Low beam wire

[opus]

Could someone tell me which wire going to the battery side headlight, is the low beam one? '86 GL

 

Thought I would ask before I go rooting around.

[Skip]

from this diagram it looks like you want the

Red with a black tracer wire.

 

 

You do know these are NOT controled like lights

in a domestic car ?

 

Meaning on these cars, the beam you want lit gets a ground from the

switch and the center or common is powered from the fuse via a relay.

Each side having it's own relay.

Hope this helps.

[opus]

I am putting extra lights on and I need to tap into the lowbeam side I am told. The lights have a relay that goes to the battery as well.

 

Make sense??

[TheYeti]

I am putting extra lights on and I need to tap into the lowbeam side I am told. The lights have a relay that goes to the battery as well.

 

Make sense??

 

You can also tap into your parking lamp, but either one will work.

[opus]

It was the red wire with the blue stripe. Black stripe is high beam. :/

[opus]

Riddle me this, whats the easiest way to get a wire from engine compartment to interior? Everything goes through the fender way, and I have no desire to go that route. Anything go directly in?

[Skip]

Sorry please do not take this wrong but...

 

Your car is either wired differently than the FSM drawing above,

or

You are not measuring for the correct signal.

 

My guess is you were measuring for a hot feed (+12 V) and not

the ground control wire as I tried to explain above.

 

The wire that controls the lighting of the low beam filament is the

red/black. It goes to ground when stalk is switched to the low beam.

 

The red with blue is the hot feed for the driver's side lamp.

It powers both the high and low beam on that side and comes

from the fuse box.

 

If you try to control your relay coil with that wire

and a ground on the other side of the coil.

Your aux lights will be on (relay closed)

anytime the headlamps are on.

NOT just when your low beams are on.

(This would also be the case if you used a parking lite)

 

 

As I said the ground is what controls which filament lights.

 

I have wired many sets of lights to be controlled by the hi/lo beam stalk

(normally I wire a set driving lights to come on with the high beams)

 

IMHO the best way to do this (but I feel you will have your own)

is to wire the relay control coil to the two wires that work

the filament you want to use for control.

One wire from the relay coil to the Red/black and the other wire

to the red/blue.

 

The main contact for the relay that will power the aux lights,

gets a fused hot feed from the battery +

 

For ingress into the interior there is a rubber plug located

below the power brake booster

that is seldom used. Hard to reach but is there.

 

I doubt this will help - sorry I tried.

I could email you a wiring diagram if you want.

[opus]

No problem, I was just stating what I found out. What I did [mind you, electrical isnt my thing] is I took a test light and went to the drivers headlight. I tapped into the red/blk wire. It was high beams. I tapped into the red/blue wire, it was low beams. So what you are saying about the always on is correct. I initially tried it with the red/blk and they only worked with high beams.

 

The way I have it now with the red/blue works for me. Is there some reason I shouldnt be doing it that way? There is a switch for the lamps that I can shut off. Do I want to have juice always going to the relay? Then again, the low beams are always on so I guess its the same difference.

 

I appreciate the help, hope you didnt think I was complaining.

[Skip]

Opus,

No worries, mate. I'm not attempting to be a wise arse but

I have been through this a dozen times with guys on the board.

 

Your test light is looking for +12 V.

(assuming the clip lead is grounded)

 

If you want to try a test. Turn the ignition on.

Unplug both head lamps and try your test lamp.

(As I said, I will assume one side of your test light is grounded)

 

High/low will make no difference, you will see +12 v (light lites)

on both the red/blue driver's side and on the red (pass side).

 

Switch the stalk to the other beam and you will still see the same.

 

As I explained obviously poorly, wire the coil wires of the relay

across the red/blue and red / black wires.

 

The relay will only close (aux lights on) when the low beams are selected.

It will go open (aux lights off) when you have the high beams on.

 

 

For the dash mounted control, I would run a pair of wires

from the red/black side of the coil control.

That way if it shorts to ground, it will not blow a fuse.

I will draw up a wiring diagram and upload it if you request.

 

But since you say

 

"The way I have it now with the red/blue works for me"

 

I'll just bow out and say congrats on a fine wiring job.

Glad you figured it out.

 

All 4 aux lights come on only with the high beams

on this car.

