HI everyone
What Headlights are you running I am getting things ready to go on the FB when I get it back ,cleaning the headlight buckets ready for paint found I don't have headlights As I am getting old in the eyes I think I would like better lights ( not that I will be doing much night driving )So hence the Question what light are you running
BILLY
BILLY BLACKARROW
MY Father always said do the hard part first --because when you are OVER IT you only have the easy part left to do THINGS I HAVE TRIED TO LIVE BY
Running H4 lights, you will need to set up relays. Not sure if it's a complex job as mine were already on the car when I bought it. They work well. I think they give you more light and are easy to come by from the wreckers.
Hey Billy
Many years ago on the FB sedan I dropped in H4 glass shells so as to run quartz halogen globes. I also did the relays to save the headlight and dip switch. I went a bit over the top by using 90/130watt globes but the old generator had trouble keeping up so dropped back to the 55/60watt, that is enough.
Another vote for H4's from me. The relays are mandatory (unless you like wiring fires), though pretty simple to put it = if you can crimp terminals, you can fit relays.
The only drama I've ever had was with fiting them to a Toyota Tarago (don't ask ). The Toyota wiring used to run just the low-beam element when on low-beam. But when you changed to high-beam, it would switch on both the low-beam and high-beam elements together. Them was damn bright headlights y'all. The relay protected the positive side of the circuit. Sadly, relays don't protect the negative side real well. It used to melt out the negative pin on the bulbs itself (as the negative pin held all the low and high beam current). Took a long time to work out why it constantly blew bulbs.
Wasn't/isn't there a mob making halogen bulbs to fit the original (non-sealed) FB/EK headlight buckets?
Cheers,
Harv
327 Chev EK wagon, original EK ute for Number 1 Daughter, an FB sedan meth monster project and a BB/MD grey motored FED.
Hey Harv,
Yep there is a chap here in Adelaide (Blackwood) who offers lamps (halogen) on the old style lamp bases. I have them in my ute and they are good. At least you can keep the original headlights. Hope this helps.
BILLY BLACKARROW
MY Father always said do the hard part first --because when you are OVER IT you only have the easy part left to do THINGS I HAVE TRIED TO LIVE BY
You're going to regret this.. my post, that is.....
OK - headlights.... there's a bit to consider here - not just getting the lamps to light.
GMH fitted a vibrating thermal plate breaker to the rear of the lighting switch for a reason!
If there was a short in any of the headlamp wiring - this vibrating plate would intermittently make/break the circuit at a high rate of "pulses".
The result was flickering headlamps - very much dimmed - but usable until you could bring the vehicle to a stand.
Please! consider this whenever you contemplate upgrading your head light system.
If you take the halogen path, yes - you must fit some sort of relay to relieve the current draw on the flimsy (and now probably containing the dreaded "black" wire syndrome) factory wiring and switch.
The factory wiring when new was sufficient for the then replaceable bulb wattages.
Many upgraded to sealed beams when they became available as the simplicity of the process was relatively simple - just the connectors.
As people began to avail themselves of the higher and higher wattage sealed beams - problems started to arise in the vehicle wiring and now very much used and aged switches.
Many fitted "driving lights" in addition to the headlamp system - and many failures resulted in some serious incidents concerning speed and lights failing..
Fires were not common in my day, but burned out wires were...
It was usual practice that one headlamp would fail - and of course (as you would) a replacement sealed beam was purchased.
No indication of the flickering headlamp syndrome was chased up.... and if running along for a period of time with only the surviving headlamp (and lower drain/draw on the system) - it was only a matter of time before it would eventually go as well.....
Replacing the "supposed" faulty sealed beam with a new one - did nothing... and for most young blokes - it meant a trip to the auto sparky...
When people finally learned to understand that relays needed to be employed to relieve the draw on the OEM system - they started making bigger mistakes.
Instead of fitting a totally independent supply to the input of the relay - they simply used the lighting switch - then beefed up a "Blackpool Illuminations" floodlight system to their vehicles.... it didn't take long to burn out the switch and wiring...
Back to the auto sparky.... by now, many simply left the vehicle to have whatever was needed to sustain the new lamps or ditch the idea and have the original system repaired...
We're now sort of getting into the mid '70's... and the Japanese system of relays and bulb check relays begins to be learned...
