Headlight upgrade - Relay installation

[Jawin89]

There has been a lot written about the upgrading of headlights so I thought I would give it a go. I have an 1989 van so H4 headlights already installed but they are not the brightest. The first job was to follow Co Kids wiki on upgrading the power feed to the fuse box. I used 16mm² cable connected to a 300amp splitter box by the battery, new cable run underneath the van to another splitter box behind the fuse box. Fuse box connected to it using the existing cable and supply ready for the relays.

I decided to go for the four relay option, 1 each for the low and high beam for each side. I bought the four separate rely mounts that lock together and also have the option for fuses.

Splitter box in position to the side of the fuse box


Plug removed from the board and the headlight wires separated. These were located in the loom by the headlights and cut off and pulled through


Four brown wires shown are new live feeds from the splitter box for the relays, blue ones are earth feeds.


Live links added to the relay boxes with switch feeds installed


The wiring to the headlights was replaced and new connectors installed


The final wiring of the relays and the relays installed. 2 x 30 amp for low beam and 2 x 40 amp for the high beam


The relays installed in position. It is a bit of a fiddle to get them in this location but keeps them out of the way and dry.


The difference that this makes to the headlights is incredible and all for one days work and around £50.

[CovKid]

Yep, I can't understate enough the need to fit a fat cable if you really want bright lights. Well done!

If you go one step further with modern reflectors (well worth the £40), you'll end up with SERIOUSLY bright lights and no need for Osrams etc.

Rare I have need to flick main beams on during the week but like a lot of towns now, streetlights go off in Nuneaton after midnight and when I took my lad home after his day in France on Friday night, I put them on going up our street to which he yelled "WHOAH!!!" - they lit up the entire street like daylight. Astonishing.

As you can see, fitting higher wattage or even brighter bulbs is really a waste of time. It does not compare to wiring everything up properly and giving the lights what they actually need in the first place. If anything, you just overload the existing harness even more.

[MattBW]

This is a little intimidating to my eyes but I've seen Ralphs lights and they look great. I've got some defender angel eye lights when I'm feeling brave

[Jawin89]

It's really not as bad as it looks. Just take your time and trace the wiring back carefully and the rest is fairly simple. The plenty of info on the net about relay wiring. I forgot to mention that I also cleaned and remade the earth connectors on the earth crown, the main earth from the battery and in the engine bay. Again really simple to do and piece of mind in the process.

[CovKid]

Personally I think its the way to go with all the stuff that consumes amps up front - rad fan, blower etc. Mine is an 85 and has the bullet fuses but theres nothing in original fusebox now that handles more than 2 amps.

I agree, not hard but you end up praying to the footwells. Daft place for a fusebox when you think about it. I always felt the area around the ashtray should have had a lid you could lift up - no stooping, no creaky knees.

[Jawin89]

Perhaps a new project, moving and remounting the fuse box !!

[CovKid]

Dash out job for sure. That particular project has been languishing at the back of my mind for 10 years. I tend to forget about it - until the next time I have to pray to the blasted footwells.