Relay kit for headlights

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candymancan
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Relay kit for headlights

Post by candymancan »

Was thinking of adding relays to my headlights. This is a kit i found and a video for it. Seems easy enough, am i understanding this video correctly and that you cut the low beam trigger wire on the head lights and route it directly to the relay and power from battery to the relay and ground to the chassis, and same with the high beam on the headlight. Im assuming the 3 wires out of the back of the headlight are the low/high beam trigger wires that wire directly to the switch on the dash in the cabin right ?. What about the ground wire on the headlight, do i cut it and route it directly to the chassis or is the ground already routed to the chassis on the 90

Only thing i dont like about this kit is it has no fuse. Are there better kits that anyone knows of that has a fuse included. I know i can buy an inline fuse but for $60 youd figure it should come with it. Assuming i do buy this kit, what size fuse should i use ?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aww- ... QeEALw_wcB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcY2CG07wi0
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)

Topic author
candymancan
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by candymancan »

Oh and if i were to upgrade the headlights themselves from the sealed incandescent beams to H4's, which ones do you think look the best. I know there are brand like Hella and so forth but some of the lenses kinda make a wagoneer look silly to me
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)
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dodgerammit
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by dodgerammit »

Pretty much you do use the existing wires for triggers. Serehill used an adapter plug that simply plugs into the passenger side headlight plug. https://www.hipoparts.com/plastic-male- ... und-lamps/You leave the factory harness intact this way if you ever desire to go back stock and sell it and keep the relay system. He also used a 30 amp resettable breaker between the battery and the relays. No fuses this way, yet the system is protected. Just remove the grille and route the harness.
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD

will e
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by will e »

I would use one of the relays and brackets you show from your other thread and just do it yourself. Add an inline fuse or circuit breaker. If you plan on adding a lot of new circuits then get a fuse block. Makes for a clean installation. This is marine grade made by a company called "Blue Sea". I like their stuff:


Image
Last edited by will e on Fri Nov 24, 2017 9:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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tgreese
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by tgreese »

Yep, do it yourself. Not difficult. Lots of previous discussion if you search.

Image

10 ga wire from the starter solenoid to a circuit breaker. Seen here is a red plastic weatherproof cover for the breaker, avaiable from Del City or on Amazon. From the breaker, 10 ga wire in plastic loom goes across the firewall.

Image

A relay for high and low beams each feed both headlight bulbs. These are the relay sockets and waterproof relays from Parts Express. You use the headlight switch to power the relay coils, and the relay contacts to power the lights via the 10 ga wire. I kept the existing grounds. If you upgraded the grounds it would have an effect, likely undetectably minor.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
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Topic author
candymancan
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by candymancan »

Thanks guys. I do like that fuse box.. I have 2 inline fuses already under hood. If i add a fuse vs a circuit breaker then itll be 3. So maybe a fuse box would be something i should look into
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)

rocklaurence
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by rocklaurence »

Check under Vendors. There's a member here that provides a kit for the FSj

weeegoneeer
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by weeegoneeer »

Now that Serehill has passed, there is a setup that looks remarkably similar, in that the factory wiring is used for a control circuit on relays, and the relays provide direct power to the headlamps.

http://stores.zmjeeps.com/headlight-har ... onversion/

ZM seems incredibly spendy though for this application. I'd just start by finding the (ceramic) connectors & relays & make your own, it's probably $50 in parts max.
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dodgerammit
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by dodgerammit »

candymancan wrote:Thanks guys. I do like that fuse box.. I have 2 inline fuses already under hood. If i add a fuse vs a circuit breaker then itll be 3. So maybe a fuse box would be something i should look into
Check your local pick and pull for late 90s LR Discoverys. They have an impressive underhood box with slow blow j case and reg fuses. Usually about $8
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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dodgerammit
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by dodgerammit »

rocklaurence wrote:Check under Vendors. There's a member here that provides a kit for the FSj
Rick passed away a couple months back. :(
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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dodgerammit
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by dodgerammit »

weeegoneeer wrote:Now that Serehill has passed, there is a setup that looks remarkably similar, in that the factory wiring is used for a control circuit on relays, and the relays provide direct power to the headlamps.

http://stores.zmjeeps.com/headlight-har ... onversion/

ZM seems incredibly spendy though for this application. I'd just start by finding the (ceramic) connectors & relays & make your own, it's probably $50 in parts max.
Yeah, Rick only charged $55 for his with ceramic connectors. Worst part of the install was removing the grill to route the harness.
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD

Topic author
candymancan
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:32 pm

Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by candymancan »

Cant you just pull the pins on the grill to do that vs removing the whole thing ?.

Yea that 150$ ZM harness they are nuts.. Ill just spend 60$ and get the kit i found. and just add a fuse or something to it. 60$ i guess isnt too bad so i dont have spend time making my own.
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)
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tgreese
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by tgreese »

The ceramic sockets are a nice touch, but I run the street legal H4 bulbs with the factory sockets with no problem. The H4 replacements - DOT or e-code - are supposed to be plug-compatible with the original bulbs. The wires to the headlights run right down the inner fender inside the plastic loom where I located my relays. Cut two wires and splice in, and you are done. Upgrading the wiring from the relays to the bulbs would make a difference, but considering the lengths of those wires, it's going to be a negligible difference. Just splice in to the existing harness and get it done.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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dodgerammit
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by dodgerammit »

candymancan wrote:Cant you just pull the pins on the grill to do that vs removing the whole thing ?.
I don't know how the 86 up are, but my 84 is a one piece unbolt job. Not bad. Less than 5 minutes and it is off.
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD

Topic author
candymancan
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:32 pm

Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by candymancan »

I havent taken my grill off. havent had the need too. but on the 86 plus. there are little pins in the grill assembly you can pill out with needle nose pliers. and you can take thr center section of the grill out.. while leaving the main assembly on
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)

dbabicky
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Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:20 pm

Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by dbabicky »

I got my headlight relay kits from LMC for about $30. I know they are made for the Chevy trucks, but they work really well on my 1975 J-10, my1998 Wrangler, my 97 Cherokee, ect. Go n LMC's website and take a look at them. They sell the relay harness's for 2 an d 4 headlight systems for around $30.
I also reun the Hella H-4 headlights. Wow what a difference. I noticed an incredible difference just by installing the relay harness with the Sylvania sealed beams, but the H-4's add even more.

MGoins
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by MGoins »

dbabicky wrote:I got my headlight relay kits from LMC for about $30. I know they are made for the Chevy trucks, but they work really well on my 1975 J-10, my1998 Wrangler, my 97 Cherokee, ect. Go n LMC's website and take a look at them. They sell the relay harness's for 2 an d 4 headlight systems for around $30.
I also reun the Hella H-4 headlights. Wow what a difference. I noticed an incredible difference just by installing the relay harness with the Sylvania sealed beams, but the H-4's add even more.
Sweet find thanks for the tip and cheap too

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ghcoe
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by ghcoe »

I have not installed one yet, but I am usually pretty happy with items I get from Aliexpress. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Car-12V ... eLevelAB=0
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nograin
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Re: Relay kit for headlights

Post by nograin »

For anyone interested in the details of Serehill's headlight relay kit, I've posted them up as photos here:
http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=184659
You shouldn't need to join to see the photos - they're on flckr!

There's definately different ways to do it.
... Rick only charged $55 for his with ceramic connectors
I think there were several factors here, including that it was a hobby endevour for him - helping people out. I think he also saved costs other places where he thought it was OK. Many appreciated that. Others may disagree. I'm more of an overbuild guy. To each their own.
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