Headlight, driving lights.

[AuroraGirl]

on the relay comment, does the same apply to blower motors on squares like i presume that one runs through ignition switch , too, which is maybe a good place to not.. or.. well. wait, i think that doesnt make as much sense.

Idk man I just work here. my square has H4 hella housings.

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I have a braided LED in them atm but I should look at night and seee how the beam is up on the shed door. be interestibg, they are aimed csometically lol.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@AuroraGirl I'm sure you know all modern vehicles run the blower motor though a relay, part of that is taking the load off the switch on the dash. Anytime you can reduce powerloss, whether that be from reducing junctions, making better junctions, shortening wire run lengths or replacing undersized wire with larger wire better able to carry the load there is a good thing. Would you see an increase in blower speed, maybe. But the relay mod for the headlights is fairly well known. People talk about installing blower motors out of newer trucks, but not adding relays. You could hot wire the blower motor with a larger gauge wire and see if it seems to blow more air than it normally does on high.

If I remember right your square does not go on the road, and if that is correct then you can aim the headlights however you please.

 

[AuroraGirl]

@AuroraGirl I'm sure you know all modern vehicles run the blower motor though a relay, part of that is taking the load off the switch on the dash. Anytime you can reduce powerloss, whether that be from reducing junctions, making better junctions, shortening wire run lengths or replacing undersized wire with larger wire better able to carry the load there is a good thing. Would you see an increase in blower speed, maybe. But the relay mod for the headlights is fairly well known. People talk about installing blower motors out of newer trucks, but not adding relays. You could hot wire the blower motor with a larger gauge wire and see if it seems to blow more air than it normally does on high.

If I remember right your square does not go on the road, and if that is correct then you can aim the headlights however you please.

No Im asking if its wired like a FORD where all the blower motor wiring runs through igniion switch where the speed and the failure in the ign switch becomes more likely because it can melt there.

Because to just use that god damn wire for a trigger instead of carrying the entire current which can be a lot .. etc.



here is someoens desc of the problem, I was gonna say if the velocity on a square can be better that is something maybe desireable.
With engine idling, max A/C on, and highest fan speed on, I only had 10.8-volts at the blower; no other electrical drains were in use.

Not surprising, considering that the current must travel through the firewall, ignition-switch, fuse-block, fan-switch, back through the firewall, and finally to the blower, then the ground must travel back through the firewall, through the resistor mess, through the speed-switch, and finally to ground; it's a wonder it works at all.

I have 14.2-volts at the main-power-junction/remote-voltage-sensing location, which is less than a foot from the blower
.

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[Ellie Niner]

No Im asking if its wired like a FORD where all the blower motor wiring runs through igniion switch where the speed and the failure in the ign switch becomes more likely because it can melt there.

No. On our trucks, the power for the high blower speed relay bypasses the ignition switch; it's just the trigger wire for that that runs through the ign switch. The three lower blower speeds do run directly through the ignition switch, though. This is only for a truck with A/C... though I *think* ones with heater only (three blower speeds) have the same relay setup for high speed. Later cars added relays for lower speeds.

Unfortunately, they took the lonnnng way home with headlight wiring, pumping it through two switches and a quarter mile of wiring that looks like angel hair pasta.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@AuroraGirl Of course I know you know this but any electrical device with enough load will cause some kind of a voltage drop, depending on length of wire and gauge of the wire. Our squares have a high speed relay like Tory described. For some reason I'm yet to figure out, we see a lot of squares and other older Chevys, some Dodges, but very few Fords at the shop, so I just do not know as much about them.

Ok I got the fog lights installed this morning!!!!!!!
First issue, I couldn't get the old lights off, the bolts were pretty well rusted, I ended up having to get my angle grinder out, ground them flat with the bumper and hit them though with a punch. The left side went perfectly, the right side I slipped and put a little gouge in the bumper. Lucky it's in a spot that you can't see with the fog light installed, but I need to do something to keep that spot from rusting, so I'll take suggestions on that. Other than that everything went smoothly. When I do electrical I'm rather anal about weather proof connectors, soldering joints, and shrink wrapping ect. So there were a couple of connections under the bumper that I wasn't happy with, so I took a little extra time soldering and shirk wrapping. PO wired the lights though a switch under the dash, and I did not change that, IDK it thinner wire than I would have used, maybe 16 gauge, so I'm sure there is some loss there in the resistance of the wiring. Of course I can always decide to run it off a relay if it seems to be a problem.

