ozzy

After reading Tim-H's thread (http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/showthread.php?t=253509) I metered my own lamps and found almost a 4v drop.

I've already install some upgraded earth cables, but I've no idea where to start with changing the headlamp wires.

Can anyone provide some wiring diagrams of the headlamps for a UK MY99/00?

Can someone explain (in lay man's terms) what part of the wiring is actually upgraded and I'm assuming it doesn't affect the existing wiring from the steering column stocks that turn the lights on/off.

Stefan

ozzy

OK, found this wiring diagram - http://www.ravensblade-impreza.com/m...ingdiagram.pdf

Let's see if I can get my head around it.

stebed

ok, I did this on a Golf I used to own and is quite simple really. All you need to do is put relays into your lighting circuit. On the golf i did which had twin filament headlamp bulbs was buy 2 relay, some decent quality wire, I think 25amp, but check that, and some connector blocks that plug on the headlamp bulbs. So for example for the high beam you find at the bulb with a meter which wire supplies the power for high beam, that then becomes your switch wire to the relay, you then give the relay an earth feed and a power feed straight from the battery but use a fuse inline. The accesory terminal on the relay goes to your new bulb connector, and if it is a single filament bulb the holder will require an earth, or if it is a twin filament bulb, you will need to do the same with another relay for the low beam. On my golf I then upgraded to 100/80 bulbs without the worry of melting the headlamp switch. This is quite simple to do but I wouldn't atempt it if it's your first try a auto electrics.

Hope this helps, also search the forum for topics on relaying headlamps. Also I am not sure how high you can go with increased bulb wattage before lenses start to melt!!

ozzy

Thanks, I'm beginning to understand things.

I'm wanting to see if upgrading the wiring has direct effect on my current lamps. When I metered the battery -> alternator I get 14v, but from battery to lamp, it's around 10.23v.

Obviuosly a lamp designed to operate on at least 12v isn't going to look too bright at 10v.

If the improvement is as good as I hope for, I'll then contemplate fitting some better lamps (without increasing the wattage).

Stefan

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

It's as easy as stebed says.

On the relays, the terminals are numbered.
Make sure you have on/off, four or better still, 5 terminal relays, and personally, I like the ones with a a fuse on top.
Wiring is then as follows:
Terminal 30: FROM battery via fuse if none on relay. Thick wire.

Terminal 87: TO headlight bulb, main beam or dip beam.

Terminal 85: FROM headlight main beam or dip beam old wiring connector...the one you pulled off the buklb in the first place.

Terminal 86: To a suitable earth, back to battery.

DON'T forget to run thick cables to earth FROM the headlight bulb earth too.

Alcazar

ozzy

I'll document everything I'm doing and add it all to my website once it's finished.

I'll have a quick look over the wiring this weekend.

Thanks for all the info,

Stefan

H100VW

Hi fellas. Excuse me jumping in on your thread.

I make an uprated loom for headlights. I have sold plenty to the VW community over the last 6 years or so. One of the lads on the Corrado forum said you were suffering from bad lights. I could easily adapt my VW looms to suit a Subaru.

The only thing I'd need is a guinea pig to get the lengths of the wires right. I saw some pics and it looks like you are using H4 bulbs, which is easy to attach to.

The main issue really is the location of the battery. It is several years since I was under the bonnet of a mates STI and I cannot remember where it is.

Anyone in the NW who would be interested, I would be willing to do a discount on the protoype. I charge £50 for the looms to the VW crowd and a similar price would be likely, to do one for a Subaru. That is a delivered price!

Cheers

Gavin

There is a feedback thread here if anyone wants to have a read up about me. H100VW.
http://the-corrado.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=557

ozzy

Jump away m8. Here's a pic of a MY99/00 UK engine bay. You can see the battery on the far right and the fuse box (black) just above that. Lamps are indeed H4's and most people run the cables along the front just above the rad.



I'm in Edinburgh, otherwise I'd offer up my car as a donor.

Stefan

H100VW

ozzy, thanks for that picture. Very useful. It looks like a Golf loom would go straight in there. Just need the donor to make the wires just right. Being from Yorkshire it wouldn't do to waste any wire!!

Gavin

ozzy

Well as a Scotsman, I can relate to that

ozzy

I know this diagram is for the UK300 lights, but is the theory the same for std MY99/00 headlamps?



Stefan

H100VW

They way I do my looms you only need 2 relays. One each for dip and main beam. I don't see the need for the Power Relay. Unless you have shares in a relay company.

Gavin

ozzy

Yeah, I wondered that myself since most of the circuits I've seen just use the two.

Think I've got my head around the basics, so I'll post up my own diagram for some scrutiny.

Stefan

Tim-H

My Reason`s for useing 3 relays are, 150 watt a side on main beam approx 10a per lamp, I like to "double rate" relays and fuse`s as it makes a difference to the voltage drop accross them, and I have found in the past that they will stick , so 2 for main 1 for dip, this also gives a perminant spare if one fails (you can drive home better with dip and one main,) 2 relays would be far better than standard though,
H100, I have done a few golf ones, you will need about 6 inches extra on the o/s but the battery and everything else would be the same places, you will have to run the relay earths to the h/l plug as the japs switch to earth not live,also run lamp earths back to battery, I made an alloy plate up to sit the relays behind the battery, bit tight but dry, solder all connections for best results (and reliability)
I looked at doing a few kits after the response on the thread but after finding they would have to be about 120 quid useing nice kit all soldered , plug it in, in 10 mins, sell ten in a resonable time, it didn`t seem worth while :-)
Have a good one
Tim

ozzy

Tim,

Thanks for the info.

Does your circuit reflect the 3-relay one above or is that different due to the UK300 lamps?

