cardana24

iTrader: (81)

I have e36 headlights along with wade covers that I got from Suratt. I have a set of HIDs that I can use with them but I doubt I will do that since I don't have shrouds or projectors. So I am wondering how you set them up for halogen bulbs? Which ones do you guys use?

Also with the wade covers. Is there a best way of putting these on? I will be working on this project this week so any advice is helpful. Thanks.

maximal

iTrader: (4)

i'm assuming you have some experience with wiring things up. good soldering skills, safety precautions, and common sense are essential. if you're careless and mess up somewhere, you could start a fire.

if you ever plan on going back to stock, or just for emergencies, you may not want to cut your actual wiring. get some burnt out 9004 bulbs, or sacrifice your own, and break the bulbs so you can get to the wiring inside. this will become an adapter that plugs into the stock wiring and has wires to the relay. we'll call the low beam relay R1 and the high beam relay R2. in my instructions the relays are normal 30 amp automotive SPDT relays. it's safer to have one wiring harness on each side (driver and passenger) since the switches in the combination stalk (head light switch) go bad after time. if you do the driver's side only and the switch goes bad, you'll have NO headlights.

you'll need:
(2) 9004 bulbs
(4) 30amp SPDT relays
(2) 9005 harness
(2) 9006 harness
14 AWG wire (in assorted colors if you don't want to confuse yourself later)
(4) fuse holders and fuses
(4/6) ring terminals (2 for the battery, 2 or 4 for grounding the 9005 & 9006 harnesses)
heatshrink and/or electrical tape
soldering iron and solder
heat gun


connect the low beam wire from the bulb to trigger (86) on R1. connect the high beam wire from the bulb to trigger (86) on R2. connect the ground wire from the bulb to the other side of the coil--both (85) terminals on R1 and R2. connect a separate (fused) +12V wire from the battery to the common terminal (30) of both R1 and R2 (one +12V wire on each relay). on R1, connect the normally open (87) terminal to the positive wire on the 9006 harness. do the same thing with R2, connect the (87) terminal to the positive wire on the 9005 harness. use ring terminals to ground the negative/ground wire for both 9006 and 9005 harnesses to the car's body. that should complete your new wire harness for one side.

make the other harness the same way. the only difference is the passenger side will need longer wires.

once completed, plug the broken 9004 bulb into your old stock harness. the other end of the new harness connects to your e36 headlights. if you ever need to go back to stock, you can because you didn't hack up your original harness.

cardana24

iTrader: (81)

wow! Thanks for that. That's exactly what I was looking for. Yes, I have plenty of experience with wiring/soldering.

Can I get the 30 amp relays from Advanced? Also, do they carry 9005/6 harnesses?


Thanks again for the good information.

I'll try to keep this thread updated with my progress/lack there of.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

maximal, will this allow high and low beams to come on simultaneously? or will it just be one or the other?

if not, I know using a wire 'bridge' between the high and low beam wires (before the relays would be easiest, on the stock bulb harness) w/ a diode in the middle pointing so current can flow from the high to low, and not the other way around, will allow you to have this.

maximal

iTrader: (4)

you should be able to get the relays and harnesses at most stores. the problem is they'll charge more for them in auto stores. a fair price would be under $5 for the relay. i get mine here http://www.parts-express.com/wizards...=relay&x=0&y=0. i got my connectors here http://autolumination.com/connectors.htm

no, my way keeps them independent of each other. the diode is the easiest way. it can also be done with relays, but that gets more expensive.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

yea, i figure it's best to put the diode before the relays tho, that way you are not putting many amps across the stock wires or the diode compared to the side of the relays that are wired to the lights themselves.

edit: thanks nalc

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

autozone/napa don't seem to stock relay/sockets. I was looking for some for when I go 9007, for extra oomph, vs stock wiring.
found alot on ebay, tho. have yet to get any.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

It's much better to put the diodes for lowbeams and highbeams before the relays (on the stock wiring side) than it is to put them after the relays (by the bulbs)

Most diodes are only rated to handle 1A, while your headlight bulbs are 4-5 amps each. Also, most diodes drop 1.5-2.0 volts across them. Your car is usually like 14v. If you put them before the relay, the relays will still get 12v, which is enough for them to work perfectly. If you put them after the relay, your bulbs will only get 12v, which is bad. Halogen bulbs increase in output exponentially with an increase in voltage. So like 12v to 14v will give you 50% more light output, which is why people use relays in the first place.

I do recommend using diodes to keep lows on with the highs, as long as you have the relay harness. 9005/9006 headlights are usually designed to run the lows with the highs. Our cars are 9004, so since the lows and the highs are the same bulb, you can't run them together.

maximal

iTrader: (4)

i think something got misinterpreted somehow. i meant that instead of a diode, a series of relays should do the same thing.

but, yes, if you're using a diode, put it before the relays.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

he was referring to my errant post "the relay before the relays" when i meant "the diode before the relays"

cardana24

iTrader: (81)

okay you guys are getting me confused now. I picked up everything that I need at advanced this evening except for the relays. I was going to run by radio shack tomorrow to see if they have them. What I am confused about is will both lights be on with the high beams if I wire them the way maximal described? If not then what needs to change. I assume both lights (read all four head lights) would be on when the high beams are switched on.

Also has anyone done a write up on installing the wade covers or do you just make it up as you go?

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

no, they won't. On the stock side of the wiring, you need to add a diode with current flowing FROM the highbeam wire TO the lowbeam wire in order for all 4 to come on during highbeam operation. How physically attach the diode is up to you, but i'm assuming you know how to solder and whatnot.

cardana24

iTrader: (81)

okay, I think I understand. If I wired it the other way (diode wired from the low to the high) then all 4 lights would come on with the low beams.

Which light is used as the high beam the 9005 or 6?

As for the diodes which ones do I get? It does not seem there is a standard size. Here is what I am looking at. http://www.parts-express.com/wizards...chFilter=diode

Thanks for the help.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

correct, low to high would have all 4 lights come on w/ lowbeams and only highs on for highbeams, which would be kinda bad haha.

9005 is high, 9006 is low. notice the 9006 has the light restrictor paint on the glass at the tip?

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=NTE5130

that one should be enough... it can handle 5w at 15v

nalc

iTrader: (11)

DO NOT get that diode.

It is a Zener diode.

What that means is that under 15v, it works like a normal diode, allowing current in only one direction. Above 15v, it will allow current in either direction. So if the alternator is running high and putting out 15v, your highbeams will come on with your low beams

Use something like this. Just a standard diode
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...tnumber=6A-1KV

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

orly? they had others that went even higher (16v and higher i think) but yea i didn't know that a zener diode did that.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

ya rly.

I mean, if it's under 15v it will probably work fine, but it's more expensive than a normal diode anyway, so IMO it's better not to take the chance and save some cash with the normal diode.

cardana24

iTrader: (81)

I just ordered 4 of these diodes and I also ordered 4 of the waterproof metal bracket relays that they sell. They should be here this week.

Hopefully I can figure out the wade covers before everything gets here.

cardana24

iTrader: (81)

I got my diodes and relays today. The diodes do not have any indication as to which way the power flows through them. Can someone let me know how to tell which way power is supposed to go though them so I can get them wired correctly the first time. Thanks for the help.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

http://www.ohmcheck.com/diodetest.htm
easier than fubaring my explaination.

alex.wlkr

Just to support this, I have a NORTON motorcycle, it uses a ZENAR DIODE to regulate charging. When it works its great, when it doesn't all hell breaks loose