These are all daytime pics. I'm not planning on being out after dark until Monday, hopefully I'll have time to do some good night time pics then. Of course I'll aim the fogs on the shop wall on Monday as well.

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Above: Lights wired up and installed.

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Above: slightly blurry picture fog lights only on. Sun is out.

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Above, headlights and fogs on. It's worth noting that the engine is not running, so this is how they look run on battery only when the sun is out.

On another note we took the wifes van into the town last night after dark, and the whole time I kept thinking how much better the lights are on the square. I wonder what can be done to improve the headlights on a caravan....

 

[AuroraGirl]

@AuroraGirl Of course I know you know this but any electrical device with enough load will cause some kind of a voltage drop, depending on length of wire and gauge of the wire. Our squares have a high speed relay like Tory described. For some reason I'm yet to figure out, we see a lot of squares and other older Chevys, some Dodges, but very few Fords at the shop, so I just do not know as much about them.

Ok I got the fog lights installed this morning!!!!!!!
First issue, I couldn't get the old lights off, the bolts were pretty well rusted, I ended up having to get my angle grinder out, ground them flat with the bumper and hit them though with a punch. The left side went perfectly, the right side I slipped and put a little gouge in the bumper. Lucky it's in a spot that you can't see with the fog light installed, but I need to do something to keep that spot from rusting, so I'll take suggestions on that. Other than that everything went smoothly. When I do electrical I'm rather anal about weather proof connectors, soldering joints, and shrink wrapping ect. So there were a couple of connections under the bumper that I wasn't happy with, so I took a little extra time soldering and shirk wrapping. PO wired the lights though a switch under the dash, and I did not change that, IDK it thinner wire than I would have used, maybe 16 gauge, so I'm sure there is some loss there in the resistance of the wiring. Of course I can always decide to run it off a relay if it seems to be a problem.

These are all daytime pics. I'm not planning on being out after dark until Monday, hopefully I'll have time to do some good night time pics then. Of course I'll aim the fogs on the shop wall on Monday as well.

You must be registered for see images attach

Above: Lights wired up and installed.

You must be registered for see images attach

Above: slightly blurry picture fog lights only on. Sun is out.

You must be registered for see images attach

Above, headlights and fogs on. It's worth noting that the engine is not running, so this is how they look run on battery only when the sun is out.

On another note we took the wifes van into the town last night after dark, and the whole time I kept thinking how much better the lights are on the square. I wonder what can be done to improve the headlights on a caravan....

What year? those newer ones since the 2010 or so when they got more like a triangle than an object with no straight lines to be found of the last 10 years before that lol. Because those newer ones they have HID Housings factory on the high end, prob LED Too, and they themselves are fantastic with how the light is put out. the OE design are fugly and I wouldnt bother(halogen) and replace them with aftermarket even if not bad

And for sure on the spaghetti angel hair wiring for the lights. It makes sense why the 1 halogen I tried putting on the square was just not gonna cut any cheese but the 2 LEDs without being on even are wow

 

[SirRobyn0]

@AuroraGirl The caravan is a 2005, and is halogen headlights. fog lights were an option, but not equipped on this van. In Jan 2019 I replaced both the headlight housings (as they were yellowing a bit) and installed new bulbs (Phillips xtream visions). I'm wondering if they have just dimmed with time and need to be replaced again. I guess if I did that the worst thing I'd end up with is a spare set of bulbs.

I'm not much of an LED fan in general, but that is me. I find the light overly harsh, I'm not talking just headlights here, I'm talking across the board in general. As I type this I'm sitting in a room with CFLs. For the most part at home we are running CFLs in rooms we spend time in and use LEDs in places like the hallway, laundry room ect. I do like LED lights in flashlights for the increased battery life, but that's about it.

I can also see in a scenario like on your square, if every single one of your lights was halogen, that would add up to quite a draw. I did at one time had a pair of LED drop in bulbs in my Jeep, but have since removed them. Just not my thing.

