My SSR: 2006 Blue over Primer'd Bondo 6spd #23424 slapped together 2/22/06
Headlight Wiring Change...use fog, low, & hi beams together! Service manual anyone???
Hi there....I have a challenge here for anyone with a service manual for a mod that should be SIMPLE.
Driving all across the country with my truck, I've noticed that the low beams are severely lacking even with the fog lights on. I drive all the time (well, not if someone is on-coming) with my hand holding the hi beam switch to the "flash" position because that's the only way I can see. The high beams on the truck alone are inadequate. I actually prefer the low beams with fogs for visibility if I have to choose. The only way to make the low beams, hi beams, and fog lights stay illuminated is by holding the flash position on, which isn't practical. There is no reason for GM's thinking on this, since the truck uses different bulbs and housing chambers for the low and high beams. They probably used wiring from another vehicle, and made a cost sacrifice. Even the rental Suburban I'm driving lets you keep all the lights on when on hi-beams.
So, what I'm challenging someone to do (who has a service manual) is figure out a simple jumper system between the high and low relay systems to keep the low beams on when you switch to hi-beams. Mods such as this are USUALLY simple (I've done it on my Caravan, Beetle, and for fog light continual operation, my Neon) which in all these cars consisted of a 3-4" piece of wire jumping a simple trigger signal to either of the hi and/or low beam relays, depending on the wiring of each particular vehicle. It was very simple to figure out using the service manual schematics, but I don't have one for the SSR. I'm sure it can be done, even if it is controlled by the body computer. There has to be a trigger signal which breaks for the low beams when the high beams are turned on. Its gotta be simple to figure out what to jump and to where.
So, everyone....the challenge is out there! This would greatly increase the night-time driving safety of these vehicles. It wouldn't pose a wiring overheating situation since the wiring is separate, with separate bulbs as well. The switch would still work normally...when on low beams, you have low beams. On hi beams, you get the hi beams, low beams, and fogs. Also, there shouldn't be a danger of voltage problems by jumping the trigger voltage...unless GM has done something unorthodox.
Anyone with a service manual have any ideas? This should be a simple mod to figure out...
I did just this with my Heritage and I know exactly what you are talking about, I will take a look at the wiring diagram and see what needs to be changed to keep the running lites on with the high beams.
There was a kit available for the Silverado to have all four headlights on while the hi beams are on. I am not sure if it worked with the fog lamps though.
My SSR: Silver SSR 2004 Vin#10780 Born on Date: 06/02/2004
I bought a Bosch Exneon System its Really Good i Get the Euro Cars Look and its Really good in Night Dark places i will bring some pics later and he installed 2 Converters also with 2 Altra High exneon Beams Love them
My son did this on his Suburban with some sort of un-plug and plug in wiring and relay harness. No wire cutting and 10 minute install. I think he purchased it at a 4 wheel drive truck parts store. I will try and get more details. He only paid $20 for the kit.
If you try to connect a relay or circuit that will allow all 4 lights on with the existing wiring, you could possibably overload the headlight wiring harness, as well as the headlight switch and circuit.
I use a plug and play wiring harness from Kennedy Diesel on my 2004 Sierra. I don't see a system for the SSR, but if you contact them they might build one for you. Their system allows you to have both high and low beams on together. It is a whole new wiring harness, with larger gage wires that plug into the bulbs, and has it's own relays to protect your OEM headlight switch and fuse block. The larger wiring will give you a brighter light, by allowing maximum voltage. It comes with a diode plug when installed keeps the low beams lit along with the highs. If you want to go back to high beams only with the lows off, just remove the diode from it's socket and flip it over and re-install. I liked it so well that I bought a second one for my Yukon. Their website is http://www.kennedydiesel.com/detail.cfm?ID=55
My SSR: 2006 Blue over Primer'd Bondo 6spd #23424 slapped together 2/22/06
The thought of overloaded wiring is ludicrous if you are familiar in the least bit with automotive wiring and relays. The actual headlight switch has a tiny bit of "trigger" amperage which feeds various circuits, which in turn turn on and off dedicated relays for EACH headlight system. Jumping a trigger voltage poses NO threat as the amperage is TINY. The low and hi beam headlight systems still get their dedicated voltage to actually illuminate each lamp from the original relay systems; there is no actual amperage increase on ANY wire, so the idea of "burned out wiring" is very 1970's.
My SSR: 2006 Blue over Primer'd Bondo 6spd #23424 slapped together 2/22/06
Hello, just a quick note to let anyone interested know that wiring the SSR's headlight system so that you can use hi/low/fog's all at the same time is pretty simple.
