Write-Up: Low Beams + Brights On at Same Time

Hmm. I didn't intend for the schematic to show the literal pin locations. The top and bottom relays are mirrored. Maybe that threw you off?

ahh, yes that was it. My friend doing the pass side only looked at the schematic and i was reading and looking at pictures lol i did make him do it "my way" since it was my car ;p was trying to hurry doing it in 20-30 degree temps kinda sucked

Glad you got it to work. I've really been enjoying this mod, and happy to report no problems yet!

humm im thinking of running a relay off from the right side low beam and bypass the L side low beam when the low beam comes on it wil energize a direct hot that will splice to both ballast. how could i wire this up with my current configuration ????

I need to see the diagram for the entire lighting circuit, and I need to have some idea of what loads the LCM is expecting.

Thinking out loud... All you should need to do to turn the lo beams on when the hi beams are on is run a wire from the circuit that switches the hi beam relay, through a diode, to the lo beam relay switching circuit. I AM NOT SAYING GO DO THAT... again, I am just thinking out loud and we really need the diagram for the entire lighting circuit, and we need to have some idea of what loads the LCM is expecting so we can wire in substitute loads if needed.

But that is what I am thinking.

Another alternative is to rewire the headlights so the LCM does not control them anymore. You could still use headlight switch for switching, taking your signals off its input side that had fed the LCM through appropriate diodes. You'd leave the LCM in place, just not use the headlight outputs from it that currently feed the relevant relays - substitute your switching scheme to control those relays instead.

Again - just thinking out loud.

Quote :

im thinking of running a relay off from the right side low beam and bypass the L side low beam when the low beam comes on it wil energize a direct hot that will splice to both ballast. how could i wire this up with my current configuration ????

Trying to figure out what this will accomplish. It sounds like you want to use voltage from the R side low beam to energize a relay that turns on both HID ballasts? How do your HID lamps turn on right now?

yes, i am thinking about wiring it so it uses jsut the right side to power a relay to power both HID ballast. Right now they are running off the factory wiring with a 20A fuse and i cut the plug off and made a direct ground with 14 Ga wire very short for a good connection. Not sure if its the car starting with the lights comming on at the same time causeing all the ballast to burn up or what. So i am thinking just making my own circuit and run it off the light switch if possiable. IF i remember i can use a 3rd prong that has nothing to do with the DRL or auto lights, use that as a "remote" start wire for the relays up front, and fuses esc.. for overload protection. The overall product i want is the parking lights to work normallly as they do now, but to have total control over the headlamps brights and dims on a manually operated switch only.

I actually just finished making a high-4 relay for my Si. Granted, the whole setup is different, but maybe this'll help a bit. My car originally came with an H4 bulb, which is dual-filament and requires only one plug; the one on the bottom-middle. The black wire is actually a positive terminal, while the white and yellow(removed and on the right) were grounds for the brights and lows, respectively. Since power always comes out the black for me, I used that as the relay trigger, since it wouldn't take voltage away from the highs. The lows are always powered, and when the highs come on, nothing changes:



All you would have to do is splice a wire coming out of the positive side of your brights into the relay switch, and have that power the low beams. As Albert figured, you'll need a heavy-duty diode to make sure you don't send 20A upstream when you splice the relay power into the positive side of the low beams.

Good luck!

Keep in mind a diode will drop the voltage 1.6v on the circuit it's installed. If you splice a diode into your low beams, they receive 1.6v less than they were designed for (they will not be as bright). So the diode idea works for HID since you won't need the lows, but it doesn't work for the purpose of the write-up (lows + brights on at same time).

AA wrote:

Keep in mind a diode will drop the voltage 1.6v on the circuit it's installed. If you splice a diode into your low beams, they receive 1.6v less than they were designed for (they will not be as bright). So the diode idea works for HID since you won't need the lows, but it doesn't work for the purpose of the write-up (lows + brights on at same time).

You are right about the diode voltage drop, but it's not the intent to put the diode in series with the lights. The lights get 12v switched by the diode, not powered thru the diode. (also, in wiring the lights use 14 Ga. or thicker wire to avoid voltage drop).

The diode's voltage drop should only be seen by the relay - the universal type "heavy duty" relay used for this kind of application (the ubiquitous Bosch 033220915*) switches with around 9V thru its coil IIRC.

Continuing to think out loud: the point of the relay scheme is just providing an alternate way to switch the lights on, in parallel to the existing switch/relay scheme. I'd still need the schematic for the existing electricals and details on the existing LIM to be any more help here.

Glad to find this thread as I was wondering about this same Hi/Lo combo lighting just the other day when I was watching how the headlights lit in its reflection off of the front bumper of a truck in front of me.

I wish the 95 just had DRL.

In NC, it is the law that headlights must be on if the windshield wipers are on. DRLs or the ability to have the wipers trigger the lights would automate that function. This solution for running the Hi/Lo beams in conjuction by switching off of one set may provide some ideas in that direction as well.

AA, still no problems with wires, switches or housings meltiing with both beams on at the same time?

Al

Everything's still working just fine. I just returned from a 200 mile drip through northern OH after during the night hours, had the brights on more than half the drive.

Disclaimer: per the mention on the first page, my auto lighting control was toast before I did this mod. So I manually turn on the headlamps at night, have done this for a few years. DRLs still come on during the day automatically. Because of this, I have no way to verify if my set-up is safe to use with a working auto lighting control, although I have no reason to believe it would hurt it. I do know it doesn't interfere with the auto DRL function.

I wish to thank the member for giving me the advice to levee the dim lights on when i put the bright light on.
I had my light installer follow your directions .
I am now able to drive at night and see where i am going.
I never get flash at with my dims on and i can see for a mile,when i switch to the brights
Thank You
Firefighter

I seem to remember Snowdog & I doing this a couple years ago....
https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t5215p45-how-do-you-get-the-low-beams-to-stay-on-with-the-highs?highlight=hi+beam

You're right. I hadn't seen that thread. Merged the two together so it's all in one thread. Thanks!

Does anyone who has the highbeams relayed to turn the low beams on have any melting issues with stock bulbs? Considering doing this tonight.

Bump

I have had the two light on at the same time for about a year .
I have experienced no light bulb burn out so far.
I personaly would recommend the system from my night driving.
I have had only one flash back from other drivers since i had the HD lights installed.
I got the Keep the two light sources on at the same time from the good people on this foram.
Thank you all.
Firefighter.

Quote :

Does anyone who has the highbeams relayed to turn the low beams on have any melting issues with stock bulbs? Considering doing this tonight.

No issues. I've driven at night with the brights on for maybe 10-20 mins at a time.

Hi all,

Know this is an older post but super keen to do this modification to my new to me ‘97 Riviera. As many know it is a low mileage original supercharged Riviera that I purchased early last year and imported to Australia.

As we live in the country, lighting is critical to avoid our kangaroos at night and early mornings.

I am using a Narva double relay to have the low beams come on with the high beams but am somewhat confused about the wiring for this modification. Have wired up standard relays for QH conversions on other Buicks but not sure on this.

Just need to know which wires go to which terminal numbers.





Have sent a message to the writer Eldo but happy if others chime in.

my ‘97 has the DRLs which I want to keep but not sure how this all wires in using the double relay. Do I need to add a third relay to cover the DRLs? Picture of what I am using below and BTW this relay has both #87 terminals powered (not #87 and #87A) when the relay is switched, giving four powered terminals when both relays are switched.

Many thanks in advance.

Rodney