65 Hi-Beam wiring

[ideologist]

Hello, I am working on swapping out my original headlights for some modern brighter lights with headlamps and hi-beams in one sealed unit. Is there a diagram somewhere on how the hi-beam toggle works? I see the brights hang off the same pigtail as the headlamps, but I'm not sure what happens to toggle this from the switch.

Can you integrate that toggle into the same wires for a newer sealed beam unit?

Sorry if my phrasing is dumb, feel free to correct me

Thank you!
Patrick

 

[Davea Lux]

Hello, I am working on swapping out my original headlights for some modern brighter lights with headlamps and hi-beams in one sealed unit. Is there a diagram somewhere on how the hi-beam toggle works? I see the brights hang off the same pigtail as the headlamps, but I'm not sure what happens to toggle this from the switch.

Can you integrate that toggle into the same wires for a newer sealed beam unit?

Sorry if my phrasing is dumb, feel free to correct me

Thank you!
Patrick

The high beams are controlled from the foot switch on the floor, the dimmer switch. It is a two position switch that has one position for the high beam and one for the low beam. If you are using a sealed beam with a 3 prong connector, it will probably just be a plug in installation for the new headlights. A word of caution, some of the modern sealed beams draw a lot more amperage than the factory headlights and the factory wiring might not be up to the task. There are several posts on this site about converting to a relay system to activate the headlights. This allows the use of the factory headlight switch and dimmer switch wired thru a control relay with heavier wiring to accommodate the increased load for the after market headlights. www.mymopar.com has most of the service manuals for free down load and the FSM has detailed wiring diagrams for the factory wiring. Manuals are in the tools/reference section from their home page.

Dave

 

[ideologist]

I get the floor switch, but not how it functions since the red and black wires on the headlight carry over to the hi-beam. I'll find the manual and see what relay is up the line to govern that change.

 

[300rag]

... since the red and black wires on the headlight carry over to the hi-beam...

Correct. The black will be the ground, and the red will be the + feed for the high beam filament in the hi/low lamp, and the high beam lamp. The third wire only goes to the low beam filament.

 

[ideologist]

Correct. The black will be the ground, and the red will be the + feed for the high beam filament in the hi/low lamp, and the high beam lamp. The third wire only goes to the low beam filament.

On mine, white is the ground, it screws down onto the grill housing.

 

[300rag]

On mine, white is the ground, it screws down onto the grill housing.

This is what your wiring should look like as stock, colours may differ...

 

[Gerald Morris]

Correct. The black will be the ground, and the red will be the + feed for the high beam filament in the hi/low lamp, and the high beam lamp. The third wire only goes to the low beam filament.

Red is for Hi beam, black is for LOW BEAMS, with WHITE to ground o these mid-1960s harnesses. I kept that convention when circuiting relays and #10 AWG wire for my headlights, even though I'm runing ~50 yr old NOS sealed beam GE and Westinghouse bulbs respectively for high and low.

According to my 1966 FSM, a GREEN wire feeds into the dimmer switch, with the black and red convention leading out. I recommend getting the 1965 FSM to be sure of the wiring for that, but given the similarity in other matters between 1965-66 models, I suspect this too holds.

 

[commando1]

Hello, I am working on swapping out my original headlights for some modern brighter lights with headlamps and hi-beams in one sealed unit.

So, at night, running down the road, while on low beam, ALL FOUR lamps will be on?
And when you hit the the switch, ALL Four headlights will be on high beam? x2
Plus you make no mention of putting in relays? x3

As far as "upgrading" you're doing it wrong.

 

[RagTop66]

Hello, I am working on swapping out my original headlights for some modern brighter lights with headlamps and hi-beams in one sealed unit. Is there a diagram somewhere on how the hi-beam toggle works? I see the brights hang off the same pigtail as the headlamps, but I'm not sure what happens to toggle this from the switch.

Can you integrate that toggle into the same wires for a newer sealed beam unit?

Sorry if my phrasing is dumb, feel free to correct me

Thank you!
Patrick

I bought this set off of Amazon and it was completely “plug and play”. I took my old sealed beam headlights out and put these in and plugged them into my existing harness. Works great and it’s like I mounted the lights from a football field to the front of my car. Almost like driving in the daylight!

Octane Lighting 5-3/4 Crystal... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L45VCT7?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Wildaugust]

Hello, I am working on swapping out my original headlights for some modern brighter lights with headlamps and hi-beams in one sealed unit. Is there a diagram somewhere on how the hi-beam toggle works? I see the brights hang off the same pigtail as the headlamps, but I'm not sure what happens to toggle this from the switch.

Can you integrate that toggle into the same wires for a newer sealed beam unit?

Sorry if my phrasing is dumb, feel free to correct me

Thank you!
Patrick

If the newer lights are Hi/Lo in one unit, they should just have 3 prongs on the back, similar to the existing headlamps. I don't see why the car's existing circuit routing would need to be altered. However, you will most certainly need to use a Headlight Relay of some sort because of the increased current the "brighter" lights will draw. These relay harnesses can be purchased as "plug 'n' play", so you shouldn't have to cut your car's wiring.

As already mentioned by others, the floor mounted Beam switch "toggles" between the two circuits for high and low. The center wire/terminal of the switch is the common feed for both the High and Low. The little "High Beam" indicator light in the dash is also tied in to the high beam side of this circuit.