Since I don't have a service manual, I couldn't ascertain the SSR's exact wiring. I couldn't figure out the trigger voltage to each system; i.e., the hi beams, low beams, and foglights. I tracked each wire on each mini-relay, and figured out what they were for. But, the trigger voltage used confused me. Normally, on a simple 12V relay system, you have a simple 12 volt trigger source that can be measured at the relay, which grounds out a coil when the trigger switch (i.e., the dash headlight switch) is turned on. Basically, you search for 12v at any of the relay wires which comes on ONLY when you turn the headlights on. The other three wires are usually simple...you have the afformentioned 12v trigger source, the ground on the other side of the trigger coil which when energized (or "grounds out") causes the relay to actually switch from a main 12v lead line (constant 12v) to whatever it is you want to come "on" (in this case, the headlight bulbs themselves). Trouble with the SSR, without a service manual, I couldn't figure out the trigger voltage system. Also, the hi-beam mini-relay as well as the foglight relay don't have a simple constant ground at any of the wires. The SSR system for some reason has 12v on the trigger wire when the headlight switch is OFF. When you turn the high beams or fog lights ON, the trigger voltage drops from 12v (which was present even when nothing was turned on) to 50mv. I couldn't figure it out; The constant 12v signal and the respecitve wiring that goes to each dedicated bulb's fuses was simple. But, the trigger system still has me stumped. Oh, by the way...if I removed the relay and measured the trigger wire, I had no voltage regardless of the switch position. If I measured the voltage on this same wire with the relay plugged in but STILL with the switch off, I suddenly got 12v. I'm sure this is some sort of common relay system, but I'm not familiar with it, and I couldn't figure it out without some sort of literature.
BUT...
What I did solved the problem. I simply added two SPST Bosch relays (the common, easy to understand kind!) in the fuse box; one for the foglights, one for the low beams. The wiring the way I have done it is isolated from the original systems, adds no overloading to any existing wiring, and does not interfere with the SSR's trigger system in any way.
My goal was to have the low beams and fog lights stay on when I switched to hi beams, in the same way that the flash feature works.
I tapped the main 12v signal which supplies directly the high beam headlights at the driver's side high beam fuse (doesn't matter which one). I used this as my trigger system on both relays. Purpose of this is to switch the two new relays "on" when the hi beams are turned on. I then needed a ground so that the trigger system would work, so I tapped into a ground in the fuse box. Easy enough. Then, I needed a main 12v source direct from the battery which will in turn be connected to each respective main output on each relay, in this case one to power the low beams and one to power the foglights. There were several spots in the fuse box for this that are unused. Simple enough. Then, to connect the first relay's output to the low beams, I simply tapped into the line just before the 10amp fuse in the fuse box for the driver's low beam headlight (again, doesn't matter which one). For the foglights, I tapped into the main wire which feeds directly to the foglights, which is terminal 87 on the foglight relay. Simple. I mounted the relays with removable RTV silicone (just a dab) under the fuse box cover. I soldered the connections on the relays, but you don't really have to...push on connectors work fine.
So...how does it all work? Perfectly. The two wiring systems are isolated by the basic relay design in the factory system as well as the added relays. When you turn on low beams or foglights, everything works as original, since neither of the new relays is energized (remember, they are both triggered "on" when the hi beams are turned on). When you turn on the hi beams, each relay is energized by the trigger voltage shorting across an internal coil to ground, at which time an internal switch then connects the main 12v input signal directly off the battery to each relay's output. One relay sends 12 volts directly to the low beam lights tied in just before the 10amp fuses for each bulb, and the other sends 12 volts directly to the foglights. When you select hi beams at this time, NO voltage is "going the wrong way" since there is NO voltage on the factory low beam and foglight systems when you turn on hi beams, and the "new" 12 volts you have applied through the new relays to the low beams and foglights only goes "up the original systems' wiring" as far as the original systems' relays. Since those relays are "open" or "off", nothing goes past that point, so nothing gets to the body computer or anywhere else past this point for that matter. The same goes for normal low beam operation and/or fog operation...even though the two new relays have been patched into the system, when the low beams and/or foglights are turned on, 12 volts will flow up the new wiring only to stop at the new relays main output terminals since the new relays are "off" at this time as described above. Again, since neither the factory relays nor the new relays are ever energized at the same time, there is no interference in either system. Even when you push the "flash" switch, what would normally on the surface seem dangerous (both new and original wiring systems active at the same time) the only areas of cross-voltage is at the main 12v supply line, which hurts NOTHING. There is NO bleed-over of any control or trigger voltages which are connected to the body computer. I have not tapped into ANY factory trigger systems. I've simply used the actual hi beam voltage (not ITS trigger voltage) to trigger the new system.