We also must understand that many kids with old Holdens/Fords/Valiants etc.. are in the market for their first new car - or something a lot more modern to impress the ladies.... so, the old vehicle gets RWC'd and fobbed off to the next generation of up and coming but somewhat impecunious and looking for something cheap and with potential to pull the sheila's.... round 2... stereo's... and amps... and more blasted strife to stricken the already compromised wiring - or what is left of it...
I'll just trek back to the subject at hand..... and please consider what I suggest.
If you are going to beef up your headlighting - please fit a dual relay system - four fuses!
One each for high and low beam and one for the earth to each lamp.
Auto sparkys have them.... that's where mine came from all those years back.... when I fitted the "volvo" as someone here put it H4's.
I fitted domed headlight protectors to mine - which give the appearance of original lamps... this was at a time before 7" domed H4's became available...
I completely replaced the original lighting wiring from the relay to the lamps - even the blinker and parking lamp leads.
The original lighting switch is retained - along with the vibrating plate... you can still get a short in/between the switch and the relay...
My system works - and works well. It is protected to the best of my ability/knowledge - and I rest assured that if one of the independent lines to each lamp both on high or low beam fails - I've got three other beams to safely bring me to the side of the road and investigate...
Now, closing little task/suggestion for those who have done this relay upgrade...
In Britain and parts of Europe - when you beep your horn - your headlights flash high beam whilst the horn is operating....
Took me a while to work out how to do it, but it is really simple....
Once you have fitted relays to both high and low beam - all you need is an input from your horn to the high beam relays....
But, the horn is negative switched.... too easy..
I now have a relay which runs the horn as well..... it didn't take a lot of thinking out how to use the horn relay to activate the high beam relays....so, when I honk - I flash too......
I had to put a diode in the line between the horn and headlamp relay - or the blasted horn would sound all the time the headlights were on high beam....
Needless to say - the location I fitted all this is within easy reach - and all it takes is pulling off one female spade terminal plug to isolate the two systems....
I also incorporated both systems into my security system - so, if triggered - the horn and headlamps, indicators and screech alarm all go off in unison....along with a few other little "nasties" which any occupants will find very uncomfortable....
Guess that's enough typing for me for another few months... I've left y'all alone for quite some time...
This subject floated just the right amount of bait to get me to bite.....
Rosco,
I'm in the process of rewiring my FB. Doing something like this would be good to do while I've got cables going everywhere! Do you have any photos of what you've done? It would be great see how you've wired it and where you've located everything.
Cheers,
Aaron.
Hi Aaron,
not many pix .... well, lots actually - but I'm at a loss as to where they are for now.. I'll chase them up...
I'll send you a PM shortly - with some snippets of info for you to consider.
Thanks for the info Rosco some very good points to consider I Am using a aftermarket wiring harness can't remember the type off hand( but well known ) The headlight switch I still want to use will just recondition as best I can
Can you post pic up here it may help me as well
Thanks
BILLY
BILLY BLACKARROW
MY Father always said do the hard part first --because when you are OVER IT you only have the easy part left to do THINGS I HAVE TRIED TO LIVE BY
Billy, I've just sent a huge PM to Aaron - pm me your email and I'll forward it...
It's a blow-by-blow description of my installation, the connections and needed components.
In an example of history repeating itself, you may want to go with HID. We know how bright the halogen lights are, to quantify, say around 1000 lumens. These new buggers start around 3200 lumens and go up from there. The only thing is as they get more powerful, the more blue/ violet appearance you get. (A bit like what you get from a modern European car). I'm considering putting a HID set into my FB.
Hi Richard,
what's the drain on those HID's? Halo's draw a lot more than incandescents... I'm guessing the HID's draw less than halo's...?
HID's are becoming more and more frequent on our roads..... and for someone with "old eyes" - when they crest a hill... they blind me a lot easier than halogens... y'all will "see" one day.... it's hard for us old foegies who can't close down the eye lens iris and suffer the full hit of these blasted things... it's coming your way in years to come... then you'll complain just like we do!
There's got to be a limit on how many lumens low beam should be retricted to.... surely?
). The Toyota wiring used to run just the low-beam element when on low-beam. But when you changed to high-beam, it would switch on both the low-beam and high-beam elements together. Them was damn bright headlights y'all. The relay protected the positive side of the circuit. Sadly, relays don't protect the negative side real well. It used to melt out the negative pin on the bulbs itself (as the negative pin held all the low and high beam current). Took a long time to work out why it constantly blew bulbs.
