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How to keep your low beams on with your highs (quad beam)

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Old 02-22-2010, 08:33 PM
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Default How to keep your low beams on with your highs (quad beam)

Okay, well I had a burst of inspiration today with my factory service manuals and figured this one out on my own. Here'* what I did.

To do this, you need a relay powering the low beams, otherwise this will not work. Which, if you have HIDs you should anyway, there simply is no good reason not to, whether it works on stock wiring or not. If you have stock halogens, buying a low beam 9006 relay would help your output a lot and allow you to do this mod safely.

I bought a 99 cent diode from radioshack. Wired in a jumper wire with the diode attached from the high beam power wire (green on mine) to the input switch for the low beam relay. This way, the diode will not allow the low beam power to escape back to the high beams. As it turns out, the lower voltage power coming from the DRLs, perimeter lighting etc is NOT enough to trip the relay and activate the low beams, so everything performs to 100% factory spec, except now the lows stay on with the highs without a single flicker. In addition, with this method there should be no concern with overtaxing the electrical system, considering the low beams get all their power from the relay.

Perimeter lighting doing it'* job:

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Low beams only (look blue cause they're warming up)

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Lows and highs:

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This would be a good how-to for someone trying to get dual high/low beams with their aftermarket HID system, or on stock halogens.
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Old 02-22-2010, 08:56 PM
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Sweet! I will have to study that really good and make some diagrams to make it easier for everyone to understand.
Old 02-22-2010, 09:50 PM
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...and add the disclaimer...may not be legal in all if any states!
Old 02-22-2010, 09:54 PM
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As far as I know, it is not legal to alter headlights in any state. However, I have not heard of anyone getting pulled over for it.
Old 02-22-2010, 10:21 PM
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On my car, I've found that pulling the multifunction lever once to turn the highs on, and then pulling it and holding it toward you has the same effect (until you let go, then the highs turn off).

Hope this helps in your reverse-engineering.
Old 02-22-2010, 10:26 PM
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Yes, good point, it may not be legal...but I'd be very surprised if anyone said anything about it. Many cars have continuous low beams with their highs these days.

Drove it all over the place tonight highs on/off and everything else. Still working 100%!
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Old 02-22-2010, 10:43 PM
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I like it!. But will wait while this project gets some hours on it before I attempt. Let us know about if the heat does anything negative. Around here I drive woth the highs contantly and having both will help with all the deer here bent on suicide. If I could burn all 3, that would be Awesome.

Got the Diode part # handy?
Old 02-22-2010, 10:51 PM
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Will do. So far it seems everything is doing fine. Headlight switch is staying at ambient temperature.

As far as the housing heat, I'm almost positive it could take the heat of both high and low halogen, but I am running HID lows and halogen highs, so it stays a little cooler. Lens is only slightly warm after extended running.

Part number for the diode on RadioShack is 276-0563.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2049725

Okay, the diodes were $1.39, not $0.99, my mistake lol.
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Old 02-22-2010, 11:18 PM
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GXP'* are HIR so I'm just a little concerned. I have pulled back on the lever to get both many times. Would be cool to have this.
Old 02-23-2010, 12:02 AM
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Now that I know its this simple I am most likely going to do this to the Bonnie and my Ranger


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