There is no danger of overloading any wiring, which is easy to understand if you have a basic knowledge of relay systems. The new wiring gets all of its voltage that uses any kind of substantial amperage from the main 12v supply line tapped off under the fuse box. Never is any other factory 12v supply system (for example, fuel pump, ignition, defroster, factory headlight wiring, etc) used for anything new. Also, as an added bonus, I'm 90% sure the SSR uses dedicated MAIN relays mounted close to the headlights for actual headlight voltage. If this is the case, any idea of overloaded wiring is thusly discounted that much further. This new simple dual relay system poses no danger to factory wiring, is easy to do, and is well worth it from a safety point of view. BTW...the factory foglight indicator light works properly still, as does the normal foglight operation. Merely, anytime you turn on the hi beams, the foglights (as well as the low beams) always come on. The little indicator light for the foglights comes on ANY time the foglights come on.
Nice job ggoat, just wish I understood it well enough to give it a try. I guess I'm a visual type person. If you put it to pictures or paper maybe I can attempt this. It sounds great.
My SSR: 2006 Blue over Primer'd Bondo 6spd #23424 slapped together 2/22/06
Hi there...its very simple to do. I just wanted to fully explain the system so that I wouldn't get a bunch of messages warning me of possible damage and such. It helps SO much at night. If more people are interested in doing this, I may draw up a simple wiring diagram which will simply show the fusebox and where to tap which wires so that even someone who hasn't a clue what he's doing can do it. It won't be a schematic type write up. Also, if you don't care to have the foglights stay on (I think they are just as much a benefit as having the low beams on) then you can simplify it even further with just one relay.
Hi there...its very simple to do. I just wanted to fully explain the system so that I wouldn't get a bunch of messages warning me of possible damage and such. It helps SO much at night. If more people are interested in doing this, I may draw up a simple wiring diagram which will simply show the fusebox and where to tap which wires so that even someone who hasn't a clue what he's doing can do it. It won't be a schematic type write up. Also, if you don't care to have the foglights stay on (I think they are just as much a benefit as having the low beams on) then you can simplify it even further with just one relay.
My SSR: 2006 Blue over Primer'd Bondo 6spd #23424 slapped together 2/22/06
LOL yup Boosted...no one seemed to really latch onto the idea, so I figured I'd figure a way to do it myself! And, it WORKS!!! I can SEE now in the thick humid Louisiana swamp mucky air!
I actually haven't driven my SSR enough at night yet to worry about the lighting, but this sure sounds like something I'd like to do.....but as with SS My R, I'd like the assurance of a simple diagram to make sure I get it right.
My SSR: 2006 Blue over Primer'd Bondo 6spd #23424 slapped together 2/22/06
Hi everyone...
I don't have the capability to print up anything spectacular here at the local library to make a good wiring diagram from. BUT, if someone could scan the fuse box picture, I could print that up, and work with it to make an easy to understand wiring diagram. You only tap 5 wires into the existing fuse sockets and relay mounting post slots, which NORMALLY wouldn't be the optimal way of doing something like this. BUT, I chose this way for:
1)Ease of 1 minute removal (if you want to) before you bring the car to a dealer for warranty work...for clarification, regarding wiring this system up, here is an example: you remove the hi beam fuse for either light, insert the proper wire into the socket CLOSEST to the driver's fender, and put the fuse back in; just pay attention to detail when you insert the wires where they need to go...easy hook up, easy removal!!!
2)It poses NO danger since none of the wires carry a high amperage load
3)Its easy and simple, completely reversible, and you don't cut or splice any factory wires
4)You can purchase two simple relays from any AutoZone in the section where they sell foglights and you can mount them wherever you want under your hood
5)Minimum cost, about $6
So, if someone can post a good clear picture of the underhood fuse box, I can try to print it up and have it re-scanned somewhere, and post it here. Or, if someone is good with drawing up such diagrams that I can add the diagram to on the computer, contact me. We'll figure something out.
My SSR: Black, '03, 1sb, #1256, License Plate was WOW FCTR
While this post deals with the Hi-beam and Extra-Hi-Beam (all lights on), it's for those people too lazy to attempt the above fix.
I will sometimes drive while holding the Extra-Hi-Beam (EHB) on while traveling down dark roads. A problem I had was when I turned or for some reason needed to let go of the EHB, it would drop to low beams and make seeing even more difficult than if I had just had low beams on all the way. Recently I noticed (ok so it was last night) that instead of releasing the EHB slowly and going back to low beams, I let the EHB snap back, it would go passed the Low Beam setting and turn on the High Beams.
I love tons of ideas that other come up with here and I would certainly like to have ggoats fix (as well as many others), but I would only get it done if someone offered to do it for me (sort of like the washing and waxing of my truck )
So in expecting that ggoat isn't coming to NJ to fix mine, I posted the EHB to HB trick for others in my position
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2003 Black SSR #1256 1sb
100000 miles (02/04/07).....
150000 miles 10/22/08
)
Diagram - hope it helps someone
