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

My roommate just did a very easy headlight mod. He made it so his low beams stay on when he clicks the hi beams on. This is a very cool and useful feature. All he did was tap into one of the low beam wires with a splice connector thing. Then he ran a wire off that and grounded to the metal behind the light. I don't see why we can't do this. Will it work on the Riv?

EDIT:
Taken directly from zr2usa.com:
"First, the quadbeam mod.

If your DRL are low beams and you want to just have quadbeams, and nothing else, simply take out your driver’s side headlight assembly, tap into the yellow wire with another wire about 12” or so long, put a ring terminal on the end of the wire, and ground it (either via a self-tapping screw or using an existing bolt). It’s that easy."

I've got this mod installed on my 03 Silverado. Super easy to install and works great. Don't see why it wouldn't work on a Riv.

Takes a simple relay powered off the battery or fuse box. When the high beams are lit, it energizes the relay coil and the 12v source backfeeds the low beams. No extra load on the factory lighting harness.

I may try it out if I feel like messing with the whole lamp someday. My roommate bought 2 pairs of silverstar hi beams (9005 i believe) and modded the one pair to fit into the low beam slot and the other pair in the hi beam slot. It is quite bright but not too bright that it looks like his brights are on when they are not. And when going down a dark back road he can see everything.

the day time running light is the high beam, not the low. at least thats how it is on my 97

Ah, yes I lucked out and don't have the DRL crap. Thats post 96 "feature" They are highbeams running at about 50% power IIRC. There is a way to get those to work too with this mod. But this isnt a daytime mod really. Its mainly for going down dark back roads where you would normally use hi beams. With this mod you can see everything in front of you, it looks quite amazing.

i did this mod with my first car (95 gran dam gt) and it worked fine but i tell you HID's are the way to go for those dark roads

I was thinking of looking into those but I didnt know where to look about pricing. So I'll ask, how much for such a conversion?

NO 4 EVR wrote:

I was thinking of looking into those but I didnt know where to look about pricing. So I'll ask, how much for such a conversion?

they are available on ebay anywhere from about 120-350
there is basically no difference between the 350 and 120 dollar products. it's just that they have decreased greatly in price in the last 6 months so just get the cheapest ones you can find on there. some offer longer warranty periods than others so keep and eye on that. I got mine fairly recently for $130 shipped.

I really like them. I had them on my last car also and I know it sounds corny but it really makes the car seem more high class

Now this is riv specific? Or this fits in our lamp housing?

[quote="turtleman"]

NO 4 EVR wrote:

I

I really like them. I had them on my last car also and I know it sounds corny but it really makes the car seem more high class

No, I hear you, I love everything about HIDs including what you say above.

NO 4 EVR wrote:

Now this is riv specific? Or this fits in our lamp housing?

just fits the lamp housing. 9006 for low beam, 9005 for high beam but actually the socket for those two are basically identical anyway.

All the current kits i've seen have the connectors and everything so the install is a piece of cake.

The only thing to figure out is what color temperature ("k" rating) you want.
5000ish is white, 8000ish is blueish, 12000 is borderline between between blue and violet but appear pretty white actually, 30000 is what i have which are just retardedly purple and kinda funny but still gits er dun. The lower k rating (4000-6000) produce the most light simply because they are purer white light. 8000 is a very attractive compromise look blue but still very bright.

Purple is my fav color but I might go with blue for a little more shine.

So all this is is a light that fits into our existing headlight using existing connections? If so I am in!

Just wondering if anyone has done this? I am wanting the low beams to stay on when I switch to high beams. My wife's 07' Odyssey has this option and man does it light up the night. I know that I am going to have to wire in some relays and what not but I wanted to know if anyone has done this?

i just hold the arm half way, but on long trips in the dark its not feasible.
i dont know of any way to make them both work simultaneously.
do you have stock bulbs?

check this out... its callled the HI 4 head light kit...

Link

Link

installation...

Mr.Riviera wrote:

i just hold the arm half way, but on long trips in the dark its not feasible.
i dont know of any way to make them both work simultaneously.
do you have stock bulbs?

That's exactly what I am talking about. It would be nice to pull the lever and have all 4 come on. I have the silverstars in my low beams.

Relates to my thread about tryna to prevent the ballasts on my HID kit from having to flash on and off. Can somebobdy provide the wiring instructions for making the lows stay on with the high beams? I know theres a relay involved but not sure which wires to spice into and what not.. Any help would be appreciated.

i did it on my car...truyed to make a writeup...but as my english relly sucks...gues nothign good came out..and i was to exaited on making the wiering lol that i forgot to make enaf pictures...but...anyways...

if you do not understand then your free to ask anything from me.

well...i truy to explane then what wire should go where.
you will need some wires and one relay.
that type what people normaly use for extra high beam lights.

One wire you should connect whit the batterys +
the best/easyest way to use it on riv is to connect that wire whit the + box on left side of the engine.

