Buzzer/Chime mod to remind you when the parking lights are on with key out?

[DeloreanJoshQ]

Has anyone done a mod to remind you when the parking lights are on with the key out of the ignition with a chime or buzzer? This would be helpful for those of us who keep forgetting to turn the parking lights off...

Thanks,

Josh Q

[Ashyukun]

I have a mod like this on my car... I think I actually wrote it up in a how-to on the old forums.

Basically, you get a cheap 12v buzzer from Radio Shack and a SPDT relay/relay harness that has a normally closed pin (the one in the center, many automotive are only normally open).

Run the ground for the relay itself (pin 86) and the switch part (pin 30) to a ground. Hook your relay up to pin 87A- that's the center pin- on one side and tap the other wire of the buzzer into a wire energized when the headlight switch is on. Now, run a wire from pin 85 (power side of the relay) to a wire energized when the key is turned on- the power wire for the radio is usually a good candidate.

Sorry, I'd try and find my pictures and make a drawing, but I'm not at my computer at home and using my iPad...

In this setup, when the light switch is on but the key is off, the buzzer will sound because it gets power from the headlight wire and grounds through the normally closed pole of the relay. When the key is on, the relay energizes and cuts off the ground connection for the relay so it doesn't go off. Total cost is like $10 in parts and not ery long to install (if you have the center console out...)

[jangell]

I just modded my wiring a bit so that lights are switched with the ignition; now I just leave them on all the time. Here's some instructions I wrote up on DMC News a few years back: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/message/72496



I kept forgetting to turn my headlights off when I got out of the
car, since there's no buzzer or anything to warn you about it, so I
added a relay to the headlight switch to do it for me when the
ignition is off. I just leave my lights on all the time now, even
during the day. I did this a couple of years ago, well before DMCH's
reproduction headlight switch with its built-in auto-off feature was
available.


Parts:
- Pre-wired relay socket
- Relay
- Method to connect the relay to headlight switch wiring, which could
be:
-- Male and female blade-style connectors and a crimp tool
-- Butt connectors and a crimp tool
- Optional: Inline fuse holder and fuse

OR:

- DeLorean Parts NW's Headlight Switch Safety Bypass Kit, which uses
all the same parts and doesn't require a crimp tool. It's only $10,
and has everything you need.
http://www.delorean-parts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DPNW&Product_Code=K3003DP&Category_Code=9450


I also really like the Power Probe, which is a simple electrical test
tool for automotive work. Once connected to the car's battery, you
can touch any electrical connection and tell if it is positive or
negative via an LED an optional buzzer. Furthermore, you can test
circuits (and, if you're reckless, blow fuses) by applying positive
and negative via a switch on the probe. I have a Power Probe II
(there are also I and III). It's very handy for finding, say,
ignition-switched wires, or seeing if a circuit has power, or making
sure a circuit works when you apply 12v or ground to it, and so on.
Google Product Search has the I for about $50, and the II for about
$90, and the III for around $100-$180. If you plan on doing a lot of
electrical work, I recommend it; if you're just doing one or two
things, you can just get away with a multimeter.

http://www.powerprobe.com/

I've also taken to using a label printer to thoroughly document any
new wires I add to the car, so that I'll know what the heck I did
when I look at it in the future. I got a portable Brother label
printer, and it works great.



Relays and Sockets:
You can get the relays and sockets from various sources. They
usually come with wires already attached. Any standard automotive
relay will do. Google has lists a bunch of both, and I'm sure you
can find all of these parts locally easily enough.


Accessing the Headlight Switch Wiring:
I chose to do this from the headlight switch. You can probably do it
from the fuse box behind the passenger's seat, but I knew that
everything went through that switch and decided that was the route I
would take.

There are two ways to get access to the back of the headlight
switch. I did the method that didn't require taking apart the center
console, which involves reaching behind the console from the driver's
side and unplugging the connector from the headlight switch. This is
pretty annoying to do and you cant see what you're doing, and it's a
bit of a pain to reconnect the switch to the plug, but it's not too
horribly bad.

