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Wiring the headlights to a switch

Old Jan 7, 2019 | 12:27 AM
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Default Wiring the headlights to a switch

I am looking to wire the headlights to a longacre switch. I have the wipers hooked up and I have the power and ground ready to go. I just don't know which wire is the headlights. Does anyone know which wire turns the headlight on? I am looking at the wiring diagrams and just can’t figure it out. Here are the controls that were on the steering column.
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 11:59 AM
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I wired my low beam headlights to the factory fog light switch when I removed the stalks in my track car. I used this attached diagram to do it (there's a page for the headlight circuit) - I believe one of the green/red wires was the one I used, but I used a multimeter to confirm which wire was which. I don't need high beams on track so if you are trying to get those to work as well I didn't do anything with mine.
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Old Jan 7, 2019 | 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Hesstruck
I am looking to wire the headlights to a longacre switch. I have the wipers hooked up and I have the power and ground ready to go. I just don't know which wire is the headlights. Does anyone know which wire turns the headlight on? I am looking at the wiring diagrams and just can’t figure it out. Here are the controls that were on the steering column.
It would help if we knew what car you're working with.
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 01:26 PM
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thanks. just for more information I should add it's a 1994 NA. Not sure if the wiring is different in a 99. But I will look. I am also using it only as a track car. Mostly just need the lights to get it on and off the trailer at night so I just need the low beams.
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 01:41 PM
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If you only want low beams, wire black/white to red/white. That will bypass the low/high beam switch, and when the headlight relay is actuated, voltage will run directly to the low beams. Wiring black to blue/yellow through a toggle switch will ground the solenoid side of the relay and activate it. The other wires are only necessary if you want high beams, turn signals, parking lights, etc. I also don't know anything about the headlight motors, so this assumes everything else is stock and you are just bypassing the headlight staulk.
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 04:16 PM
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Thank you so much for your help.

I know wire basics but am a rookie at this for sure. @acedeuce802 so I understand I tried to draw a rudimentary drawing of what you have said and just want to make sure this is right:
1) Wire the Black/White and Red/White wires under the steering column together
2) Run the Blue/Yellow wire from under the steering column to the Switch
3) Ground the switch
4) I have power already running to the switch

When I switch it on it will turn the lights on.




Here is my drawing
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 04:24 PM
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You don't want power going to the switch. The blue/yellow wire supplies a ground signal to the headlight relay when the switch is activated. So black on one side of the switch, blue/yellow on the other side.
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 04:34 PM
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@acedeuce802 so the final wiring should look like this:


Old Jan 7, 2019 | 04:42 PM
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Correct. I'm just double checking wire colors. I think I mixed them up in the previous post, that's what happens without dual monitors when I try to remember the colors while changing tabs! So I can't mistake it this time, here's a snippet from the wiring diagram with lines showing what you're doing.


Old Jan 7, 2019 | 04:56 PM
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Here we need headlights for wet weather - same there? I made sure my racecar lights were wired to high beam, so the car in front had plenty of notice that I was behind, and wanting to get by ...
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 05:13 PM
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@Gee Emm If I wanted to make the high beams work would I just wire "Red/white" to "White/Black" instead of "Red/Black"?
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 05:14 PM
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@acedeuce802 thank you so much for your help. I know what to do now! can't wait to try it out!
Old Jan 7, 2019 | 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Hesstruck
@Gee Emm If I wanted to make the high beams work would I just wire "Red/white" to "White/Black" instead of "Red/Black"?
I can't help there, the racecar had a custom harness. Not being a wiring guru, I wouldn't like to advise as I would be more likely to hinder than help.
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