After replacing 2 burned out headlight switches (due to wire crushed under a grill mount), installing new headlight harnesses, and cleaning a lot of what looked like spider and mouse debris/crap from my headlight buckets and installing new parking light assemblies, I installed a 30 amp circuit breaker to protect the headlight switch and wiring. I thought everything was ok until 4 nights ago when suddenly my highbeams started flashing on/off. I kicked the low beams on and got the truck home. I left the lights on while checking things out and suddenly the lowbeams started flashing too, on/off at random. I remembered an article that was directed to me, by Alan Horvath, in reply to an earlier post I had(search ..'58 Apache headlight problem) To make a long story short, I completed a relay installation today to operate the headlights and the results are ...WOW !! Not only don't the light flutter now but they are much brighter. MUCH brighter.
I took power directly from the alternator (10 gauge wire) to a second 30 amp breaker and then to the relays to operate high and low beams. All the headlight switch does is energize the relay then all current comes from the alternator through the 10 gauge wiring and nothing at all through the headlight switch. I had checked voltage at the high beam lights before the install and had 12.47 volts, after the install...14.33 volts !!! and no operating problems. The headlight switch is cool to touch and the first 30 amp breaker (protecting the switch) is stable. I suggest this modification to anyone. Whether you are having problems or not the increase in voltage resulting in superior lighting is reason enough to make the install. Took me about 2 hrs and cost less than $34.00. I am thinking about doing the same thing with my tailights....and then who knows.
Carl
