headlight relay placement

[andrew]

My headlights keep going off since my 12 volt conversion so i'm going to install a 20 or 30 amp relay to take the load off the pushbutton light switch.
Can anyone tell me where in the wiring do i add the Relay and do i need 1 or 2 relays?
Thanks, Andy

[maskale]

You calling the three lever switch a push button? If not which button you talking about?

I would normally install a relay under the hood close to the battery or component to be turned on. While doing what you are talking about may work, if your switch is giving you trouble I would not call the system reliable just by adding a relay.

Just one will work, however adding one for each adds redundancy, should one relay fail at least you will have the other light still working.

They make headlight relay kits, one of those would be easy to adapt if you didnt want to build your own harness.

[andrew]

I replaced my 3 lever with the newer version pushbutton.
I think both the pushbutton and the 3 lever have an internal circuit breaker.When i went from 24 volt to 12 volt it doubled the amps which in turn makes my headlights go off. All the other lights work. The headlights work until i crank the truck and the alternator kicks in. I'm just trying to take the load off the pushbutton switch. I'm not sure this will fix it but its worth a try. My headlights are 55/60 watt HLA-002395301
Thanks, Andy

[randyscycle]

I'd do two relays, and yes you are correct that the amperage is higher in the 12 volt system. Especially with the halogen conversions. Of course be sure all of your grounds and other connections are tight, clean and dry.

I'd do one relay for high beam and one for low beam, pairing each headlight filament to its respective relay. I'd also put them under the hood so that the actual battery feed to them and the run to the headlights is as short as possible. The signal wire to the relay from the switch can be long and won't be an issue since its very low current. I tend to like putting the headlight relays on the back side of the core support. They are weather protected and away from the majority of the underhood heat.

Oh, and be sure to get a pair of good quality Bosch or other name brand relays. Those Chinese ones are junk and won't last long at all.

[Tyson]

Yeah..... Everything that randy said!!! Thats how I have my headlights set up and it works great. one 30 amp relay for high beam and one for low beam. The instructions on the box give you a decent idea of how to wire them up. Also, I used 14 gauge wire from the relay to the light in order to carry as much power as possible. I put all my relays inside a water tight junction box from home deposit to help keep eveything dry incase I take it offroad.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[andrew]

Thanks for the help guys. I moved my battery under the hood today to shorten my wires. I had it on the passenger where the jerry can goes.
Is the 12v Bosch SPDT 30/40 amp Relay and socket what i'm looking for or the SPST switch? These are 5 prong with 5 wires coming out the back. Do i need the ones with wires or just the relay box with prongs?
Randy/Tyson do either one of you have a Bosch part number or detailed description? I'm not being lazy i just want to make sure i get the correct relays. The ones i just looked at are bosch "style" about $3 each so i will keep looking. The Bosch Brand looks like about $10-$15 each if i'm looking at the right ones.
Thanks, Andy

[andrew]

Will Bosch # 0 332 209 150 work?
Thanks, Andy

[Tyson]

Im not sure what exact part number works but ill try and get you a picture of my setup tonight. However, i wish I bought a relay with the pigtail (wires) included because it helps keep your wiring nice and tidy.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[andrew]

I would like to see the pictures when you get a chance.
I bought 2 bosch 0-332-209-150 relays today off Amazon. Looks like they are backordered though. I hope i get them by friday. I have a taurus 3.8 2 speed fan to install also. Maybe i can get them both done if i can find a good fan control by this weekend.

[97XJSP]

A 4 pin should work fine. A 5 pin means that one pin gets power when the trigger is hot and the other pin gets power when it's not. Two four pin relays will do the trick. A 5 pin will work fine also, but it's more than you need. You can get the connector with wires if you want, but a relay with just the pins will work fine, since you can use regular flat "spade" connectors on your wires to connect to the relay pins.