Everything Electrical & Electronic Have an electrical problem? Lighting, Alternators, gauges, DIC, HUD, etc? Post it here. Please post Audio problems in the Audio forum, and Engine control problems in the appropriate Mechanical forum for your year.

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

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 08:33 PM
  #1  
LeSabreUltra's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Alabama
LeSabreUltra is on a distinguished road
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:

Name:  DSC02683.jpg
Views: 3537
Size:  13.0 KB

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

Name:  DSC02684.jpg
Views: 3511
Size:  23.5 KB

Lows and highs:

Name:  DSC02685.jpg
Views: 3683
Size:  21.0 KB

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.
.
.
.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 08:56 PM
  #2  
Rockstar04's Avatar
Senior Member
Posts like a Northstar
 
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 789
Likes: 0
From: Northern Illinois
Rockstar04 is on a distinguished road
Default

Sweet! I will have to study that really good and make some diagrams to make it easier for everyone to understand.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 09:50 PM
  #3  
Purplehazeir's Avatar
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,979
Likes: 2
From: Arlington, WA
Purplehazeir is on a distinguished road
Default

...and add the disclaimer...may not be legal in all if any states!
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 09:54 PM
  #4  
Danthurs's Avatar
Retired Senior Admin

Expert Gearhead
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 29,661
Likes: 43
From: Sheboygan Wisconsin
Danthurs is a name known to allDanthurs is a name known to allDanthurs is a name known to allDanthurs is a name known to allDanthurs is a name known to allDanthurs is a name known to all
Default

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.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 10:21 PM
  #5  
SignOfZeta's Avatar
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,284
Likes: 20
From: New Milford, CT
SignOfZeta has a spectacular aura aboutSignOfZeta has a spectacular aura about
Default

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.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 10:26 PM
  #6  
LeSabreUltra's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Alabama
LeSabreUltra is on a distinguished road
Default

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%!
.
.
.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 10:43 PM
  #7  
GXP Venom's Avatar
Administratus Emeritus
Certified Car Nut
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,539
Likes: 18
From: Purgatory, Pennsylvania
GXP Venom is on a distinguished road
Default

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?
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 10:51 PM
  #8  
LeSabreUltra's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Alabama
LeSabreUltra is on a distinguished road
Default

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.
.
.
.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2010 | 11:18 PM
  #9  
GXP Venom's Avatar
Administratus Emeritus
Certified Car Nut
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,539
Likes: 18
From: Purgatory, Pennsylvania
GXP Venom is on a distinguished road
Default

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.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2010 | 12:02 AM
  #10  
Rockstar04's Avatar
Senior Member
Posts like a Northstar
 
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 789
Likes: 0
From: Northern Illinois
Rockstar04 is on a distinguished road
Default

Now that I know its this simple I am most likely going to do this to the Bonnie and my Ranger
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:40 PM.