Headlights

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87silveradok20

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Has anyone ever hooked up the headlights so they shut off with the key
 

89Suburban

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Interesting question.
 

350runner

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Simple just find the power supply wire to the headlight switch and splice in a relay. then tap the relay into the fuse box. Is on my list of things.... but I really think at that point you will need to do the relay upgrade for the headlights to remove that amp draw from the headlight switch relay.

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yevgenievich

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Easy path is to install a relay under the hood as mentioned above. If you run two relays, one powered by headlight switch and other by key, both sources will have to be one to keep the power on
 

350runner

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@chengny
What do you think?
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chengny

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Heh, heh, heh...alright - Ceasar you know me too well.

I wasn't going to get involved in this one because I believe that the exterior lighting system should operate as designed. IOW it should be possible to illuminate the head lights and parking/marker lighting without the key in the RUN/ACC position - or even having a key in the ignition.

If the only reason for this modification is so that you don't have to remember to shut your headlights off when exiting the truck...I wouldn't bother. It only takes one or two instances - of killing your battery because you left your lights on - to learn.

After that, it becomes an instinctive practice. Without thinking about it; you turn the key to OFF, pull it from the lock cylinder, push the headlight switch in and then you get out of the truck.


But, if there is a reason for this modification, the method you suggest sounds good to me.

Get a universal 12VDC general purpose relay (with mounting bracket) and a plug/pigtail - something like this:

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Locate the main feed to the headlight switch. It is the big red lead next to the little white one:

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Trace it back to some point that is near a convenient spot to mount your relay.

Cut it and splice the relay in - use the pigtail leads that correspond to the 30/87 terminals (polarity is not an issue).

The relay's control circuit will be power in on terminal 86, the lead connected to 87 will be run over to the ground bus. Schematically it looks like this:

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The heavy gauge red lead to terminal 2 on the headlight switch only supplies power to the headlights (highs & lows). Consequently, if this modification is done, it will only affect the headlights. The other exterior lighting circuits will function as normal as will the dome light and the instrumentation backlighting (by the rheostat).
 

350runner

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Jerry ROCKS!

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da_raabi

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If it were me I'd think about it from another direction. Instead of tying into the key - thereby eliminating the ability to use the lights with the truck off - instead install a relay with the sense wire coming FROM the headlight power so that when the lights are on the relay closes, then install a second relay sensing the key so that when the key is in the relay opens then run the output to an in-dash LED and the seatbelt buzzer. This would make it so that the lights will always work, but if the key is not in the light will be on and the buzzer will be buzzing. One extra thing you could do is add in another relay from the door sensor so that the door has to be open too for the buzzer to go off - thereby working just like a modern car. It just takes 3 relays to do...
 

87silveradok20

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all right i may just leave it as is
 

350runner

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Awe don't be a wuss....

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87silveradok20

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Awe don't be a wuss....

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it just seems like alot of butchering to the headlights and i hate wiring
 

350runner

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It really isn't... it's really simple and can be fine in 45 mins or less given level of experience :). Then you will really see your headlights light up :)

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87silveradok20

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It really isn't... it's really simple and can be fine in 45 mins or less given level of experience :). Then you will really see your headlights light up :)

Sent from the dust in front of you!

ok mabey i will try it not today tho there are things higher in the priority list
 

chengny

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Then you will really see your headlights light up :)

The modification I described above will have no effect on the intensity/brightness of the headlights. It will only prevent the headlights from being turned on - unless the key is in the RUN position.
 

350runner

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But the mod I spoke of will brighten things up. :)

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