Seal beam headlites.

Catfish-65

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2015
Messages
111
Reaction score
71
Location
Taber Alberta Canada
This may seem like an odd question but, If I put a hot wire to one prong and a ground wire to the other prong on a seal beem it should turn on , If I,m in error please set me straight.I,m getting power at the head lights but no lights. on all 4 lights,, Scratching my head for sure,, Help appreciated,, 65 Polara Thanks Dave
 
Use you continuity function on a voltmeter to test the headlight. If it reads open, the filament is bad. Otherwise, you have a circuit or grounding issue.

Dave
 
Check the continuity of the bulb with a multi-meter - if the filiment is gone, it won't read on the multi-meter. Also, make sure you're connecting to the correct ground tab - there's two filiment tabs in a low beam headlight bulb and a ground tab. Nothing will occur or read if you're going across the filiment tabs and not the ground.
 
Ground wire for the headlights is typically screwed to the rad core support between the rad and battery.
Check its condition and clean its contact surface if needed.
Now is the time to upgrade the headlights with a plug n play harness and relays.
I also upgraded the incandescant bulbs to Hella housings with H4 and H1 replaceable bulbs. They do look stock but very bright!!
Heavy Duty Wire Harness & Relay
20200524_182023.jpg

20200524_182017.jpg
20200526_210225.jpg

20200614_164436.jpg
 
Last edited:
Ground wire for the headlights is typically screwed to the rad core support between the rad and battery.
Check its condition and clean its contact surface if needed.
Now is the time to upgrade the headlights with a plug n play harness and relays.
I also upgraded the incandescant bulbs to Hella housings with H4 and H1 replaceable bulbs. They do look stock but very bright!!
Heavy Duty Wire Harness & Relay
View attachment 483564
View attachment 483565View attachment 483566
View attachment 483567

Ah, how folks love to use that little spot beside the battery for the Hi-beam & Lo-beam Bosch-clone relays. Just what I did too. I was so happy with the better current I got that I just run 50 yr old 400x headlights. They do VERY nicely with adequate power available!
 
Hello All. I see the picture of that “oh so popular” Putco harness and as it turns out I tried installing mine in my 1969 300 vert with hidden headlights last night. I unplugged the cars original wiring harness from the drivers side outside bulb and plugged it into the new Putco harness. I replaced the 2 original outside lamps with the Hella H4 conversion bulbs and then plugged the harness into the new bulbs as well as connecting the black wire with the 1/4" ring terminals coming out of those harness plugs to body grounds. When I went to replace the inner bulbs with the new H1 conversion bulbs I noticed that the blades coming out of the Hellas were offset to each other (the male spade of the bulb is perpendicular to the male spade that is part of the housing - see picture) so I left the original bulbs in place for the time being (would love someones response to this predicament as well). I then connected the 2 red wires with the ring terminals to the battery and plugged the harness into the relays. Should be all set right? Well, its not working the way id hope. As soon as I turned the ignition key "on" the headlight doors flipped open (but no lights came on). I flip the headlight switch up one and the parking lights come on (like they should) but then when I go and flip the switch up to get the headlights to come on (like they had always done before I installed the relay and new headlights) nothing happens. I reverse my process and flip the headlight switch down one and nothing happens... flip it down again and the parking lights go out (like they should), then turn the key off and remove it and the doors stay in the open position. Not sure whats NOT going on here but I thought for sure after reading all of the posts on this harness that it was a simple upgrade to get me better lights. I sure hope someone can solve this problem for me especially with what the deal is with the offset male spades coming from the H1 bulbs which is preventing me from using them because the original wiring harness of the car has a female plug with 2 parallel female spade connectors. The new H1 bulbs DID come with some short 5" or so wires each with one male and one female spade end on them. Thanks in advance to those that can help.

