Headlight relay

[P-12 Tommy]

Last week I bought a NOS 6 volt headlight relay for 20 bucks on E-bay. I installed it yesterday. I thought my headlights were OK, but when I hooked this up man what a difference!! They're as bright as the 2002 Lincoln Navigator lights. Another thing I like is when I'm at a red light at night, there is hardly any discharge on the ammeter gauge. Whoever hasn't done it yet I highly recommend it. It also takes a load off the headlight switch. (which I'm sure most of you guys knew that already) Just thought I'd share that with you guys. Here's some pics.

Tom

[JBNeal]

that's good to hear! I've read here & there that this is a great & easy safety improvement. I've been fiddlin' with a wiring diagram that incorporates a power distribution center that utilizes relays for starter & headlights for the Pilot-Houses. Also, I'm gonna work on a modification to the Signal-Stat for two flasher units to be powered so that hazard lamps have power from the battery while the turn signals have power from the ignition.

[Merle Coggins]

Another thing I like is when I'm at a red light at night, there is hardly any discharge on the ammeter gauge.

Tom

The relay will reduce the load on your switches and if there were any bad connections or wires between the power source and the lamps you would have a voltage reduction. Now that you installed the relays, and most likely ran power directly from the battery, your voltage drop is gone and the lights are brighter. The reason that your ammeter no longer drops at idle is because the amperage that is going to the lights is no longer going through the ammeter so you are not getting an accurate reading.

Merle

[P-12 Tommy]

The relay will reduce the load on your switches and if there were any bad connections or wires between the power source and the lamps you would have a voltage reduction. Now that you installed the relays, and most likely ran power directly from the battery, your voltage drop is gone and the lights are brighter. The reason that your ammeter no longer drops at idle is because the amperage that is going to the lights is no longer going through the ammeter so you are not getting an accurate reading.

Merle

Yeah, I noticed when I turn the headlights on, the gauge seems to stay in 3/4 charge. When they're off or the parking lights are on, the gauge goes back to center when charged back up.

Tom

[Don Coatney]

The reason that your ammeter no longer drops at idle is because the amperage that is going to the lights is no longer going through the ammeter

One of the primary reasons automotive engineers elected to abandon the amp gauge (in favor of a volt meter) is because of the required heavy gauge wire necessary to use it. If all electrical draw on a modern car had to flow through an amp meter can you imagine the wire size that would be required? About the only thing I have left flowing through my amp meter is my electric cooling fan and when I upgrade the rest of my cars wiring I will move that power supply to the battery. I can still see (in the slight movement of my gauge) and I understand how much work my alternator is doing even though all current is not flowing through my amp gauge. As an example of this, last summer on a return trip from a car show I observed that my amp gauge was indicating slightly higher amp charge than normal. This told me that my 4 year old battery was having a problem. Sure enough upon my return home the car would not start as the battery had failed.