 

[AuroraGirl]

@AuroraGirl The caravan is a 2005, and is halogen headlights. fog lights were an option, but not equipped on this van. In Jan 2019 I replaced both the headlight housings (as they were yellowing a bit) and installed new bulbs (Phillips xtream visions). I'm wondering if they have just dimmed with time and need to be replaced again. I guess if I did that the worst thing I'd end up with is a spare set of bulbs.

I'm not much of an LED fan in general, but that is me. I find the light overly harsh, I'm not talking just headlights here, I'm talking across the board in general. As I type this I'm sitting in a room with CFLs. For the most part at home we are running CFLs in rooms we spend time in and use LEDs in places like the hallway, laundry room ect. I do like LED lights in flashlights for the increased battery life, but that's about it.

I can also see in a scenario like on your square, if every single one of your lights was halogen, that would add up to quite a draw. I did at one time had a pair of LED drop in bulbs in my Jeep, but have since removed them. Just not my thing.

You may consider HID if youy can find housingsd.The ones on my gmas jeep are a just toward some yellow on the kelvin scale but still rather clear and crisp for that contrast I mentioned. I still prefer my lighting toward cooler, and yesterday I spent a lot of time In a area lit by warm light when the last time there it was cool but same brightness. I really noticed the difference in my ability to see. I think I may have some strange difference from a lot of others, because If I jump in a car with halogens i know for a fact its gonna not work well to drive, even considering the difference on the beams cast.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@AuroraGirl I think halogen / HID / LED is largely subjective as in whether you prefer one or the other is largely individual taste.

If I'm 100% honest I don't like LEDs at all. I think I said that once before. So far to say most of the house has CFL's in it for that reason. The 2005 caravan never came with HIDs, so finding HID housings are unlikely.

I do see the advantage to LEDs and even HIDs with less energy use.

This morning, even though I left the house after day break I ran the headlights, fogs and heater as it was colder then a witches *** this morning. And I did see it was enough draw to lower the volt gauge at idle if I was using a more energy efficient light source that wouldn't be an issue, but still I have no desire for LED. I suppose if I had my choice of halogen, HID or LED I'd probably pick HID. And that is reflected at the farm as all of the outdoor lighting is still mercury vapor with a few sodium vapor fixtures.

I have heard though the drop in HID kits are not really a great idea, so sticking the the proven halogen is just fine for me.

I'll tell ya, though I'm pretty excited to get the fogs aimed today and drive the truck home in the dark. I'll be sure to update you all, hopefully with pictures later tonight.

 

[DoubleDingo]

LED's s u c k

 

[Grit dog]

as it was colder then a witches *** this morning.

Lol, yeah, 30 degrees in the woods....

 

[SirRobyn0]

Lol, yeah, 30 degrees in the woods....

I don't remember where you are from originally but I grew up here so anything below freezing is colder than a witches *** lol. Actually I use to do really well in the colder weather, but as I've aged once it gets around freezing so am I.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I don't remember where you are from originally but I grew up here so anything below freezing is colder than a witches *** lol. Actually I use to do really well in the colder weather, but as I've aged once it gets around freezing so am I.

Im still young and I grew up here but -30 Is only do much colder than 0 and that is only so much colder than 32. That may seem strange but the feet and hands seem to define the experience and that’s due to circulation issues. Gets weird and complicated past that with low cholesterol and tired adrenal glands according to doctors. But that means it should be somewhat reversible for me if things go well… but that means -30 Is only so much colder than 0 and 0 is a fair bit colder than 32

On the HID. I meant aftermarket I don’t know if they make them for that year or not but I’m sure a projector housing exists somewhere

I have nothing against high pressure sodium since we used to have one. Well, it was something, probably Mercury but no matter. It doesn’t work now. It was wired without using a junction and then zip tied the live wire to the pole…

Not a way I would do it. But I’m thinking to get up there like half the height, since I could do ladder and roof of shed safely there, and put a new light. Didn’t need to be so high for our uses anyway, would like to have that occasionally but it was too much watts and because of where we we live, one neighbor will complain it will kill his chickens probably.

