dont really see how the uprated loom etc reduces the voltage across the lighting circuit as all that's done with regards to the switch is it's spliced back in in 4 places ? From what I can see, the inside of the switch is just fine, although the "inside" of pinX does look ever so slightly mealted, but pinX and pin56 still make a circuit on the "headlight" setting. However, in studying Haynes I think pin56 should make a circuit with pin30 when the headlights are switched on and neither of my switches are making a circuit here...however 58/58l/58r do make circuits with 30 on both settings which would confirm me having only sidelights on both settings of the switch at present. Anyone confirm that 30 and 56 should make a circuit!? Edited by: mr_roggger
f*cking jesus man, just go and get a new switch! scrappy - free, job done just sat and read this whole thread, how can such a simple clip out/clip in job be such an epic mission! you could train a moth to do it if its blown again, get another one, easy peasy, wont cost you a penny
It wont reduce the voltage, but will reduce the ampage as all the current is taken from the battery rather than through the switch The problem with the Haynes is it may not cover the old style light switch?
If only it were that easy! 1st problem was not just the switch as the entire electrics were dead with respect to pin X so didn't initiate at all with the ignition switch/engine running! 2nd problem is, 9-pin switches arent all that east to come by, there are a few on ebay and when I've been to the scrappies in the past they've only had later 11-pin ones or 8-pin (!?) ones from sub-GTi models...neither of which work with mine! Also, now there's the additional problem that I've got through 2 switches which suggests there's an additional problem, so I fancy the new loom option. Rubjonny, as soon as I made that post I realised what the addition of a relay(s) achieved ...with regards to Haynes, I think mine falls into diagram 39, "light switch and number plate lights all models from 1987". Do you think its necessary to upgrade all 3 circuits (hi/lo on outers and spots?) On closer inspection 56 and 30 dont make a circuit, only 56 and X, so I don't know what's wrong with the bloody switches! <!-- bmi_SafeAddOnload(bmi_load,"bmi_orig_img");//--> <!-- bmi_SafeAddOnload(bmi_load,"bmi_orig_img");//--> Edited by: mr_roggger
I'd only bother doing the main beams & high/spots and leave the dipped as is. It might also be worth looking into getting the loom from a 88-89 car so you can make use of the much more common 11pin switches!
That too sounds like an excllent idea, but I'd be way out of my deapth doing that. When I get back to my place I'm going to have a look under the bonnet and see if I can make sense of the wiring diagrams for upgrading the loom that I've been forwarded to from posts here on that subject. Seems simple enough, should be even easier with a job lot of splice connectors , hope to do it next weekend if I can get all the parts in! I've got some relays kicking around for standard car lighting circuits but if I cant find them I'll need to get some new ones in and Maplin is confusiond me with SPNO (single pole normally open) or SPDT (???), don't know which type? (Pretty sure I dont want SPCO (single pole changeover) as they have 5 pins Edited by: mr_roggger
Sorted with a new switch and are working again now, will get round to doing the replacement relaied wiring at the weekend hopefully!
I AM going to upgrade loom this weekend, I've finally brought the relays, wires and connectors etc.! so I'm after a little clarification on what I've read in the guides! (Note: my car doesn't have dim-dip any more!) If anyone could give me pinters/tell me where I've gone wrong it would be much appreciated! Upgrading Dipped: Cut the dipped+ (black/yellow) on battery/passenger side. On this side, connect the dipped+ to terminal 87, and then run another wire from terminal 87 to the drivers side and splice into the dipped+ on that side (black/yellow). Take the other end of the cut wire on the battery/passengers side and connect to terminal 86. connect 85 to ground, and 30 to fuse to battery. Do I need to upgrade the ground wires too from the lights (e.g. by simply adding new wires from the light to a convenient part of the chassi!)? Further upgrades? Now if this is correct, I assume you can repeat this procedure for the mina beam circuit. Is this necessary (4 light grille) as main beam isnt so bad, and is this modification needed to stop huge amounts of current flowing through the dash switch in conjunction with just up-grading the dipped circuit, or is just upgrading dipped sufficient? Thanks! Edited by: mr_roggger
No need to cut any wires, simply crimp a spade terminal onto your wiring and connect it to the light plug The earth wires to/from the lights/relays need to be just as good as the live wires, run them to the negative terminal on the battery. I'd use 3 relayed circuits for this, one for the main beam and 1 for either side of the dipped beam circuit. (if a relay or fuse blows, you dont want to loose ALL your lights!) The main reason you want to be doing this is to prevent excess current for the lights passing through the light switch
Understood everything else but: I know the type connector you mean, but where are you suggesting i use this, and what are you referring to by "light plug"? Thanks.
Oh so you mean simply take the live feed from the relay 87 and connect that to the rear of the headlight. Surely though, the live to the headlight needs to be cut and routed through the relay otherwise the relay wont be switched by the dash light so I'll still have the same problems
I mean you take the live and earth feed to the relay direct from the battery, then take the switch feed to the relay from the headlight plug which you've disconnected from the bulb. Then run the output feed from the relay to the bulb Edit: My original point was you don't need to cut the original loom, just put a spade terminal into the plug on the end Edited by: rubjonny
Thanks that makes perfect sense now! I'll do it at the weekend if I can fit it in with marshalling the Rallye Sunseeker and having my birthday celebrations on sunday Cheers for the help, I'll let you know how I get on!
