Troubleshoot Headlight Wiring
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Freshman User
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Troubleshoot Headlight Wiring
Ok - just about through with wiring 55 f100. Using 12 volt system an EZ wire harness, wired switch and the lights are on all the time. Have to disconnect battery to turn em off.
On the switch I have a B post, D post, I post, H post and P post. I have headlight power to B post (red), Instrument lights to I post (brown), Dimmer power to D post (lt blue), Parking light to P post (brown). I don't have anything on the H post. Is this right?
Have OEM column blinker and hazard switch. When I turn the key I get a steady red light on the switch, turn on lft blinker and a steady green light goes on and left blinker works. Ditto for the right.
When I pull the hazards the parking lights come on and stay on; hazards don't work and parking lights don't work otherwise. Perhaps I have some wires swapped around.
Dimmer switch works as it should with floor button.
When I pull the light switch the instrument lights come on as they should.
Finally I have a sunpro OEM volt gauge, the gauge fogged up on the inside. Why did it do that?
Appreciate any help.
On the switch I have a B post, D post, I post, H post and P post. I have headlight power to B post (red), Instrument lights to I post (brown), Dimmer power to D post (lt blue), Parking light to P post (brown). I don't have anything on the H post. Is this right?
Have OEM column blinker and hazard switch. When I turn the key I get a steady red light on the switch, turn on lft blinker and a steady green light goes on and left blinker works. Ditto for the right.
When I pull the hazards the parking lights come on and stay on; hazards don't work and parking lights don't work otherwise. Perhaps I have some wires swapped around.
Dimmer switch works as it should with floor button.
When I pull the light switch the instrument lights come on as they should.
Finally I have a sunpro OEM volt gauge, the gauge fogged up on the inside. Why did it do that?
Appreciate any help.
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Freshman User
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EZ wire system was pretty straight forward. I've never wired a truck until now and outside of some rather novice mistakes it was EZ.
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Thanks Harley - perfect, just what I needed. AXracer - no I don't think I did, unless the fuse box is considered a relay. Why - is this something I should've done?
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See A Man About A Horse
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,917
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From: Mariposa, Ca.
Craig,the reason for using a relay(s) for the lights, is to eliminate high current (watts) through the stock headlight switch.If you upgrade your lights (recommended) ,they draw much more wattage than the stock headlight switch can handle.The integral circuit breaker may begin breaking/re-setting ,especially when the high-beams are on.This flickering is an obvious safety hazard.
Using relays avoids this problem, but if using the stock headlights,it will not be an issue.Most elect to upgrade their lights, so adding relays is a must.
When I did this,I was amazed at the improvement over the dim, yellow lights from the stock set-up.The lights on both my 59 F250 and 65 Fairlane are better than on our new(ish) vehicles.On-coming drivers often flash their lights at me when I only have the low-beams on, they are that good.
Using relays avoids this problem, but if using the stock headlights,it will not be an issue.Most elect to upgrade their lights, so adding relays is a must.
When I did this,I was amazed at the improvement over the dim, yellow lights from the stock set-up.The lights on both my 59 F250 and 65 Fairlane are better than on our new(ish) vehicles.On-coming drivers often flash their lights at me when I only have the low-beams on, they are that good.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Olive Branch,Ms
I for one would love to see them outlaw how bright some low beams are. They are great if you are driving with them but if you are the poor guy being blinded they are not so great. I don't mind them being a little brighter but some of them have just gone that one step to much.
See A Man About A Horse
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,917
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From: Mariposa, Ca.
I understand your concerns, Jack.I use standard, off-the-shelf, halogen sealed beams, no fancy HID or illegal wattage lights.They are ,nevertheless,very bright,which I need.Especially during the winter, on our rainy, dark, twisty mountain roads.
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Thanks for the lesson guys- yeah I'm using the stock lights. I'm keeping pretty much everything stock, outside of the engine and tranny.
Thanks to Harley I was able to fix my headlight issue, however now I have a front blinker problem. The left blinker is the only one getting power and it works when the blinker switch is on right side too?
Any suggestions?
Thanks to Harley I was able to fix my headlight issue, however now I have a front blinker problem. The left blinker is the only one getting power and it works when the blinker switch is on right side too?
Any suggestions?
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
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From: Durham NC
As said, a relay will improve the brightness of stock style halogen sealed beams (I don't know if they even still make replacement standard incandescent sealed beams) and save you losing lights one nite due to an overstressed 60 year old switch. The circuit breaker in the switch acts as the fuse for most of the truck's electrical needs. A relay is inexpensive and easy to wire and well worth using.
New User
Joined: Oct 2012
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Headlight issues also
59 Ford F100 - I rewired my dash with the harness from LMC - I am so close to getting it right but the headlights and blinkers are driving me nuts. Everything works perfectly with headlights off - with headlights on the gremlins come out - rear tail lights are in bright so brake lights don't work, left blinker will freeze or flash, headlights work but high beam is dim and slightly on when set to low beam....hi-lo foot switch is giving 6 watts of power to the side that is supposed to be off! I did put in new headlights from LMC......
Truck Parts and Truck Accessories
Top left, items 300 and 301 - they are same light and I have them wired properly, the normal low beam has two filaments, this is same bulb, both on for high beam.
Is lack of relay causing problem? On the red wire low beam I do have a 15 amp fuse in the line whereas they say to use a 12 amp circuit breaker (that must have been removed from my truck long ago)(everyone at any auto parts store looks at me funny when I ask for 12 amp fuse) . The 15 amp fuse is AFTER the foot switch on the way to the lights.
Can you give me a link to the relay I need? do I need it? Precisely where in the wiring chain should it be?
Thanks
Truck Parts and Truck Accessories
Top left, items 300 and 301 - they are same light and I have them wired properly, the normal low beam has two filaments, this is same bulb, both on for high beam.
Is lack of relay causing problem? On the red wire low beam I do have a 15 amp fuse in the line whereas they say to use a 12 amp circuit breaker (that must have been removed from my truck long ago)(everyone at any auto parts store looks at me funny when I ask for 12 amp fuse) . The 15 amp fuse is AFTER the foot switch on the way to the lights.
Can you give me a link to the relay I need? do I need it? Precisely where in the wiring chain should it be?
Thanks
New User
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 14
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volts not watts!
duh - I meant 6 volts in string above, not watts.....dying for help with the relay wiring if anyone is out there. I got 2 12 volt 4 pin relays that the guy at Advance Auto Parts said were for Corvette high beams.
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w5nra
1961 - 1966 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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May 19, 2020 06:16 PM