The other would prob feel his night vision operations will he interrupted. That’s a joke but he doesn’t want the coyotes to avoid the area and would probably ask about it eventually lol

 

[SirRobyn0]

Im still young and I grew up here but -30 Is only do much colder than 0 and that is only so much colder than 32. That may seem strange but the feet and hands seem to define the experience and that’s due to circulation issues. Gets weird and complicated past that with low cholesterol and tired adrenal glands according to doctors. But that means it should be somewhat reversible for me if things go well… but that means -30 Is only so much colder than 0 and 0 is a fair bit colder than 32

On the HID. I meant aftermarket I don’t know if they make them for that year or not but I’m sure a projector housing exists somewhere

I have nothing against high pressure sodium since we used to have one. Well, it was something, probably Mercury but no matter. It doesn’t work now. It was wired without using a junction and then zip tied the live wire to the pole…

Not a way I would do it. But I’m thinking to get up there like half the height, since I could do ladder and roof of shed safely there, and put a new light. Didn’t need to be so high for our uses anyway, would like to have that occasionally but it was too much watts and because of where we we live, one neighbor will complain it will kill his chickens probably.

The other would prob feel his night vision operations will he interrupted. That’s a joke but he doesn’t want the coyotes to avoid the area and would probably ask about it eventually lol

I have birds / chickens, lights outside at night do not bother them, as long as they are not shinning brightly right into the house. Sodium vapor produces a kind of yellow / amber / orangeish light. The great thing about sodium vapor is they are almost as effect as LEDs but because there temp on the color scale is about 2,700 they wash out color pretty badly. So on the farm most of the lights in places we walk and drive have been converted or replace with sodium, but by the bird pens and barn we have kept the mercury vapor. Mercury vapor is 5,000 on the color scale so it's easier to work under. Maybe one day I'll give changing out the merc. vaps for LED a shot, but really bright durable LED outdoor fixtures ain't cheap.

I have no idea on the HID on the van, I think I'm going to start with new halogens and aiming the lights and see where that leaves me.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have birds / chickens, lights outside at night do not bother them, as long as they are not shinning brightly right into the house. Sodium vapor produces a kind of yellow / amber / orangeish light. The great thing about sodium vapor is they are almost as effect as LEDs but because there temp on the color scale is about 2,700 they wash out color pretty badly. So on the farm most of the lights in places we walk and drive have been converted or replace with sodium, but by the bird pens and barn we have kept the mercury vapor. Mercury vapor is 5,000 on the color scale so it's easier to work under. Maybe one day I'll give changing out the merc. vaps for LED a shot, but really bright durable LED outdoor fixtures ain't cheap.

I have no idea on the HID on the van, I think I'm going to start with new halogens and aiming the lights and see where that leaves me.

We must have had a mercury vapor then which explains why my gpa put it on a dedicated breaker. But he would have had it on a motion sensor back in the day. But that since stopped working. And I forgot to finish the wiring funny. He used wire nuts and just tucked up in the lights. That worked okay until the zip ties gave away after so long in sun lol. The wire up pole is heavy and catches wind, suppose it periodically yanks more and more. I happened to fix the light 2 winters ago by hitting the pole accidentally with my utv plow. Just a small smack turning and reversing. Light came on during the day. And I never heard the ignition over the engine.

At night it was purple blue light and I had thought it was day light out the backdoor window which distorts enough to question your sanity from south to north walking through the house LOL
We used it for more than 1.5 months but I had to wiggle the wires one time to get it. Then it didn’t again. Because I can see the wire nuts a foot down the pole , and I had to wiggle, I turned the breaker off and just secured the wire as far as I could reach to the pole and will deal with it later.

I’ll put an outdoor box with a switch an outlet and a cover which then will be more helpful and safe.

And whatever I use won’t need a 20 amp breaker for one light, assuming he sized that for good “reason” and honestly I don’t mean one of THOSE led lights. But I do know some questionable people who keep getting “parking lot lights” and trying to pawn me for way less than they would go for, assuredly. Maybe one of these days I will take out a life insurance policy and go get one and install it.

I also forgot the ballast may be something at play. It did have a nice loud ZZMMMMMMMM and took about 30 seconds to become Even helpful light

Was pretty cool looking when it was starting in real cold you watch a little purple spec of light come on and build up really drawn out and I’m sure that was Lack of energy competing with a heat source with a gas that wants to move around and when it did, would cool off too much and eventually the heat won.

Science is cool.

I also disclaimer my credentials as a scientist come from an elementary school encouraging poster, or something.