How did a deer(s) introduce themselves?
Grand Champion
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 6
From: Meeker, CO
I've seen videos on YouTube, but the ones I've seen are of limited value because all they show is how brightly a wall near the vehicle is illuminated. You can get some idea of how dramatic the improvement is, but what really tells the story is sitting behind those lights at highway speed on an unlit road.
Banned Goober Smoocher
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 8,916
Likes: 1
Other than the difficulty of reaching in to the driver's side headlight, it was a cinch. And no hacking of the factory harness at all -- the kit just plugs into it on the driver's side for relay control.
Oh yeah: The kit comes with some punkass lookin' yellow sleeving more or less but not fully protecting the conductors. I hacked that crap off and replaced it with split flex conduit for better protection.
Oh yeah: The kit comes with some punkass lookin' yellow sleeving more or less but not fully protecting the conductors. I hacked that crap off and replaced it with split flex conduit for better protection.
Plugging into the driver's side headlight plug? Jebus! I just might have to do this thing!
What UU says is goooooooppel!!
Grand Champion
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 6
From: Meeker, CO
Back to the topic of suicidal Bambis: Coming back toward town just a bit ago we crossed paths with a forky. He was on the pavement with just his butt in the traffic lane, so I braked hard just in case he was no smarter than any other forky. Sure enough, he turned to run to the opposite side of the highway. I thought it best to motivate him to keep going and mashed the squishy part of the steering wheel, and the Nautilus made noise enough that Mister Muledeer wanted to get far away right away. If he'd been able to get traction, he'd be coming in for a landing somewhere in Wyoming right about now.
Hooray for keeping the grille intact. I'm going to add another horn soon, I think, for the benefit of any constipated deer who get too close to my bumper.
Hooray for keeping the grille intact. I'm going to add another horn soon, I think, for the benefit of any constipated deer who get too close to my bumper.
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Champion
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,891
Likes: 8
From: NorCal
The cute little 3-M headlight restoration kit costs around twenty bucks and works well. My lenses look good as new, anyway. With that, the PIAA Xtreme White Plus bulbs, and a relay kit behind all of that, I'm very happy with how well the headlights work. I was happy without the relay kit, but it makes an appreciable difference and now I wouldn't want to be without it. But then, living where I do it makes sense to be as freaky as I am about good headlights.
And I don't want to see my forum friends posting up photos of their caved in trucks so I'm a bit too noisy about it, I guess.
And I don't want to see my forum friends posting up photos of their caved in trucks so I'm a bit too noisy about it, I guess.
all the fuses, switches and connections on top of thin gauge wire can cause a voltage drop between the battery and the headlight. the voltage drop is enough that if you were run a positive wire from the battery to the light you could see the difference. plus if you have read as many threads about light switches/dimmer switches failing and headlight wiring frying on those second gens and some first gens you would want to install them. they don't really cost that much. you can buy a kit for about $30 or make your own if you are good with wiring.
now a pic of 1 of my backup lights on relays. can you tell which one it is?
now a pic of 1 of my backup lights on relays. can you tell which one it is?
I wanted to highlight this input again in conjunction to a recent headlight test shoot out talking about the same configuration.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/usmcdoc/lights/index.php
Edit added this content from the article:
Winner of the biggest improvement you can make to your lighting for under $100 that was not shown here but you should know:
Make or buy a stand alone harness that runs directly off the battery and uses the factory light wires/plug to trip the new relays. Make sure it is well made and has diodes and capacitors to prevent relay flutter. There are a few vendors out there who make them or they are not hard to do yourself.
Plain and simple, drawing the power from the battery instead of the factory wiring makes a huge difference in voltage drop and brightness. Also this is one way to get rid of the flicker for LEDs and some HIDs.
Make or buy a stand alone harness that runs directly off the battery and uses the factory light wires/plug to trip the new relays. Make sure it is well made and has diodes and capacitors to prevent relay flutter. There are a few vendors out there who make them or they are not hard to do yourself.
Plain and simple, drawing the power from the battery instead of the factory wiring makes a huge difference in voltage drop and brightness. Also this is one way to get rid of the flicker for LEDs and some HIDs.
Last edited by Wh1t3NuKle; Dec 5, 2012 at 07:28 PM.
Legend
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,025
Likes: 72
From: orangeville ontario
that is a lot of reading for not a lot of reward. he mentions nothing about relays. he does mention something about some wiring harness that he has to modify to work with some of the lights.
my relay setups only cost me $10 but if i had to pay for the wire it would have cost more. bought a power distribution center at the junkyard for $10 and it had about 12 or so relays in it.
my relay setups only cost me $10 but if i had to pay for the wire it would have cost more. bought a power distribution center at the junkyard for $10 and it had about 12 or so relays in it.
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Champion
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,891
Likes: 8
From: NorCal
To each their own. I added to the post above probably what I should have. He did the work with several sets of lights that span halogen, HID, and LED. Tons of reward in it for people looking for those comparisons. Are they for the Dodge's here? Not the specific lights, however, the principles are applicable to all vehicles are most. Take what you will from it and really people would like to know about adding relays, whether it be purchased kits or piecing together.