Wiring in Spot Lights.....
Wiring in Spot Lights.....
Author
Discussion

tvradict

Original Poster:

3,829 posts

297 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
OK, when It comes to wiring diagrams I am Kermit the Frog in disguise.

I have...erm... aquired a set of halogen spots, BIG buggers too, but I want to wire them up so they come on with the main beam automatically, none of this pressing another switch on the dash b*ll*cks, thank you very much!

But, I can't work out which wire is which, or how to tap into the cable, or which cable's to tap into.

Anyone shed any light on the subject.

TIA

Stuart

P.S. Car is a '93 Orion.

P.P.S. Pun was unintentional!

miniman

29,307 posts

285 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
The Haynes manual will have a wiring diagram which looks like a nightmare - but all you need to do is find the main beam bulbs in the key, then look up what colour wires connect to it. Then, break into those wires.

Bodo

12,489 posts

289 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
I assume there is a relay for your main beam lights, connect the cable to the output of that relay.

To determine the right relay (there will be others) just follow the leads from a headlight to find two relays; one for driving lights and one for beam.
Pull off an output cable off one of these relays, and see which lights are not working when switching them on. If it's beam, you've found the right one.


>>edited to sort spelling

>> Edited by Bodo on Thursday 17th October 19:14

tvradict

Original Poster:

3,829 posts

297 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
Thanks for the reply's guys.

I've tried tracing the wires, but I did a rather good impression of the boy in the shop who went after the ice cream in a freezer, and fell in it, only I'm 6ft something and my engine bay is well, not! I had an alternator in my ear and oil up my nose and discovered that the plastic covering the wires disappear into...disappears!

On the subject of breaking into the wires, I take it it's the main beam wire and the other wire, ie not the dip beam wire! What the best way to break into it? One of those funny blue jobs that will easily connect two cables together?

Oh and while I'm at it. Is the + on the light the wire that connects to the bulb or the surround?

jmorgan

36,010 posts

307 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
Don't use them blue jobbies for high power applications, Solder is best if its a permanant job.
edited to add
Did you scotch lock 's, or IDC comnnectors?


>> Edited by jmorgan on Thursday 17th October 20:46

miniman

29,307 posts

285 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
The car should be negative earth so there should only be one power lead to the bulb (+ve) - the negative is gained via the physical connection to the bodywork. Unless the spots are plastic?

Bodo

12,489 posts

289 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
Ahh, those old Lucas days every consumer load had it's own cable color. Headlights were blue/white and blue/red, minus (chassis, after 1968) was black.

The minus cable is the one that goes to the surrounding.
These blue clips (scotch blocks?) are shite connections

Best thing, you can do is using 6.35mm Lucar terminals
with cover.

Maybe you find a legend for the relays in the manual? Or a relay box cover has it printed on?

dennisthemenace

15,605 posts

291 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
if you take the connecter off the back of the headlight the main beam is the left hand of the 3 onto the rear of the bulb i would recommend a relay but you could wire them stirght on to the main beam make sure you give them a good earth and put inline fuses in also you may need to upgrade the fuse in the fusebox for main beam

tvradict

Original Poster:

3,829 posts

297 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
OK! Cheers Guys! I know what I am doing now!

My car is a -ve chassis so the White cable to the light unit is the one I want to tap into for the +ve and the Brown/Green is the one I want for -ve. They are indeed plastic spots!

I even have some of those connectors kicking about!

Woohoo!

Within 2 hrs of posting I have all my questions answered! Isn't this a fantastic place.

Cheers
Stuart!

dennisthemenace

15,605 posts

291 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
Just one other thing (sound like bloody columbo) dont let the smoke out of your electrics or they wont work

jmorgan

36,010 posts

307 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
or knot your cables, it slows the electric down as it goes around the bends.......
:sombodybelievedthatonce:

tvradict

Original Poster:

3,829 posts

297 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all

jmorgan said: or knot your cables, it slows the electric down as it goes around the bends.......
:sombodybelievedthatonce:




My college lecturer once joked that you shouldn't put too many hubs on one network or the packets get lost!

The thick guy at the end believed him!

fast westfield

412 posts

294 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
Red to Red
Black to Black
Blue to bits.

Paul.

tvradict

Original Poster:

3,829 posts

297 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
Well, since I had 'aquired' them, I didn't know if they worked or not. So I wired them in, +ve to White, -ve to earth.

Lets just say the neighbours dog thinks it's daytime again!

only thing is, they come on on two occasions,

Side Lights
and
Main Beam

What I don't understand is why they come on with the sidelights. I think I connected the earth to the earth of the sidelights (couldn't trace it far enough to find out!) but would that make a difference?

Bodo

12,489 posts

289 months

Thursday 17th October 2002
quotequote all
It's probably the + to white connection.
The sidelights are always working, when you switch on your headlights (no matter if driving lights or beam), but not vice versa. If the aux headlights would work, when you switch on your sidelights or driving lights or main beam, then you'd probably connected them to the sidelight cable.

Other way would be to switch the dip switch and listen for a clacking relay in the dashboard or engine bay (ask neighbour's dog to help, when you're at the engine bay ) to sort the right one out.

b.