From personal experience, an increase of just 15 watts per bulb can cause problems in these old cars. Melted connectors, headlight switches blinking the headlights on and off because of overloaded internal circuit breakers, etc. Then, of course, there's the ammeter, the bulkhead connector and the rest of the charging circuit which can be a potential problem, if not upgraded for the increased current modern headlights draw. I'm not saying don't do it, but these are all things to consider.

 

[RagTop66]

If the newer lights are Hi/Lo in one unit, they should just have 3 prongs on the back, similar to the existing headlamps. I don't see why the car's existing circuit routing would need to be altered. However, you will most certainly need to use a Headlight Relay of some sort because of the increased current the "brighter" lights will draw. These relay harnesses can be purchased as "plug 'n' play", so you shouldn't have to cut your car's wiring.

As already mentioned by others, the floor mounted Beam switch "toggles" between the two circuits for high and low. The center wire/terminal of the switch is the common feed for both the High and Low. The little "High Beam" indicator light in the dash is also tied in to the high beam side of this circuit.

From personal experience, an increase of just 15 watts per bulb can cause problems in these old cars. Melted connectors, headlight switches blinking the headlights on and off because of overloaded internal circuit breakers, etc. Then, of course, there's the ammeter, the bulkhead connector and the rest of the charging circuit which can be a potential problem, if not upgraded for the increased current modern headlights draw. I'm not saying don't do it, but these are all things to consider.

From what I’ve read, they led lights draw much less than others. So far, no issues for me. Fingers crossed!

 

[Gerald Morris]

Hmmm, I smell burnt vinyl and cross linked polymers a coming here... A few Lemmas to consider:

1. LEDs indeed are the MOST EFFICIENT lighting source commercially available

2. CRapitalist marketeers and American consumers collaborate to indulge in the greatest EXCESSES technically available.

3. I've long searched for LOW WATTAGE LED HEADLIGHTS to little avail. The relative dearth of these finally convinced me to stick with the vintage incandescent bulbs I now stocked.

4. When wattage data for modern LED headlights is available, it consistently shows HIGH wattage. As per Lemma 2, modern american consumers now drive BLINDINGLY OVER-BRIGHT, DANGEROUS, OFFENSIVE BLUE SHIFTED HEADLIGHTS.

Ergo:

5. The Octane Lighting package linked to above shows no data on wattage, but the anecdotal report from the purchaser inclines me to suspect high current demand from high wattage LED bulbs, which will efficiently illuminate the highway in blue-white light, until joined by old fashioned yellow from THE FLAMES OF BURNING INSULATION BENEATH THE HOOD OF THE CAR THEY'VE BEEN INSTALLED ON!

I pray I'm WRONG on #5. I admit I shopped for low wattage LED headlights 2 years ago before committing to the NOS horde I now enjoy. I found only ONE vendor supplying low wattage H4 form factor bulbs meant for off road use only which I was sorely tempted to use anyway, given how many out of DOT spectrum spec LED monsters abound on american highways, blinding photophobic drivers like myself unless I equip myself with some night shades to protect my retinae.

I strongly advise all consumers of this and similar packages to MAKE SURE THE POWER RATING ON ANY LED PACKAGE IS NO HIGHER THAN SPEC! Hi/Lo spec was 50/35W back in 1965. I noted just now some 60W LED Hi beam stuff. I've seen as high as 80W online.... though I HOPE that stuff is gone now.

 

[saylor]

FOR SALE - Plug and play Headlight Relay Kits

heres a premade kit from crackedback. plug n play and proven.

or - go study crackedback and slant six dan and nacho wiring diagrams, then make one. i did and its posted here in this forum somewhere.

so heres the deal. right now stock all the juice for the headlights runs thru the dimmer switch and the main light switch. Antoher thing is the foot dimmer switch is always involved - theres power there all teh time you just flip it from high to low. all that, combined with tired *** wiring. OK all that, combined with tired *** wiring, thats undersized. stock. its the minimum spec AWG.

after 50 years these wires are melted, wore out, brittle, etc.

what you wanna do is take one of the existing headlight sockets and you will use that as the feed/control to relays you will add. You will then supply new h4 headlight sockets and new wiring of thicker/proper AWG spec.

When you turn on your headlights via the usual dash control, the old socket will receive power as normal. However this will no longer drive a headlamp (s), it will only be used to throw the relays you added. the relays will be tied directly to the battery, and allow you to provide full (FUSED) battery power to the headlamps, and you will never have yellow lights again. They will be as bright as much volts as your battery will give them. This removes the burden of the stock headlight and switch wire path from having to carry the entire load needed to drive your headlamps - now all its doing is throwin a relay, which takes WAY less power to do, as opposed to driving headlamps.

further, the electrical load on the floor dimmer is also minimized, as all it does now is fire the low, or high, relay, as chosen.

one of hte best upgrades ive done on my car to be sure.

all props to slant six dan, crackedback, and nachoRT


try not to die -

- saylor

 

[detmatt]

Go to page 63 of this thread.
My new `67 Imperial Crown Coupe!

 

[ideologist]

Go to page 63 of this thread.
My new `67 Imperial Crown Coupe!

Thanks I sent him an email.

 

[Gerald Morris]

I used the old wiring from mine to feed the relays I installed to good effect. The old incandescents DO shine better when given ample current ad voltage. I bought ceramic sockets and used #10 AWG wire for my harness, which more than suffices. The result is a flood of old fashioned DOT spec yellow centered light that doesn't cause headaches.