The second method is to remove the headlight switch itself. I
recently installed DeLorean Parts NW's headlight switch safety
bypass, and his instructions work well in this situation as well.
First you remove the three climate control knobs, and then the long
screw behind the center knob. You can then pull out the face plate
and wiggle the headlight switch out of its socket, pulling the wiring
through with it. I'd suggest getting the safety bypass and doing
both installations at the same time.

The third method might be easier if you already have an after market
radio, and is what I did while I was also replacing the rubber
cowling on my center air vents and installing the above headlight
switch safety bypass. I've removed my radio so many times that it is
mostly held in by pressure from the metal mounting cage rather than
those bent metal clips, so it's easy for me to remove. I used two
coat hangers bent 90 degrees at the end to release the clips that
secure my Sony stereo to the cage so I could pull it out and unplug
it. I also removed the metal frame that holds the stereo in place,
which gave me excellent access to the headlight switch wiring. This
might be a lot of work for some people, and I have no idea what's
involved with the stock radio, so you might just want to go with the
first or second methods instead.


Wiring:
Installation is fairly straight-forward. As usual, you'll probably
want to disconnect the battery before you proceed, just in case.
After that, you need to insert a relay between the headlights and
switch. I used butt connectors, but you can do whatever you're
comfortable with. I was rather impressed with the quality and ease
of installation of DeLorean Parts NW's headlight switch safety bypass
kit, so if you want to keep it simple you can just buy another one of
those.

If you do use DMC Parts NW's kit, you would do the following:

First, pull the headlight switch's connector out far enough that you
can get to the wiring.

1 - The Blue/Brown wire actually powers the headlights, and it is
this that the relay will switch. Install two T-taps about an inch
apart on the Blue/Brown wire, then cut the wire between the T-taps.

2 - Connect the relay socket's Blue wire to one of the T-taps on the
Blue/Brown wire.

3 - Connect the relay socket's Yellow wire to the other T-tap on the
Blue/Brown wire.

4 - Install a T-tap on the Black wire on the headlight connector. We
use this to provide ground to our relay.

5 - Connect the relay socket's White wire to the T-tap on the Black
wire.

6 - Locate an "accessory" wire. This is a wire that is hot only when
the key is in the "run" position. I actually ran a wire from the
relay/fuse compartment from behind the passenger seat to the number
#35 relay ("Aux Relay -- Accessory Position -- 1") in the fuse and
relay diagram in the Workshop Manual section M:07:02. You're looking
for a wire that is reads positive only when the key is in the "run"
state; you should be able to easily find this via a multimeter. It
is very likely that there is such a wire under the dash, but I'm not
sure where at the moment.

7 - Connect a T-tap to the "accessory" wire. This will turn energize
the relay when the key is set to "run".

8 - Attach the relay socket's Black wire to the the T-tap on the
"accessory" wire.

9 - Put a relay into the relay socket.

The middle wire on the relay socket is unused in this application,
and has been removed on DMC Parts NW's kit.

I recommend keeping the relay socket's wires at their full length.
You can then stuff the relay and socket through the headlight
switch's hole and get it out of the way so it doesn't interfere with
anything else. I pushed mine toward the back of the car and down to
the left towards the driver's side. You can probably reach around
the back of the center console from the left side and pull it through
enough that it's out of the way.

Be careful not to block the temperature knob with the relay. At
first, I inadvertently jammed the temp knob by placing the relay to
the left of it, thus blocking the arm from moving to the left and
keeping me from turning the heat up beyond the middle setting. You
might want to turn that knob all the way to "hot" before positioning
the relay, and making sure that the knob still has its full range
before putting everything back together.

You can optionally install an inline fuse in this setup. I put one
between the relay's Black wire and the
"accessory" between steps 7 and 8.



Testing and Operation:
That's it for the wiring. To make sure it works, plug the headlight
switch back into the socket, set it to the "off" state, and reconnect
the battery.

Since the car is off and the headlight switch is off, the headlights
should also be off. Push the headlight switch through the parking
light position, the "on" position, and back to the "off" position;
the headlights should remain off the entire time.

