Headlight wiring

[timpanogos]

My new beamers showed up today ... need to research out how to wire these up.

The existing foot-activated dimmer had one beam totally rotted off and the other two all but melted together from heat (I assume leaking current across the corrosion)

I cut the three wires back to good cooper and touching them to see that a hot, high and low beam wires go to the switch. Touching these together they draw good current and the high/low beams work fine.

So, I’m considering the following … run the hi and low beam wires to the hot coil posts of two separate relays. Run new wire from the battery to the Normally open post of both relays. Run the final post to the lights.

Am I thinking correctly on this?

What gauge wire should I use on the engaged output posts of the relays to the lights?
Where should fusing go? I assume 30 amps on both the hi and low final light side of the circuit. Should I bother fusing the engaging lines from the dimmer switch?

p.s. 130/90 watt bulbs

 

[78mitsu]

130 Watts is only 10Amps so a total of 20 amps (25-30 amp fuse) I'd use 10 guage wire to each headlight with a dedicated ground, books says 12 guage, but because there is a thermal aspect to the device at the end, I'd run one size bigger. also you want to get a continuous duty relay, Don't settle for the $12 checker headlight relay, get the high end relay, I'd hit Wayne up last I checked he sold a pretty good one. The fuse should be as close to the power source as prudent on the + lead.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

If your considering scrapping your existing wiring, I have new wiring harness's made especially for headlight retrofits. IPF brand, hi quality relays and connectors... easy to wire up. ~$100 for the kit.

 

[waynehartwig]

I have a kit that is the same as others for $55 shipped. I think it's just as good as the IPF and Painless kit, but cheaper.