Headlight Woes

Jinty · Feb 22, 2013

Having a problem with my headlights, I upgraded to halogen units and fitted relays as part of the circuit. I used the original wiring down the passenger side as the control wires from the relays, earthed the relays to the original headlight earth and then ran a live and earth from the battery to the relays as the feeds and headlight earths. This worked fine until the dipped beam failed and then before I've had a chance to fix this properly the full beam has now failed.

I am getting no voltage across the control wires from the original loom. I need to clarify that the sitch is still working and I am thinking it's ok as the dash lights still light up correctly as if the lights are working. I'm thinking that means the switch is ok.

BAsically what I'm wondering is if it makes sense to take the control wires from the opposite side or if they are likely to just break too or is it worth running new control wires from the switch to the relays. How much work would be involved in renewing these 2 wires?

Thanks guys

gse1986 · Feb 22, 2013

Jinty said:
Having a problem with my headlights, I upgraded to halogen units and fitted relays as part of the circuit. I used the original wiring down the passenger side as the control wires from the relays, earthed the relays to the original headlight earth and then ran a live and earth from the battery to the relays as the feeds and headlight earths. This worked fine until the dipped beam failed and then before I've had a chance to fix this properly the full beam has now failed.

I am getting no voltage across the control wires from the original loom. I need to clarify that the sitch is still working and I am thinking it's ok as the dash lights still light up correctly as if the lights are working. I'm thinking that means the switch is ok.

BAsically what I'm wondering is if it makes sense to take the control wires from the opposite side or if they are likely to just break too or is it worth running new control wires from the switch to the relays. How much work would be involved in renewing these 2 wires?

Thanks guys

Unless you've messed up the wiring, you'd be very unlucky if your wiring or switch burnt out, as there'll be much less current going through them now.

Things i'd check :

Fuse - the control wire will still be fused (as should your take off from the battery!). Check the fuse in the fuse box, this will be for the control wire. If it's gone, it's possible you've wired it up wrong - draw out your circuit and upload.
Take the switch out and use a circuit tester to see if the switch is working. Use the continuity mode and it should beep when there's a circuit.
If all of those are ok, have you chafed the wires somewhere when fitting the circuit? You'd need to investigate the loom and see if you can see a break.

Jinty · Feb 22, 2013

All the fuses are ok, first thing I checked and it is fused from battery as well.

I can only see so much of the loom as it disappears behind inner wings, my main question is would it be easier to just take a wire from the switch and reroute it for example through the bulkhead and down the chassis leg?

Am I right in saying that the switch should be ok if the dash lights are still coming in with the switch?

Cant upload a pic just no as I am at work but I followed all guidelines and it did work for quite a while so I'm pretty sure my circuit is ok just original wires might not be :-/

timtheenchanteruk · Feb 22, 2013

do yer side lights work? if so, no could still be the switch, the dash lights come on with the side lights.
Does full beam still work via switch? if not via "flash"?

Jinty · Feb 22, 2013

Sidelights still work and the dash lights come on (Although they flash, not sure if thats the bulbs or yet more broken wires :-\)

Basically everything works as it should when I turn the headlights on the dash lights (And headlight indicator on dash panel) come on as normal and when I turn full beam on the full beam indicator on the dash lights up, on constant and flash but nothing comes from the headlights :-\

I'm 99% sure its just faulty wires going from the switch to the bulbs and I've maybe disturbed them by moving them around when fitting the relays.

Do you think it would be easier to just run new wires from the switches to the relays as the break could be anywhere :-\

Marmaduke · Feb 23, 2013

Maybe a stupid question but why have you fitted relays? I have a 1988 tratter and when I swapped that over to halogens I literally just swapped the lights, no wiring adjustments and they work fine. Just seems like something else to go wrong....

Jinty · Feb 23, 2013

They were VERY dull when I fitted them, probably down to the original wiring starting to degrade so I thought the original wiring would be sufficient to run the relays ut obviously it has finally died

Marmaduke · Feb 25, 2013

Ok why not just replace the wiring from the switch to the back of the headlights, renew the earth which was some thing I had to do as the near side headlight was really crap and then do away with the relays altogether.

Less wiring = Less things to go wrong

matchmetisse · Feb 25, 2013

Cant see wiring degrading like that! Did you do a voltage check onto a good earth? Youre cables would be rock solid if they were heating up! As said i wouldnt bother with relays just for headlights.

Jinty · Feb 26, 2013

Got this fixed guys, there was no voltage for the dipped beam so fed the relay from the other side (The previous owner has cable tied all the wiring on the passenger side into a ball and the wires were corroding internally so traced it back as far as I could and still nothing).

Full beam relay had failed hence no full beams.

I also took the relay earths back to the battery just to be sure and job's a goodun, headlights are nice and bright once again

Headlight Woes

Jinty

New Member

gse1986

Active Member

Jinty

New Member

timtheenchanteruk

Well-Known Member

Jinty

New Member

Marmaduke

Well-Known Member

Jinty

New Member

Marmaduke

Well-Known Member

matchmetisse

New Member

Jinty

New Member

Similar threads