Now put the key in the ignition and turn it to the "run" position
(you don't need to start the car). Since the headlight switch is
off, the headlights should also be off. Push the button once and
make sure the marker lights are on. Push it a second time and make
sure the headlights are on.

If you turn the car off now, the headlights should also go off. If
you start the car, the headlights should turn off while the car is
cranking, and come back on when the key returns to the "run" position.

You can now leave the headlight switch in the "on" position all the
time, and never have to worry about forgetting to turn your
headlights off again.



Re-Assembling the Center Console:
To put the console back together, you simply need to snap the
headlight switch back into place, put back on the face plate, replace
the screw near the center knob, and put the knobs back on their
respective switches.


The total cost of this project is under $10, if you get everything
locally or already have the parts lying around, and $10+shipping if
you just repurpose the DeLorean Parts NW Headlight Bypass Kit. I've
run with this for a few years now and never had any problems, and I
don't have to worry about forgetting to turn off my lights anymore.


-- Joe

[DeloreanJoshQ]

awesome! Thanks guys!

[DeloreanJoshQ]

I just modded my wiring a bit so that lights are switched with the ignition; now I just leave them on all the time. Here's some instructions I wrote up on DMC News a few years back: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/message/72496



I kept forgetting to turn my headlights off when I got out of the
car, since there's no buzzer or anything to warn you about it, so I
added a relay to the headlight switch to do it for me when the
ignition is off. I just leave my lights on all the time now, even
during the day. I did this a couple of years ago, well before DMCH's
reproduction headlight switch with its built-in auto-off feature was
available.


I have a universal relay socket with a blue, orange, red, and black wire.
The instructions show black to ground, blue to the circuit the power goes to, orange to ignition switch, and red to main power.


Parts:
- Pre-wired relay socket
- Relay
- Method to connect the relay to headlight switch wiring, which could
be:
-- Male and female blade-style connectors and a crimp tool
-- Butt connectors and a crimp tool
- Optional: Inline fuse holder and fuse

OR:

- DeLorean Parts NW's Headlight Switch Safety Bypass Kit, which uses
all the same parts and doesn't require a crimp tool. It's only $10,
and has everything you need.
http://www.delorean-parts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DPNW&Product_Code=K3003DP&Category_Code=9450


I also really like the Power Probe, which is a simple electrical test
tool for automotive work. Once connected to the car's battery, you
can touch any electrical connection and tell if it is positive or
negative via an LED an optional buzzer. Furthermore, you can test
circuits (and, if you're reckless, blow fuses) by applying positive
and negative via a switch on the probe. I have a Power Probe II
(there are also I and III). It's very handy for finding, say,
ignition-switched wires, or seeing if a circuit has power, or making
sure a circuit works when you apply 12v or ground to it, and so on.
Google Product Search has the I for about $50, and the II for about
$90, and the III for around $100-$180. If you plan on doing a lot of
electrical work, I recommend it; if you're just doing one or two
things, you can just get away with a multimeter.

http://www.powerprobe.com/

I've also taken to using a label printer to thoroughly document any
new wires I add to the car, so that I'll know what the heck I did
when I look at it in the future. I got a portable Brother label
printer, and it works great.



Relays and Sockets:
You can get the relays and sockets from various sources. They
usually come with wires already attached. Any standard automotive
relay will do. Google has lists a bunch of both, and I'm sure you
can find all of these parts locally easily enough.


Accessing the Headlight Switch Wiring:
I chose to do this from the headlight switch. You can probably do it
from the fuse box behind the passenger's seat, but I knew that
everything went through that switch and decided that was the route I
would take.

There are two ways to get access to the back of the headlight
switch. I did the method that didn't require taking apart the center
console, which involves reaching behind the console from the driver's
side and unplugging the connector from the headlight switch. This is
pretty annoying to do and you cant see what you're doing, and it's a
bit of a pain to reconnect the switch to the plug, but it's not too
horribly bad.