Then need to take all left/right sides lowbeam plugs off the bulbs.
pull them a bit out so you have space to cut some of the cover off the lowbams POSITIVE (+) wire.
do it on bouth sides. connect one wire whit it and cover the connection whit tape. The wires lenght should be 50cm just incase.

then you need to remove the connection plug from one high beam bulb. pull the wire out a bit so you can cut off the cover a bit on the POSITIVE(+) . connect one wire whit it. the wire should be 50cm long.

okay now you need to get ground. depends on which side your goign to keep teh reley. i bued on left side of car. close to the place where normaly the airbox is. cos i removed mine i had alot space.

now...connect the ground wire there where you can be sure that it gets good ground ( - ) if you dont find then just connect it against the car whit a screw.


NOW! start to connect the wires whit the reley.
in the ground place but the groudn wire what was connected whti the cars body.
the Positive what comes from the battery connect whit the space where the + goes.
then connect the right/left lowbeam wires whit eachother and under one connecton on the reley.

and finaly connect the positive wire from highbeam whit the reley.

SO....when its all connected correctly...
when you turn on highbeams....then the positive charge from the highbeam goes to reley...and switches the connection on the batterys positive whit the lowbeams positive.
this will keep the lows on whit highs!..
and when switch highs off...then just lows stay on.

hope you understand atleast somethign what i was telling...i know my english sucks...but atleast i truyed lol... would be easyer if would have the reley now in my hand and draw a picture or something of the connections.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't feel confident enough to try it yet. A drawn diagram of how the wires are connected would be much appreciated!

ghost88 wrote:

Relates to my thread about tryna to prevent the ballasts on my HID kit from having to flash on and off. Can somebobdy provide the wiring instructions for making the lows stay on with the high beams? I know theres a relay involved but not sure which wires to spice into and what not.. Any help would be appreciated.

Ya' know, I've thought about doing the same thing. The wiring doesn't worry me, especially if you use Scotch-Loks instead of stripping & wrapping the wires, but I can't help wondering if the reason they didn't wire them that way in the first place is that it makes too much heat in those damned plastic lenses...

Eldo wrote:

ghost88 wrote:

Relates to my thread about tryna to prevent the ballasts on my HID kit from having to flash on and off. Can somebobdy provide the wiring instructions for making the lows stay on with the high beams? I know theres a relay involved but not sure which wires to spice into and what not.. Any help would be appreciated.

Ya' know, I've thought about doing the same thing. The wiring doesn't worry me, especially if you use Scotch-Loks instead of stripping & wrapping the wires, but I can't help wondering if the reason they didn't wire them that way in the first place is that it makes too much heat in those damned plastic lenses...

Please don't use Scotch-Loks, ever, in any automotive wiring that you want to work. Do it right, or don't bother.

deekster_caddy wrote:

Eldo wrote:

ghost88 wrote:

Relates to my thread about tryna to prevent the ballasts on my HID kit from having to flash on and off. Can somebobdy provide the wiring instructions for making the lows stay on with the high beams? I know theres a relay involved but not sure which wires to spice into and what not.. Any help would be appreciated.

Ya' know, I've thought about doing the same thing. The wiring doesn't worry me, especially if you use Scotch-Loks instead of stripping & wrapping the wires, but I can't help wondering if the reason they didn't wire them that way in the first place is that it makes too much heat in those damned plastic lenses...

Please don't use Scotch-Loks, ever, in any automotive wiring that you want to work. Do it right, or don't bother.

Alright Deek, first the ECON, now the Scotch-Loks... Are you following me around and just trying find mistakes?

But seriously folks, my family (of mechanics) has been using Scotch-Loks in the shop probably since they were invented. You do have to use the right gauge and the right technique. Besides, the original post I was referencing was literally describing stripping insulation, wrapping wires and taping, not soldering... The Scotch-Lok is not only a helluva lot easier, but it was a gentle nudge in a better direction.

If you're looking for something else new to read, check out my latest:
https://rivperformance.editboard.com/interior-f20/easy-no-tools-way-to-disable-that-annoying-brake-to-shift-t5428.htm#74306

Quote :

I can't help wondering if the reason they didn't wire them that way in the first place is that it makes too much heat in those damned plastic lenses...

I've been running 80W bulbs in place of my 53W OEM head lamps for over 2 years now.

AA wrote:

Quote :

I can't help wondering if the reason they didn't wire them that way in the first place is that it makes too much heat in those damned plastic lenses...

I've been running 80W bulbs in place of my 53W OEM head lamps for over 2 years now.

Running the highs & lows @ the same time?
What are the high/low, original vs aftermarket wattages, anyhow?

I am running low beams 80W. Stock is 53W.

High beams (also daytime runners) are original equip.

Just pointing out that the plastic can take a significant increase in power without issue (so far).