2nd Gen Ram Tech 1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.

Headlight Nightmare..... Did i burn up my dimmer switch?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #21  
Old 06-30-2024 | 06:55 AM
Moparite's Avatar
Moparite
Grand Champion
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,477
Likes: 403
Default

Why are you tapping the wires from the switch? You can tap off the wires at the headlight plug. Regardless of what is switched you can wire relays in there.
 
  #22  
Old 06-30-2024 | 05:04 PM
quadrunnerjake's Avatar
quadrunnerjake
Thread Starter
|
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by DerTruck
Because of the melting headlight switches on older models the headlights on 99+ are "ground switched". The pin on the bulb that is typically used for ground is powered directly from the PDC and the headlight/hi beam switches connect either filament to ground. Incandescent light bulbs don't care which way the current flows but aftermarket LED/HID do so that is one thing to consider. In stock form with the lights off you will measure battery power on all three headlight pins, that is because one pin gets power (see above) and the other two are just dangling unconnected. The filaments are very low resistance and a voltmeter places no load on a circuit so it just reads 12V on the other side of the filaments. Switching on either filament connects that side to ground (no voltage reading) but the other filament is still unconnected and still reads 12V.

Edit: I think I know where the confusion is coming from. What I wrote above is correct but the high beam indicator in the dash works the same way. Even with the headlight bulbs removed there will be 12V on the high beam side with high beams off just getting there a different way through the dash indicator light.
that is an interesting theory. my hi beam pin R/O is 11.4v always even with the truck off. VT/RD is 11.9v, when R/O grounds (hi beam active) it goes to .4v ground. which is the difference between R/O and VT/R. Also i checked to make sure that 11.4 isnt just stray voltage sitting in a cap or something acting like a cap, if i ground it out the voltage still stays.
3 VT/RD - 15 amp hot fuse from PDC

2- VT/WT - low beam wire to dimmer switch, then headlight switch, then to ground

1- RD/OR - high beam wire to dimmer switch, then to ground
 

Last edited by quadrunnerjake; 06-30-2024 at 05:08 PM.
  #23  
Old 06-30-2024 | 05:22 PM
quadrunnerjake's Avatar
quadrunnerjake
Thread Starter
|
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Moparite
Why are you tapping the wires from the switch? You can tap off the wires at the headlight plug. Regardless of what is switched you can wire relays in there.
im tapping at the plug.
 
  #24  
Old 06-30-2024 | 07:45 PM
DerTruck's Avatar
DerTruck
All Star
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 922
Likes: 104
Default

Originally Posted by quadrunnerjake

1- RD/OR - high beam wire to dimmer switch, then to ground
There is a splice in between the headlights and the beam selector switch (S106). See page 8W-50-6 in the FSM, the slice ties the wires from the headlights, the high beam indicator and optional equipment like fog lights, daytime running lights together. The headlight bulbs get power from the PDC through separate 15A fuses, the high beam indicator bulb gets power from the inside fuse panel, fuse 14. If you pull that fuse the red/orange wires at the headlights won't show voltage any longer.
 



Quick Reply: Headlight Nightmare..... Did i burn up my dimmer switch?



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:33 AM.