The second method is to remove the headlight switch itself. I
recently installed DeLorean Parts NW's headlight switch safety
bypass, and his instructions work well in this situation as well.
First you remove the three climate control knobs, and then the long
screw behind the center knob. You can then pull out the face plate
and wiggle the headlight switch out of its socket, pulling the wiring
through with it. I'd suggest getting the safety bypass and doing
both installations at the same time.

The third method might be easier if you already have an after market
radio, and is what I did while I was also replacing the rubber
cowling on my center air vents and installing the above headlight
switch safety bypass. I've removed my radio so many times that it is
mostly held in by pressure from the metal mounting cage rather than
those bent metal clips, so it's easy for me to remove. I used two
coat hangers bent 90 degrees at the end to release the clips that
secure my Sony stereo to the cage so I could pull it out and unplug
it. I also removed the metal frame that holds the stereo in place,
which gave me excellent access to the headlight switch wiring. This
might be a lot of work for some people, and I have no idea what's
involved with the stock radio, so you might just want to go with the
first or second methods instead.


Wiring:
Installation is fairly straight-forward. As usual, you'll probably
want to disconnect the battery before you proceed, just in case.
After that, you need to insert a relay between the headlights and
switch. I used butt connectors, but you can do whatever you're
comfortable with. I was rather impressed with the quality and ease
of installation of DeLorean Parts NW's headlight switch safety bypass
kit, so if you want to keep it simple you can just buy another one of
those.

If you do use DMC Parts NW's kit, you would do the following:

First, pull the headlight switch's connector out far enough that you
can get to the wiring.

1 - The Blue/Brown wire actually powers the headlights, and it is
this that the relay will switch. Install two T-taps about an inch
apart on the Blue/Brown wire, then cut the wire between the T-taps.

2 - Connect the relay socket's Blue wire to one of the T-taps on the
Blue/Brown wire.

3 - Connect the relay socket's Yellow wire to the other T-tap on the
Blue/Brown wire.

4 - Install a T-tap on the Black wire on the headlight connector. We
use this to provide ground to our relay.

5 - Connect the relay socket's White wire to the T-tap on the Black
wire.

6 - Locate an "accessory" wire. This is a wire that is hot only when
the key is in the "run" position. I actually ran a wire from the
relay/fuse compartment from behind the passenger seat to the number
#35 relay ("Aux Relay -- Accessory Position -- 1") in the fuse and
relay diagram in the Workshop Manual section M:07:02. You're looking
for a wire that is reads positive only when the key is in the "run"
state; you should be able to easily find this via a multimeter. It
is very likely that there is such a wire under the dash, but I'm not
sure where at the moment.

7 - Connect a T-tap to the "accessory" wire. This will turn energize
the relay when the key is set to "run".

8 - Attach the relay socket's Black wire to the the T-tap on the
"accessory" wire.

9 - Put a relay into the relay socket.

The middle wire on the relay socket is unused in this application,
and has been removed on DMC Parts NW's kit.

I recommend keeping the relay socket's wires at their full length.
You can then stuff the relay and socket through the headlight
switch's hole and get it out of the way so it doesn't interfere with
anything else. I pushed mine toward the back of the car and down to
the left towards the driver's side. You can probably reach around
the back of the center console from the left side and pull it through
enough that it's out of the way.

Be careful not to block the temperature knob with the relay. At
first, I inadvertently jammed the temp knob by placing the relay to
the left of it, thus blocking the arm from moving to the left and
keeping me from turning the heat up beyond the middle setting. You
might want to turn that knob all the way to "hot" before positioning
the relay, and making sure that the knob still has its full range
before putting everything back together.

You can optionally install an inline fuse in this setup. I put one
between the relay's Black wire and the
"accessory" between steps 7 and 8.



Testing and Operation:
That's it for the wiring. To make sure it works, plug the headlight
switch back into the socket, set it to the "off" state, and reconnect
the battery.

Since the car is off and the headlight switch is off, the headlights
should also be off. Push the headlight switch through the parking
light position, the "on" position, and back to the "off" position;
the headlights should remain off the entire time.

