Headlight Relay Kit

[Tiggie]

Anyone got any recommendations on a headlight relay kit? I want to run the headlights a littler brighter than the 12.2 volts that getting to them through the switch.

I also might be interested in keeping the low beam on with the high (aka what happens when you pull the flash-to-pass with the headlights on). It'd be great if I could get a relay kit to incorporate this option. Anyone done this before?

I need all the headlights I can get. Don't want to hit another deer!

[85crownHPP]

I'll make and install you one if you like

[Tiggie]

Tempting... I might just get the parts and experiment then let you inspect. Where can I get the stuff I need? I'll need two relays, two power leads with inline fuses, and that's about it? I may come look at your setup on teh 85 to see what I need to do.

[85crownHPP]

I just pulled an entire forward lighting harness from a donor car, stripped out everything for the headlights and used that. Power those from the relays, use the stock wires to trigger them, and give em a big ole fat ground.
As long as you are sticking with sealed beams, the factory wiring gauge is ok (except for the grounds) and I definitely noticed a boost in light intensity.

[Tiggie]

What kind of donor car did you use? and how do you know which relays to grab?

[BerniniCaCO3]

I'll be doing this tonight/ tomorrow night myself.
I found some automotive relays at, well, any automotive shop; or radio shack. I'm using some leftover outdoor wiring from some path lights (12 gauge, outdoor and weather proof-- should work).
Total cost of 2 relays and 2 fuses was about $20. Wire would have been $5. The ones at radioshack were made in england, which I thought was a nice change from china....

On another thread someone posted this link, it's really quite helpful:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

I can post photos once I'm finished; I'm hoping it's pretty straight forward... splice into existing circuits, solder and wrap all my connections neatly.

[Tiggie]

Let me know how it goes for you.

My current thoughts are to modify my existing harness near the EEC and horn relays (and mount the new relays over with the other ones). Then run a power wire over from the battery and make a new ground.

[85crownHPP]

You could do that - and even make a nifty plug-n-play harness that would let you put it back to normal if you wanted. There's already a connector for the forward lights there near the stock relays. You can intercept the high/low wires there and use them for triggers, and send juice from the relays right back out into the stock wires.
Look for aftermarket 'bosh' type relays - they are very common, easy to wire, and you can get heavy duty connectors for them.

[87gtVIC]

You could do that - and even make a nifty plug-n-play harness that would let you put it back to normal if you wanted. There's already a connector for the forward lights there near the stock relays. You can intercept the high/low wires there and use them for triggers, and send juice from the relays right back out into the stock wires.
Look for aftermarket 'bosh' type relays - they are very common, easy to wire, and you can get heavy duty connectors for them.

That is how I did mine originally. Worked great that way and was easy to do.

[gadget73]

Mine is set up with flat blade connectors pushed into one of the factory light sockets to use as triggers for the relays. I harvested the sockets out of something that was bound for the junkyard, and used 14 ga stranded wire that I bought from the store. The way mine is installed, I can revert it to stock wiring simply by unplugging the relay harnes sockets and plugging in the factory connectors. I wanted it totally reversable just in case of a major screwup.

[Glen]

Mine is set up the same way. It was easier and you don't have to cut any wires.

[BerniniCaCO3]

I just measured my voltage: 12.53 on the battery, 10.22 at the headlight! Which, if the graph of output in lumens is correct, means that gaining those 2 volts back could nearly double the brightness!

I think I'll actually get around to finishing this now!

[85crownHPP]

Voltage drop is a filthy ho'

[gadget73]

that sounds about like what I had. It was something over 2v of voltage loss. The relay kit got me enough extra brightness out of those old ass headlights that I changed my mind about replacing them 3 years ago.

[1987cp]

Not surprising; my experiment with the wagon showed that Sylvania SilverStars run off a relay with heavy wires are hella bright.