The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay High and Low Beams on at SameTime

Hello,
I'm in the process of re-wiring my 1954 Chev 3100 and have separate relays for high and low beams controlled by the dimmer switch.
I'm curious if anyone has re-wired to have the low beams on when the high beams are on?

With modern H4 bulbs, this may cause too much heat, but would this be ok with the standard sealed beam head lights?

That could be easily done. I built a relay harness for my F250 that plugs into the headlight plugs. One side for trigger wiring for the relays, using the factory switch and dimmer, and on the other plug, I put a diode that triggers the low beams when high beams are on, but prevents high beams from being on with lows selected. The truck uses 9007 bulbs and they don't overheat. I think you'd be fine with sealed beams.

Thanks Kevin. I have the design with the diode to prevent the current flow from the low beams to the high beams in my relay set up.
It would be nice to have more lighting by using high and low beams at the same time (sealed beams)
I'm also running an extra wire to the front of the truck for additional LED lighting as well (white or amber LEDs)

I have done that with sealed beams before, low is always on when you pull the headlight switch on, when you hit the dimmer switch, it adds the high beam without killing low beam.

I just connected the hot and low beam wires at the dimmer switch.

Hello Mike, Thanks for the response. Yes one way to do it is just as you indicated - connect the high and low beam wires at the dimmer switch.
I decided to have the output of the dimmer switch control relays for the headlights.

Unless you're using the signal from the dimmer switch just to energize relays, pulling the full current of both filaments through the headlight switch at the same time will probably cause the circuit breaker built into the switch to trip periodically.
Jerry

I don't know if that would be legal, either. Of course today's enforcement persons probably wouldn't know which filament is which.


Ed

Hmmm, today's (or any day's) enforcement persons (who might pull you over), might just ask you to show them dim, and then bright (or, bright, and then dim)?

On my setup, the dims are on individually, and on high beam, both filaments are lit (via individual high and low beam circuits). No problem with legality. Unlike the aftermarket "not legal for on-road use" lights that so many people use nowadays.

I have had this set-up on my 2001, 2007, and currently 2011 Chevrolet pickups. It makes a world of difference. You do tend to eat through low beam bulbs faster, but I'd rather see and be seen and have to spend an extra $40 every couple of years. In Texas, my interpretation of the law is no more than 4 forward facing lights (headlight, fog, driving, etc) on at one time. But since both Hi and lo are in the same lamp, I can't see where it would be obvious.

Still better than some of these European cars with the blue HIDs that blind all oncoming traffic.

Just so you all will be smarter than when you logged on................. every State has some sort of law on the books about auxiliary lighting and modifications to factory installed lighting. Modification of headlights and tail lights to outside the parameters of factory manufactured is almost always prohibited. Failure to dim lights to oncoming traffic is always a ticket when that traffic is a law enforcement officer. Now you all know. BTW, I know you don’t care so you need not pass along your feelings about stupid laws.

Martin,

You are, of course, correct, regarding laws (they are not made to be broken).

However, if someone wires the dim light to work on "dim" and to work with "bright" a law enforcement officer would not know, and might not care?

Tim, while no harm is intended and the majority of LEO’s would not care, there is always that one by the book officer out there who if he/she chose could make someone’s life miserable. My post is intended to be educational and not start a debate on right or wrong.

Martin,

I would most likely be the one that got caught, if I wired my lights as discussed/described above.

Thanks,
Tim

Of course, I agree with you, Martin