Now put the key in the ignition and turn it to the "run" position
(you don't need to start the car). Since the headlight switch is
off, the headlights should also be off. Push the button once and
make sure the marker lights are on. Push it a second time and make
sure the headlights are on.

If you turn the car off now, the headlights should also go off. If
you start the car, the headlights should turn off while the car is
cranking, and come back on when the key returns to the "run" position.

You can now leave the headlight switch in the "on" position all the
time, and never have to worry about forgetting to turn your
headlights off again.



Re-Assembling the Center Console:
To put the console back together, you simply need to snap the
headlight switch back into place, put back on the face plate, replace
the screw near the center knob, and put the knobs back on their
respective switches.


The total cost of this project is under $10, if you get everything
locally or already have the parts lying around, and $10+shipping if
you just repurpose the DeLorean Parts NW Headlight Bypass Kit. I've
run with this for a few years now and never had any problems, and I
don't have to worry about forgetting to turn off my lights anymore.


-- Joe

I have a nice quality relay and socket setup that has an orange wire for ignition trigger, red wire for main power feed, black wire for ground, and blue wire to supply the circuit.
How do I connect this setup to the existing headlight switch wiring to make the lights only work with the key on and save life on the headlight switch LMS?

Thanks!

http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/600/665/665-MP-1025-wiring.jpg

[dn010]

Go here, very clear instructions. http://dmcnews.com/Techsection/lightrelays.html

I did have to modify the wiring using the brown-blue wire, you've already seen my post.
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1396-Light-switch-mod-lights-on-with-key-on-only

The instructions in the first link only make it so the headlights go off with key, not all lights so you need to cut the brown-blue, wrap the part coming from the harnesses up, and connect the part coming from the switch to a switched 12v wire. Done & done.



I even have a hand drawn diagram of both relays and where they install if you want it, I can scan it tomorrow. I always draw the wiring changes and tape them to the wires in the area changed for future reference/owners etc.

[DeloreanJoshQ]

Go here, very clear instructions. http://dmcnews.com/Techsection/lightrelays.html

I did have to modify the wiring using the brown-blue wire, you've already seen my post.
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1396-Light-switch-mod-lights-on-with-key-on-only

The instructions in the first link only make it so the headlights go off with key, not all lights so you need to cut the brown-blue, wrap the part coming from the harnesses up, and connect the part coming from the switch to a switched 12v wire. Done & done.



I even have a hand drawn diagram of both relays and where they install if you want it, I can scan it tomorrow. I always draw the wiring changes and tape them to the wires in the area changed for future reference/owners etc.

If you can do that I would greatly appreciate it. I need to get another relay and harness. I thought it could be done with one relay.

Why can't I do the following and what would this accomplish?
-tap black ground on light switch harness to ground on relay...
-cut the N/U wire and connect the harness end to 12+ continuous term on relay(powers relay)
-connect other cut N/U wire end (on light switch side) of harness to blue wire on my relay(to power headlight switch)
-connect orange wire on my relay to 12V switch source.

This means that the headlight switch will not get power until the "switch" wire I tap into gets power from the key being on. Correct? Also, the load should go through the relay instead of the switch? I have to be incorrect on my logic; please help me out.


thanks!

[dn010]

You can probably get away with using only one relay depending on the wiring, I'll have to take another look at the diagram.

As far as your questions on your wiring - apparently what the author of the article did was send the load for the marker lights through the relay (I'm using 40A, that was the lowest I could find for $6) which can handle the current better than the switch might. I opted to use the 2nd relay and send the headlight load through that as well to further reduce load on the headlight switch. The author figured out how to get the headlights to turn on/off with the ignition switch but didn't think about the panel back lighting nor the marker lights with the switch. Having one and not all to me is kind of a waste, you still have to remember to turn your marker lights off and your battery will drain if you forget.

Your wiring in question will not work. Coil needs +/-12v, and the contacts are basically a switch. Once the coil gets energized, it closes the contacts. If you have a constant +12 going to the coil of the relay- the relay will constantly be on and it will burn out or drain your battery- thats why you need switched +12 going to the relay coil.