[opus]

I guess I should explain some as well. I want them to come on with low beam. The headlights on there are terrible and I dont want to fuss with them any longer. I will use these as supplements to the low beam. This is a trial and error thing at this time. When I put them on the red/blk they only worked on high beam.

 

I guess my question is, with them hooked to the red/blue, is that an ok thing or am I asking for trouble? The light harness is fused, etc. It is a complete setup from Hella, switch and all. You have a ground, you have a battery connection, you have a switch and 1 wire that you need to tie into the low beam side of the lights.

 

[edit] yes, test light was grounded negative[/]

 

Thanks again!

[Skip]

Opus,

I run Hella 500's on five of my vehicles and am very

framilar with

"what comes in the box"

(includ. a standard Bosch lighting relay)

and how to wire them as you want.

(Willy the above wagon has Hella 500s)

 

The above diagram is from an 87 GL maybe your year is different.

I will look through my FSMs and see if I can find one from an 86.

 

You say

"You have a ground, you have a battery connection, you have a switch and 1 wire that you need to tie into the low beam side of the lights."

 

This method works for domestic cars that use a positive feed to the

lamp that is lit, you do not have this system in a Subaru.

 

I guess I'm not getting through to you.

 

Wired the way you have will not hurt anything but will leave

the Hellas on anytime the headlighs are on (high or low beam)

and you have the switch in the on position.

 

BUT

You say this is not the case so your year must have different wiring.

I will research this.

 

 

Maybe Cougar will step in and help.

[bheinen74]

i always tap the wire to the side driving lights.....make sure not the turn light.

[Skip]

My last attempt,

 

I dug out section 6 of the 1986 FSM

the wiring diagram shows (like the one above)

 

For the driver's (left side) headlight

 

Red/blue ---- hot (+12v) from the left side headlight fuse

--------------This will show +12v anytime the ig switch is on

--------------and the headlights are on (high or low beam)

 

Red/white ---- high beam (shows a ground via the hi/low switch when

--------------- in the "high" beam position)

 

Red/black ---- (shows a ground via the hi/low switch when

--------------- in the "low" beam position)

 

If you wire terminal # 85 on your relay to the Red/blue wire

and wire terminal # 86 on your relay to the Red/black wire

then

the relay will close (connecting relay terminals # 30 to # 87)

when the low beam lights are on.

 

[relay #30 gets a fused hot wire from the battery

and

# 87 goes to the light's positive side.

The other wire from the lights goes to ground.]

 

For the supplied switch (note: the light on it will not work

do not connect the terminal that shows a ground symbol)

Instead of wiring the red/black wire directly to the relay.

Run a wire to the switch and from the switch to # 86 on the relay.

 

You are most welcome,

Good luck

Skip -out

[TheYeti]

i always tap the wire to the side driving lights.....make sure not the turn light.

 

Only two wires. Simple, yet sophisticated.

 

I like it.

[bheinen74]

just have to tap one side, usually the one near the battery.

 

groundwire

battery hot wire to dash accesory switch

switched wire to the indicator bulb wire, with a wire nut, that goes to switch

 

doing it this way, you can have the dash accessory switch off, no lights

or switch on, and the lights come on when park lights on, and of course with headlights on.

 

 

Only two wires. Simple, yet sophisticated.

 

I like it.

[Skip]

you guys seem to miss the fact that

Opus wants these on

ONLY

when the low beams are on.

 

The parking light connection will have them on anytime

the parking lights are on, the headlights are on (hi or low)

or

the virgin switch is on.

 

Maybe I missed the subject of the original

post?

If so I'm sorry and do apologize.

[opus]

When I get home Monday I will check. I think as I have it set now, they are on high and low beam. At this time, my biggest concern is that I am not going to burn anything up. It seems from the sound of it, I am safe.

 

Thanks for all the input. Skip, I do understand what you are saying about the ground.

[Skip]

Opus,

All is kewl.

 

I know the need to supplement the lame lights on our cars.

 

Your project is a very worth while endeavor.

 

It is very possible some other members

may gain knowledge from your work.

 

As I said

good luck and I hope

you work it out.

 

The offer of a wiring diagram still stands.

[opus]

How more cool could it get? $200 lights on a $100 car.

 

Would surely like to have something better to mount them to than the chinsy bumper. Maybe time to make a bumper.