Wiring Headlights Question

[rumrumm]

Has anyone wired their headlights so both bright and dim are on when the bright lights are in use? I would think the illumination would be much improved. Painless sells a kit to do this but they are vehicle specific,  and they do not have one for street rods.

[MrMopar64]

Has anyone wired their headlights so both bright and dim are on when the bright lights are in use? I would think the illumination would be much improved. Painless sells a kit to do this but they are vehicle specific,  and they do not have one for street rods.

I always thought both filments were lit when the hi beams were on  :?

MM64  

[HOTRODSRJ]

Has anyone wired their headlights so both bright and dim are on when the bright lights are in use? I would think the illumination would be much improved. Painless sells a kit to do this but they are vehicle specific,  and they do not have one for street rods.

I tried this several years ago with dual filament bulbs and the problem is that the ambient operating temperture of the bulb housing increases so much that it makes the bulbs life.........real short.

I would suggest that if you want more light go for more lumens or watts. There are a pluthora of aftermarket lamps for this that are plug and play.

[enjenjo]

You can do it with a relay in the dim light circuit. run the dim light wire from the dimmer switch to terminal 85, ground to 86. Run a wire to the lights from terminal 30, battery power to terminal 87, and hook a wire from the high beams to terminal 87A.

[Beck]

I tried this several years ago with dual filament bulbs and the problem is that the ambient operating temperture of the bulb housing increases so much that it makes the bulbs life.........real short.

I would think this was for autos with 4 bulbs. I agree that bulb life would be short with single bulbs. I know this is a popular setup for late model Silverado pickups. It really lights up the road.
Speaking of Silverado pickups, Does anyone know an easy way to turn off the lights when you want them off at night. I know if you start the truck with the E-brake on they don't come on. What I have been doing is stopping the truck, setting the E-brake to the first click, restarting the truck and driving. I never go far like this. I do some hunting. The deer and ducks don't like the lights coming at them, so I drive down the field roads without lights. NO, not poaching just getting there in the AM before sunrise.

[Beck]

Speaking of Silverado pickups.

I better give a little more information for that light question I asked above. My truck is a 2000. Every year they come out with new gadgets. 99.9% of the time I think the auto on headlights are great.
Beck

[river1]

Speaking of Silverado pickups, Does anyone know an easy way to turn off the lights when you want them off at night.

what year silverado?

my 2004 you just turn the switch all the way to the left. to turn them back on turn it all the way to the right. after you turn it, either way, the spring loaded switch returns it to center(?) leaveing the light off or on depending the direction you turned it.

later jim

[Skip]

I wouldn't do it.  With the currents setup you have one or the other filament illuminated.  To do that you put 12 volts on one wire or the other and current flows through the filament to the ground lug.

If you try and light up both filaments, you'll overload the ground wire.  I don't know of any kit that has a ground wire sufficiently sized to handle the load for very long.

[rumrumm]

Thanks, Skip. If I want brighter lights,  I guess halogen is the answer. Thanks to everyone else who responded.

[DrJ]

Thanks, Skip. If I want brighter lights,  I guess halogen is the answer. Thanks to everyone else who responded.

Accurate aiming is essential.
THe brightest lights made won't light up the road for you if one is aimed at the gutter and the other is spotting owls in trees...