I'll post my diagram after work.

[dn010]

The point of the first "load" mod is just to reduce the stress on the light switch which will fail with too much. The relay take on the load thus reducing the stress on the switch - the switch that normally would have to take 10 amps would now only have 4 amps going to it (I'm not sure of the actual numbers, but you get the idea).

The second mod is strictly for headlights only, and not all lights that switch turns on/off which I found out after the fact - and so I just left it installed.

If you want switched power, you can't use the continuous power line (NU). I think you can cut the NU and just wire the NU switch side to a +12 switched source and not even use a relay. I opted to use two of them in order to prevent any future headlight switch trouble.

[jangell]

The second mod is strictly for headlights only, and not all lights that switch turns on/off which I found out after the fact - and so I just left it installed.

The mod I outlined earlier in this post is something I rolled myself, and did a number of years ago. I'm afraid that I don't have my DMC local so that I can verify what I did to it, but it does switch both the headlights and the parking lights with the ignition. This uses a single relay (although I also have the commonly-installed headlight bypass relay that reduces the amount of power that runs through the switch, but that doesn't affect the ignition-switched light mod).

However, I have an early '81, and I know that there are some quirks with the wiring in those cars. For example, the brake lights don't work when the brake is pressed unless the key is in Accessory or Run.

That and it's quite possible I screwed up something in the instructions I posted. :) I'll have to verify what I did when I get a chance.

-- Joe

[dn010]

Ahh, I see what you did, and it should work fine. Basically, if I read correctly, you ran the relay coil terminals to switched +12V / ground, and then the N/U to the contacts-which that would work fine. It is hard for me to understand because you give wire colors for the relay - I actually wired right to the relay and didn't use a socket so I go by the terminal/terminal numbers.

Basically, you have:
Contact 85 (coil) -->+12V switched source
Contact 86 (coil) --> - (Ground)
Contact 87/87a (Contact) --> NU Harness/Switch
Contact 30 (Contact) -->NU Switch/Harness

When the +12 switched energizes, it connects the power to the light switch, simple enough. I mis-read your first post!

[Farrar]

I once drained my battery from leaving the lights on and was planning on doing this with a SPDT relay:

86 - trigger from ignition on (green/white)
85 - ground
30 - 12v source, from headlight switch
87A - to buzzer (+)
87 - not used

I never got around to doing this, though, so I am not sure if it would work.

Farrar

[Ron]

I never got around to doing this, though, so I am not sure if it would work.
Looks like it would ....

With all of those extra relays, I wonder if Sparky will jump when you turn on the key? :)

[Farrar]

Looks like it would ....

With all of those extra relays, I wonder if Sparky will jump when you turn on the key? :)

Don't forget that Sparky is missing a few things which plug into relay sockets, including the HVAC panel illumination relay and the HVAC panel illumination resistor (both unnecessary since I run LEDs), the rear defogger module, and the Lambda relay. After removing those sockets, there is enough room to install my three new relays. (In fact, I will have the same number of items, just different items.)

I never got around to doing the buzzer mod, but I imagine that relay would be under the dashboard somewhere, instead of in the relay compartment. But it's good to know this would work -- maybe someone else can use it now that it's out here in the public domain...

Farrar

[Ron]

Don't forget that Sparky is missing a few things...
That just means he will jump higher... :deviltail:

[DeloreanJoshQ]

Ahh, I see what you did, and it should work fine. Basically, if I read correctly, you ran the relay coil terminals to switched +12V / ground, and then the N/U to the contacts-which that would work fine. It is hard for me to understand because you give wire colors for the relay - I actually wired right to the relay and didn't use a socket so I go by the terminal/terminal numbers.

Basically, you have:
Contact 85 (coil) -->+12V switched source
Contact 86 (coil) --> - (Ground)
Contact 87/87a (Contact) --> NU Harness/Switch
Contact 30 (Contact) -->NU Switch/Harness

When the +12 switched energizes, it connects the power to the light switch, simple enough. I mis-read your first post!

