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Wiring up driving lights as headlights. A little help needed. by maxsideburn
Started on: 11-30-2005 10:14 PM
Replies: 9
Last post by: Wipe0ut on 12-01-2005 10:59 AM
maxsideburn
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Report this Post11-30-2005 10:14 PM Click Here to See the Profile for maxsideburnClick Here to visit maxsideburn's HomePageSend a Private Message to maxsideburnDirect Link to This Post
My plan is to replace each stock headlight with two small projector driving lights. My question is about the wiring. How will my high-beams work? Currently the Fiero has one bulb on each side, i.e. stock headlights. But when I wire in my new ones will I just wire them to where the old lamp was? How will they get brighter for high beams? Will they just run off of less juice to start with, then go to full intensity when clicked into high beam mode? I'm sure someone here has done this, please any advice.
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Report this Post11-30-2005 10:56 PM Click Here to See the Profile for FirefoxSend a Private Message to FirefoxDirect Link to This Post
You actually have 3 wires going to each headlight. One is a ground, one is the power feed for the low beam headlight, and the third is for the high beam on the headlight. The bulb itself has 2 filaments inside of it, and they do not operate at the same time. Your dimmer switch actually switches power from one of those power wires to the other, and they share the ground wire. So, if you are going to use 2 smaller projector lights ( one for the high beam and one for the low beam ) you can cut the headlight plug off, run the low beam wire to the outer lights and the high beam wire to the inner lights ( I can't for the life of me remember the colors! ). Run the ground wires together. Your dimmer switch will then switch your lights back and forth between the inner and outer lights.

I hope that answers your question.

Mark
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maxsideburn
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Report this Post12-01-2005 12:39 AM Click Here to See the Profile for maxsideburnClick Here to visit maxsideburn's HomePageSend a Private Message to maxsideburnDirect Link to This Post
But won't there be a voltage difference? Like won't the high-beam wire be putting out more voltage? It may blow my driving lights.
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Blacktree
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Report this Post12-01-2005 01:04 AM Click Here to See the Profile for BlacktreeClick Here to visit Blacktree's HomePageSend a Private Message to BlacktreeDirect Link to This Post
Both power feeds are 12V. You won't blow out the driving lamps if you use them as high beams.
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maxsideburn
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Report this Post12-01-2005 01:18 AM Click Here to See the Profile for maxsideburnClick Here to visit maxsideburn's HomePageSend a Private Message to maxsideburnDirect Link to This Post
Ah, then how is it that the high beams are brighter than the dims? I figured that it was due to an increase in voltage.

In that case, would it be possible to have one set of lights on when my dims are on, and then the others ALSO come on when on high? So that all four lights light up?

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buddycraigg
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Report this Post12-01-2005 02:01 AM Click Here to See the Profile for buddycraiggSend a Private Message to buddycraiggDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by maxsideburn:

Ah, then how is it that the high beams are brighter than the dims? I figured that it was due to an increase in voltage.

In that case, would it be possible to have one set of lights on when my dims are on, and then the others ALSO come on when on high? So that all four lights light up?


there is a small filament and big one.
the little one puts out a low beam the big one is brighter and put out the high been.
the tail / brake light bulbs work the same way.
look at this thread to get a better idea.
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/068669.html

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buddycraigg
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Report this Post12-01-2005 02:22 AM Click Here to See the Profile for buddycraiggSend a Private Message to buddycraiggDirect Link to This Post

buddycraigg

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this is a stock headlight setup
the yellow is hot from the headlight switch.
the white box is the dimmer switch.
the tan wire is for the low beams
the light green wire is for the high beams.
that is a standard GM color coding for headlights.

if you want 2 lights for low beam and 2 lights for high beam wire it like this

if you want 2 lights for low beam and 4 lights for high beam
you simply splice in a wire (i used red) to side step the dimmer switch's low side.
now your outer lights will be on as soon as you turn on the head light switch.
and all four lights will be on when you click the dimmer switch in to the high position.

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 12-01-2005).]

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foxxman25
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Report this Post12-01-2005 03:24 AM Click Here to See the Profile for foxxman25Send a Private Message to foxxman25Direct Link to This Post
What buddy said. But don't run the light directly off the wires for the stock headlights. Use two relays (one for the low and one for the high beams) and use the power from the stock headlight wiring to trigger the relays to send power to the driving lights. Wire the power wire to the relays to a good 12 volt source (like the battery) and wire the grounds for the lights to a good grounding point and you'll should be happy with the lights.

I would use a fog light for your dim headlight replacement just because they tend to spread the light out more while keeping in near the car. I'll be interested to know if the driving lights will shine the light as far as stock brights do. My dims are terrible but my brights on my fiero are just as good as any other car out there.

If the aftermarket light housing will handle it with out melting then you can alway swap in a 100 watt bulb (most of them come with a 55 watt bulb).

Also remember that most of the aftermarket driving/fog lights are for "off road only" so its possible you could get a ticket for them. Thought its not likely (at least around here) since I've been running aftermarket fogs in my GTP for over 2 year and not one ticket.

------------------
Low 14 sec 99 Pontiac GTP, 3.2L V6 4 sp 86 Fiero GT

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maxsideburn
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Report this Post12-01-2005 10:30 AM Click Here to See the Profile for maxsideburnClick Here to visit maxsideburn's HomePageSend a Private Message to maxsideburnDirect Link to This Post
any specific reason not to just run them off of the headlight wires??
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Wipe0ut
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Report this Post12-01-2005 10:59 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Wipe0utClick Here to visit Wipe0ut's HomePageSend a Private Message to Wipe0utDirect Link to This Post
Increased power consumption in the headlights causes a chance for you to melt the headlight harness. Happens all the time at my work (not anymore, we stopped selling Optix headlights). If you're going to be running 80W/100W lights (or all four 55W bulbs at the same time) I suggest you use relays and a good separate (fused) 12V power source.
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