Automatic Headlight Wiring

[86VickyLX]

Well, I am considering putting automatic headlights in Vicky. I already have the switch and the sensor for it. Now I went to the junkyard yesterday because I wasn't sure where some of the wires went. So I followed the wires and some went to a relay near the radio (behind the radio and to the left). So I am confused cause I don't have that relay. Did Ford add a relay to newer vics/gms? The wires I followed were from an '89 GM. The connections are different from the ones that I looked at in an '85 vic. I can't remember if there was a relay by the radio or not. I'm sure they changed the connections in 3-4 years. So I will go to the yard maybe tomorrow and pull apart an '86 with automatic headlights and see what goes where.

Does anyone have an EVTM? Could someone scan the pages for the headlights both manual and automatic headlights so I can see what wires I have and which ones I don't?

[Dereck]

Hi 86VickyLX

You have taken on quite a project. There are actually three relays in the system, a flash to pass relay, a delayed exit relay and the hi-lo relay, fitting autolamps is reasonably straight forward fitting autodim is a little more technical.

Hope you got the rear view mirror to mount the autodim sensor on as the sensor is mounted at a 5 degree angle to the right.

Here is the autodim wiring.



And here is the autolamps wiring.



Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

Thanks Dereck! Do you know if the settup was changed at all between years?

[Dereck]

Thanks Dereck! Do you know if the settup was changed at all between years?

Hi 86VickyLX

The diagrams I supplied are for an 88 Town Car, I would have expected very little change from 86 - 89 and indeed 90 - 94 is very simular.

As you are retro fitting the system you could pull just about any of the components from just about any year car and wire them in yourself, I would grab the component and a short length of the harness.

For the relays you can use any change over rated at 25 amps or greater and a double pole change over relay for the delayed exit one, you do not need the Ford ones with the funny pin layouts.

I retro fitted autolamps to my Excursion but decided for the extra work involved I didn't really need the autodim feature.

Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

Hi 86VickyLX

The diagrams I supplied are for an 88 Town Car, I would have expected very little change from 86 - 89 and indeed 90 - 94 is very simular.

As you are retro fitting the system you could pull just about any of the components from just about any year car and wire them in yourself, I would grab the component and a short length of the harness.

For the relays you can use any change over rated at 16 amps or greater and a double pole change over relay for the delayed exit one, you do not need the Ford ones with the funny pin layouts.

I retro fitted autolamps to my Excursion but decided for the extra work involved I didn't really need the autodim feature.

Regards

Dereck

What is auto dim?

[Dereck]

What is auto dim?

Hi 86VickyLX

Autodim does exactly what it says on the box it automatically switches the lights from hi beam to lo beam when a sensor mounted on the mirror detects the lights of an on coming vehicle.

I thought your were trying to fit a whole autolamp/dim system, if you are only fitting autolamps then the job is simpllicity itself you do not even need the autolamp main light switch all you need is the day/night sensor, an on/off switch, a two pole change over relay (the delayed exit relay), a 54 - 60,000 ohm resistor (this will give you about 30 seconds of delayed exit headlights) and a bunch of wire.

Let me see if I can whistle you up a simple wiring diagram.

Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

Hi 86VickyLX

Autodim does exactly what it says on the box it automatically switches the lights from hi beam to lo beam when a sensor mounted on the mirror detects the lights of an on coming vehicle.

I thought your were trying to fit a whole autolamp/dim system, if you are only fitting autolamps then the job is simpllicity itself you do not even need the autolamp main light switch all you need is the day/night sensor, an on/off switch, a two pole change over relay (the delayed exit relay), a 54 - 60,000 ohm resistor (this will give you about 30 seconds of delayed exit headlights) and a bunch of wire.

Let me see if I can whistle you up a simple wiring diagram.

Regards

Dereck

Yeah I just want the autolamps.
The main auto lamp switch, do you mean the headlight switch?
I havew the day/night sensor, in fact I have two of them. Where can I get this resistor? And what do you mean by an on/off switch and a 'two pole change over relay'??

[Dereck]

Hi 86VickLX

Okay pick the bones out of this!




You do not need a special headlight switch to work the autolamps you can use your existing switch, you will simply need an aditional push button switch to turn your autolamps on and off.
The resistors you can buy for a few cents from an electrical store.
The two pole relay is a relay that has two sets of switch contacts, you need a two pole relay one for the parking lights and one for the headlights.

Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

So I can just tap into existing wires for some of this stuff?
So just to verify, the 'Push Button Switch' is the headlight switch right?
What is the main light switch?
and what's the box at the bottom.

[Dereck]

Hi Dereck,

I Love You!

Regards,
86VickyLX

So I can just tap into existing wires for some of this stuff?
So just to verify, the 'Push Button Switch' is the headlight switch right?
What is the main light switch?
and what's the box at the bottom.

Hi 86VickyLX

Err I hope you are female

Yes you just tap into your existing wiring, technically speaking you fit the autolamp system in parrallel with your original headlight wiring

We seem to be getting our terms confused.

Main light switch = The headlight switch.
Push button switch = A switch you will fit to turn the autolamp feature on/off.

The box at the bottom? If you mean the one in the blue wire it is a resistir for the LED that tells you the autolamps are on. The LED can be built into the switch or you can fit one separately.

All LEDs need a resistor to work allthough some come with a built in resistor, the electronics shop where you buy your illuminated switch or LED should be able to tell you what value resistor you will need from memory it will probably be about 2000 - 2200 ohms

Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

Hi 86VickyLX

Err I hope you are female

Yes you just tap into your existing wiring, technically speaking you fit the autolamp system in parrallel with your original headlight wiring

We seem to be getting our terms confused.

Main light switch = The headlight switch.
Push button switch = A switch you will fit to turn the autolamp feature on/off.

The box at the bottom? If you mean the one in the blue wire it is a resistir for the LED that tells you the autolamps are on. The LED can be built into the switch or you can fit one separately.

All LEDs need a resistor to work allthough some come with a built in resistor, the electronics shop where you buy your illuminated switch or LED should be able to tell you what value resistor you will need from memory it will probably be about 2000 - 2200 ohms

Regards

Dereck

No I am not a woman. I was just very glad that you had dumbed the thing down for me.


As for the box I meant the one to the right of the resistor for the LED.

And for the push button switch, what kind should I use? And just a question, why would I want to turn it off?

[Dereck]

Hi 86VickyLX

I beleive you are refering to the two pole change over relay, like this one

The push button switch I used.

You probably will not want to turn it off but you never know!

Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

ok thanks so much!
is it possible to use a toggle switch?
Where can I get the relay from?

[Dereck]

Hi 86VickyLX

What's this the Vicky and Dereck thread

Yes you can use a toggle switch, it doesnt even have to be illuminated, I put the switch illumination in for aesthetic value, I even wired the illumination into the parking lights so that when the autolamps are off but the lights on the switch illuminates dimly and when you turn the autolamps on it illuminates brightly.

I don't know where you can get a relay from I am in the U.K Just do a web search for a mail order company, I believe Farnell have an American site or try a local electronics shop.

Regards

Dereck

[86VickyLX]

Hi 86VickyLX

What's this the Vicky and Dereck thread

Yes you can use a toggle switch.

I don't know where you can get a relay from I am in the U.K Just do a web search for a mail order company, I believe Farnell have an American site or try a local electronics shop.

Regards

Dereck

ok thank you and yes this is the Vicky and Dereck thread :p