So this will make the lighting go off with the key out and take the load off of the switch? If so I will do the mod ASAP.
This seems much more simplified than running two relays...
What 12 volt switch source do you guys use that is only on when the key is on? Otherwise I will find one....

[dn010]

No. That mod will only makes the switch work off of switched +12v, the switch itself will still taking the load of the headlights etc without additional relay. IIRC, Joe also has the load reducing mod along with this one, so 2 relays. I'm working on posting my wiring that I did but now that I look at it, I did just cut the NU and run a wire to it from the switched source - so I didn't even use a relay for that mod. The relays I have in are just reducing load. I will likely add yet another relay to get the lights to work only with the ignition key instead of running the wire direct. I have:

85 (coil): Ground
86 (coil): RG (Switch side)
87 (Contact): +12v
30 (Contact): RG (Harness side)
**with these, you also have to CUT the NU(Brown/Blue) and splice the switch side in with the +12V switched

What it does: When you push the switch to the 1st position, the power travels from the brown/blue wire, through the red/green wire and into the relay coil-energizing it. The contacts close, allowing the +12v current to travel from 87 to 30, thus turning on the marker lights

85 (Coil):Ground
86 (Coil): Blue (From switch)
87 (Contact): Blue (from harness)
30 (Contact): +12v
With this - when the switch is pushed to the 2nd position, it allows the current to travel from the brown/blue wire through the blue wire. It reaches the relay contact 86, energizing it, connecting the harness side of the blue wire to +12v.

[dn010]

As far as what 12V source I used - I'd have to do a little investigation to find this out. I have a car alarm, so I just ran off of the wire feeding the alarm the switched +12 (alarm wiring, so I'd have to cut some tape to see where I tapped that wiring into the car wiring) because it is a bigger gauge wire. I originally used light green/white from the radio, but it looked a little too thin so I changed it.

[Bitsyncmaster]

To bad DMCH never got the bug fixed in there new headlight unit. I know they can fix it if the software was modified to keep testing the "orange" wire signal, if it went back on to abort the auto off. But the liability issue will probably mean they never sell that feature.

[Ron]

Was there a recall?

I thought there was a fix....something like running the line feeding it to a main power source (?main relay or breaker?) to avoid a voltage drop, IIRC?

Or, are you talking about a new, new headlight unit???

[Bitsyncmaster]

Was there a recall?

I thought there was a fix....something like running the line feeding it to a main power source (?main relay or breaker?) to avoid a voltage drop, IIRC?

Or, are you talking about a new, new headlight unit???

The "fix" is not connecting the orange wire going to the headlight ECU. This disables the auto off function.

[Ron]

yeah, I remember that "fix". But, some time later, I thought they were advising moving the feed and haven't had any reports of failures since?

[DeloreanJoshQ]

I think James said something about some cars having bad grounds or ground issues caused the problem with the headlight switch...


Anyway, All of my dash lights are LED and I am planning on going with LED lighting for all of the exterior except for the headlights.

With that said, anyone know how much amperage would then be going through the headlight switch? I'm thinking of doing the one relay only to turn off the lights with the key out and not messing with the other relay since there will be much less load...just to keep from adding to the wiring mess....

[Bitsyncmaster]

Anyway, All of my dash lights are LED and I am planning on going with LED lighting for all of the exterior except for the headlights.

With that said, anyone know how much amperage would then be going through the headlight switch? I'm thinking of doing the one relay only to turn off the lights with the key out and not messing with the other relay since there will be much less load...just to keep from adding to the wiring mess....

Original was 5 or 6 amps in parking light position, Headlights are just relays (about 70 ma.). LEDs should drop your current about 1/4 to 1/3 so you should be fine without the relay.

[Ron]

I only took a quick look but I'm wondering why not move the brown wire (replace w/ white) on the headlight switch over to the empty fuse slot and it on to the main (or auxiliary) relay along with the white wires?
If it's too much load for either relay, just pick one and run it to the spare relay hole next to the RPM relay and then to the headlight switch?