407061A9-C7B4-41B0-9C17-B0EDA377EEF3.jpeg
 
Hello All. I see the picture of that “oh so popular” Putco harness and as it turns out I tried installing mine in my 1969 300 vert with hidden headlights last night. I unplugged the cars original wiring harness from the drivers side outside bulb and plugged it into the new Putco harness. I replaced the 2 original outside lamps with the Hella H4 conversion bulbs and then plugged the harness into the new bulbs as well as connecting the black wire with the 1/4" ring terminals coming out of those harness plugs to body grounds. When I went to replace the inner bulbs with the new H1 conversion bulbs I noticed that the blades coming out of the Hellas were offset to each other (the male spade of the bulb is perpendicular to the male spade that is part of the housing - see picture) so I left the original bulbs in place for the time being (would love someones response to this predicament as well). I then connected the 2 red wires with the ring terminals to the battery and plugged the harness into the relays. Should be all set right? Well, its not working the way id hope. As soon as I turned the ignition key "on" the headlight doors flipped open (but no lights came on). I flip the headlight switch up one and the parking lights come on (like they should) but then when I go and flip the switch up to get the headlights to come on (like they had always done before I installed the relay and new headlights) nothing happens. I reverse my process and flip the headlight switch down one and nothing happens... flip it down again and the parking lights go out (like they should), then turn the key off and remove it and the doors stay in the open position. Not sure whats NOT going on here but I thought for sure after reading all of the posts on this harness that it was a simple upgrade to get me better lights. I sure hope someone can solve this problem for me especially with what the deal is with the offset male spades coming from the H1 bulbs which is preventing me from using them because the original wiring harness of the car has a female plug with 2 parallel female spade connectors. The new H1 bulbs DID come with some short 5" or so wires each with one male and one female spade end on them. Thanks in advance to those that can help.

View attachment 485107
See post #3 on how to solve your headlight door issue.
Headlight Relays with Hidden Headlights
 
I can’t seem to remember where the ‘follow this thread’ button is so I am just posting this to stay updated. Upgrading my headlights is making its way up the priority list for my ‘68 300.
 
@cbarge can answer this for you.

My Putco conversions work perfectly.
Hello, does your vehicle have the hidden headlight doors? If not, I’m wondering if that has something to do with it because like I wrote, the lights don’t even work. I have followed the instructions (not that it’s rocket science) and nothing works.
 
Hello, does your vehicle have the hidden headlight doors? If not, I’m wondering if that has something to do with it because like I wrote, the lights don’t even work. I have followed the instructions (not that it’s rocket science) and nothing works.
My cars dont have headlamp doors.
Follow the link Big John provided.
Using the harness does play games with rhe doors.
I was not aware of it but thankfully there is a solution.
Cheers
 
Hello All. I see the picture of that “oh so popular” Putco harness and as it turns out I tried installing mine in my 1969 300 vert with hidden headlights last night. I unplugged the cars original wiring harness from the drivers side outside bulb and plugged it into the new Putco harness. I replaced the 2 original outside lamps with the Hella H4 conversion bulbs and then plugged the harness into the new bulbs as well as connecting the black wire with the 1/4" ring terminals coming out of those harness plugs to body grounds. When I went to replace the inner bulbs with the new H1 conversion bulbs I noticed that the blades coming out of the Hellas were offset to each other (the male spade of the bulb is perpendicular to the male spade that is part of the housing - see picture) so I left the original bulbs in place for the time being (would love someones response to this predicament as well). I then connected the 2 red wires with the ring terminals to the battery and plugged the harness into the relays. Should be all set right? Well, its not working the way id hope. As soon as I turned the ignition key "on" the headlight doors flipped open (but no lights came on). I flip the headlight switch up one and the parking lights come on (like they should) but then when I go and flip the switch up to get the headlights to come on (like they had always done before I installed the relay and new headlights) nothing happens. I reverse my process and flip the headlight switch down one and nothing happens... flip it down again and the parking lights go out (like they should), then turn the key off and remove it and the doors stay in the open position. Not sure whats NOT going on here but I thought for sure after reading all of the posts on this harness that it was a simple upgrade to get me better lights. I sure hope someone can solve this problem for me especially with what the deal is with the offset male spades coming from the H1 bulbs which is preventing me from using them because the original wiring harness of the car has a female plug with 2 parallel female spade connectors. The new H1 bulbs DID come with some short 5" or so wires each with one male and one female spade end on them. Thanks in advance to those that can help.

View attachment 485107

You've got a lot going on there.

The bulb you are using is obviously not a sealed beam, and frankly, I've never seen that type of connector setup. Since you must have taken conventional sealed beams out, I'd hook it all back up with them and get the bugs out of the relay harness first.

So, I would unplug the headlight doors at the motor and try the harness with the old bulbs first. Then figure out what works and what doesn't work.

It wouldn't surprise me if you have a bad relay. I'm not a fan of the clone relays that the Putco harness has, so I'm always suspect of them. I know some of the guys here have had good luck with them, but I always push to use original Bosch/Tyco relays.

Concerning the bulbs, looking at the Hella website, their sealed beam conversion bulbs don't look like this. What exactly are they?

My Hella Lights :: Vision Plus 5¾" Conversion Headlamp
 
You've got a lot going on there.

The bulb you are using is obviously not a sealed beam, and frankly, I've never seen that type of connector setup. Since you must have taken conventional sealed beams out, I'd hook it all back up with them and get the bugs out of the relay harness first.