Where did you buy connectors for the H4 lamps and can you buy a connector that allows you to connect to the existing wiring loom (for the low/high beam triggers) without have to cut anything?

Stefan

H100VW

I get my gear from www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk. I use 40A relays and I have seen them cope OK with 100/160 bulbs. I don't solder the connections. Vibration can cause the wires to fracture where the solder finishes, as there is no flex.

I use male blades to connect to the original headlight plug, for the triggers. No need to cut any wiring and in an emergency you can reconnect the original wiring (assuming your bulbs are not too big).

Gavin

ozzy

Thanks. I've dealt with Vehicle Wiring before when I fitted a grounding kit and my gauges.

Stefan

Tim-H

VWP are good ,I use LSUK as their is a branch 5 miles up the road, I dissagree about soldering, done properly it reduces voltage drop significantly for the life of the loom, finised with a bit of heat shrink it is less likley to fatigue as the the solder spreads slowly up the cable giveing a larger more gentle transiton from "stiff" to flexable cable , I also try to clip close to the connection to minimise vibration,
to connect to th h/l plug i use male spade tags in h/l plugs , also by running the relay earths to the trigger plug it makes it universal to all h/l wiring setups eg switched live or earth systems it also makes it fittable in 10 mins by anyone with a 10 mm spanner and the use of one hand ,
what type fues holders are you useing for 40 a ?
Have a good one
Tim

ozzy

Updated circuit



Stefan

Tim-H

Yep that is it , I fit fuses inbetween each relay and bat aswell but apart from that it is identical
Have a good one
Tim

ozzy

cool

Sorry, I knew I forgot to show something on the diagram. I'll modify it to avoid any confusion.

How thick a cable do you guys use. I looked on the VWP site and would their 4mm (39amp) or 6mm (50amp) Thinwall cable be up to the job?

Cheers,

Stefan

H100VW

Tim,
The reason I don't solder the connections is, being in the aircraft industry where soldering is practically a complete no-no. It is like a religous thing.

Providing you do not place the relays in direct line of sight of the grille, the connections will remain dry. Again this will reduce the chance of corrosion.

I use standard blade fuses rated at 20A usually, but 30A for the main beam line in Corrados, as they have the spots to power too. I have not had a call back for the fuse holders since I started making the VW looms.

I use 40A relays which can handle the best part of 500W. The 20A fuse means that the overkeen punter cannot set fire to anything, in theory!

Cheers

Gavin

H100VW

Stefan, I use the 2mm thinwall. <Touches wood> No one has melted one yet. If you use 4mm it'll make it harder to crimp the terminals on for the headlight plugs and under the relay bases.

That cable is rated at 25A and doesn't expire at 25.000001A. I buy everything in 100M rolls. There is no harm, like Tim says, using larger cable but in this cost is everything world, it would push the cost up. Definately a Yorkshire/Scottish problem with that!!

That 50A stuff would be enough for over 600W, you might end up with complaints from the CAA and aircraft following you down the back roads.

I think you are plenty safe with the 25A and if you have some really big bulbs, double up the power line to the main beam relay.

Gavin

ozzy

Half of me is Czech, so I'm not adverse to spending some money if it does a good job

H100VW

ozzy, pmd you.
Gavin

Tim-H

Ozzy, 4 mm thinwall will be fine, although I would use some decent outer covering like armourflex as the thinwall can be a little fragile in its insulation,

H100VW, You surprise me about aircraft although with the amount of connections I wouldn`t want the soldering job at any money :-)
I have worked on compotition cars for over 20 yr`s now and always solder everything, never seen a broken one yet, I am doing a WRC focus at the mo, the bloke also owns a vauxhall firenza that I worked on 18 yr`s ago, still got my original work going strong :-)
It is not so much a corrosion issue cause a bit of silcon grease will see to that , it`s the voltage drop , take any crimped conection, load it up and stick your meter accross it , you will see a v,drop, only small but it`s a v,drop which also gets worse with age, the point of my conversion is to get rid of as much v,drop as poss,
I also go for three relays with 30a fuse`s cause a fuse is particularly bad at causing v,drop the bigger rated it is the less drop. maxi blade fuses are better than the standard ones,
Have you still got a VW ? I used to have a golf 16v turbo and my bro has just done a 20v t rallye, interesting toy that one :-)
Have a good one
Tim

WagonRich

Any cable rated at 10amps+ will be sufficient to supply the main beam circuit on legal headlamps

Rich

WagonRich

That's 10amps per headlamp btw....

Rich

H100VW

Tim, I have had plenty of 'performance' VWs. The latest is a Golf GTI G60. Like your brothers started out. But with 2wd and slim wings. I like my track days and sticking it up more expensive and usually badly driven stuff. I fancy doing a 20V turbo though. I know of a few nearby Warrington.

Would a competition car not be less prone to problems due to the more intense 'servicing' it would receive?

Can you imagine the mileage/running time a jet engine does. Potentially some of them could spend 10 years on the wing with little more than an odd oil change. (Tornados excepted. 10 mins would be a luxury sometimes! For Zak when he checks this thread again. )The wiring has to survive with less Maintenance than that. Soldering would definately become a liability.

I often see adverts in Flight magazine from Formula One teams, looking for avionics people like myself. They use lots of Mil Spec plugs etc, as you maybe do, but using the tools and cabling that go with them, is not a mainstream mechanic kind of skill. I often fancied getting out of aircraft for that but you would be married to the job. Money not so good either.

Later

Gavin

ozzy

OK, another question.

Where the heck is the OE connector with the Lo/Hi triggers? Is there just one or two seperate connectors for each lamp?

Stefan