headlights relays

[Al Campbell]

Kartone,

The relay sockets are actually individual sockets that clip/slide together, I then bolted them to a simple tin bracket that mounts on the engine bay/wheel arch above the coil (LHS) with a couple of self tappers. The fuse socket is a four blade fuse socket.

Got the parts from Super-cheap, but can get them at just about any auto parts store, the price adds up so watch out for a sale.

I've used relays with integral fuses in the past, but found on high wattage globes that the fuse holder melts. High power high beam globes are exactly the sort of thing that will push these things to the limit.

Yes it is one relay per light, sort of. The light switch has four outputs, so each one drives a relay. But on the globe side I used dual filament low/high inserts, so there is actually four high beam filaments in total. Therefore each high beam relay supplies both a high beam only globe and the high beam filament in a dual function globe. No relays for the parking light globes. Is that confusing enough?

That pictured set-up is designed to plug into the existing harness, basically using the existing supply to the globes to trigger the relays. No need to cut any wires. I did pull the existing spade terminals out of the plastic sockets and slide them into new ones. Picks up the power from a wire down to the alternator output. Dual filament High/low beams and tar bubbler 100w high beams. Quiet frankly that's actually too bright in my dotage. I reckon for months after I did the conversion I'd laugh every time I turned on high beam.

AL.

[kartone]

Al, pardon my ignorance, dual filament low beams and tar bubbler 100w high beams ?
Can these bulbs be fitted into standard Carellos ?

[Al Campbell]

Kartone,

Sorry, I've just rabbited on. The Corellos take H1 single filament bulbs. Low beams in the outer and high in the inners.

I'd done the conversion where you cut open the old Corellos and glue a new semi-sealed inserts in the old reflector shells. For the outer lights, I used inserts which take H3 globes – dual filament high/low beams,  probably ADR says you use 60/55W globes, although you can buy 100/55 (55 watt low beam & 100W high beam). I used single H1 inserts for the high beam headlights, with 100W globes.  In your existing Corellos you could use a pair of H1 60W low beams and if you can find them a pair H1 130W high beam globes. But if you try that without relays you'll burn out your expensive ALFA steering column switch. I think ADR also says if you've got 4 headlights, than you should only have a single filament in each, plus 5w parkers.

Hence 4 relays, on high beam I'm supplying power to four high beam filaments, potentially 460 Watts.


AL.

[Cool Jesus]

probably ADR says you use 60/55W globes,

ADR's only regulate positioning, effective range and light colour for low and high beam lights. Parkers, tail, markers generally do have a max of 7 watts (usually 5 watts) and day running lights, fog lights have max wattage in the 20s.  Depending on build date, this will dictate which ADR's are relevant for your vehicle (ie '69 - '89, 2nd Ed ADR and '89 on 3rd Ed ADRs).

Here's NSW lighting standard attached and ADRs hyperlink...
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/design/index.aspx

Oh yeah, definately go with relays were ever you can. Having researched the wiring on my Alfetta rebuild, the wiring schematics for the '76 really was prehistoric compared to current or even 2000 and on vehicle wiring and electrics.

[Cool Jesus]

PS... I could have it all wrong about the wattage limits on headlights for pre '89 vehicles?? Last time I looked I had difficulty locating a standard for it as I'm toying with the idea of HID lighting on my Alfetta and its doesn't seem logical that I could concievably instal anti aircraft spotting lumination as long as I have them in the correct position. There is an indication that the headlamp isn't to glare or blind oncoming vehicles, but that seems to be an objective standard.

PSS... HELLA and other reputable brands have installation instructions for headlamps aswell involving relays which boulsters the info already supplied above. Personally I'd avoid relays with inbuilt fuses, the fuse should be as close to the power sorce as possible and if had and seen the all in one relays melt away - especially in high power usage set ups (though I have a feeling the relays I've seen weren't up to the power rating required)