So, I would unplug the headlight doors at the motor and try the harness with the old bulbs first. Then figure out what works and what doesn't work.

It wouldn't surprise me if you have a bad relay. I'm not a fan of the clone relays that the Putco harness has, so I'm always suspect of them. I know some of the guys here have had good luck with them, but I always push to use original Bosch/Tyco relays.

Concerning the bulbs, looking at the Hella website, their sealed beam conversion bulbs don't look like this. What exactly are they?

My Hella Lights :: Vision Plus 5¾" Conversion Headlamp
Hey there, thanks for the input. This weekend I will try hooking up the original headlights with the new Putco harness without connecting the door motor wires. As far as the bulbs go, the part numbers match up to the numbers in the link you have provided (see attached pictures of the boxes I have). True they are not “conventional sealed beams” but I do not believe the replacement Hellas are... are they not the housings with replaceable halogen bulbs? The hi/low bulbs have the proper 3 prong connectors but the hi beams have the 2 perpendicular male spades. Did they send me an incorrect bulb? Did anyone else out there order the same kit as I did and receive a hi beam bulb that DOES fit the connector with the 2 parallel male spade connectors? Not that that’s where my issue is because the Putco harness doesn’t even connect to the hi beam bulbs.

55193276-9E3E-4FF6-A5B4-52CD80C4116E.jpeg


BFA934A9-4842-4101-A20C-71953C92EBD9.jpeg
 
So I just got back in from my garage because I couldn’t sleep without trying again. I found one issue which was I was using bad grounds for both of the black wires with ring terminals that come from the new harnesses 3-prong connector which plugs into the bulbs (using old sealed beams like big john suggested). That being said now the issue is that when I turn my ignition key on, the hi/low beams come on... this is WITHOUT turning the headlight switch on. Mind you that with all original wiring and original bulbs, the functionality of my headlight system worked perfectly... lights came on when they should, doors opened when they should, and everything turned off and closed when they should. With only turning the ignition switch on, the parking lights stayed off but the headlights came on and the doors popped open. Hitting the headlight switch up one turned on my parking lights as they should have. Hitting the headlight switch up again had no effect... headlights and parking lights still on. Shutting the headlight switch all the way off only turned off the parking lights. Turning the ignition off with the key turned off the headlights but the doors remained open. I get that there something I haven’t done yet that will probably solve the door issue but now my obvious concern is the headlights coming on when the switch is in the off position. Could this be an issue with the relays like people have previously stated? Seems as now that the system is grounded properly that the relays ARE functioning so..... thanks again everyone!!!
 
Hello All. I see the picture of that “oh so popular” Putco harness and as it turns out I tried installing mine in my 1969 300 vert with hidden headlights last night. I unplugged the cars original wiring harness from the drivers side outside bulb and plugged it into the new Putco harness. I replaced the 2 original outside lamps with the Hella H4 conversion bulbs and then plugged the harness into the new bulbs as well as connecting the black wire with the 1/4" ring terminals coming out of those harness plugs to body grounds. When I went to replace the inner bulbs with the new H1 conversion bulbs I noticed that the blades coming out of the Hellas were offset to each other (the male spade of the bulb is perpendicular to the male spade that is part of the housing - see picture) so I left the original bulbs in place for the time being (would love someones response to this predicament as well). I then connected the 2 red wires with the ring terminals to the battery and plugged the harness into the relays. Should be all set right? Well, its not working the way id hope. As soon as I turned the ignition key "on" the headlight doors flipped open (but no lights came on). I flip the headlight switch up one and the parking lights come on (like they should) but then when I go and flip the switch up to get the headlights to come on (like they had always done before I installed the relay and new headlights) nothing happens. I reverse my process and flip the headlight switch down one and nothing happens... flip it down again and the parking lights go out (like they should), then turn the key off and remove it and the doors stay in the open position. Not sure whats NOT going on here but I thought for sure after reading all of the posts on this harness that it was a simple upgrade to get me better lights. I sure hope someone can solve this problem for me especially with what the deal is with the offset male spades coming from the H1 bulbs which is preventing me from using them because the original wiring harness of the car has a female plug with 2 parallel female spade connectors. The new H1 bulbs DID come with some short 5" or so wires each with one male and one female spade end on them. Thanks in advance to those that can help.

View attachment 485107
I just bought a new set of lights and I am facing the same problem that the original harness doesnt fit so no plug´n play. Have you solved the plug issue and find one that fits the offset setup on the H1? Do your plug fit on the H4 one?

Best regards,

Fabian
 
Back
Top