Joined: Sun Feb 26 2006, 08:46PM
Location: Kingston,Ontario
Posts: 5622
The headlight power source should be on the regulated side. As an example,when a regulator fails,I had seen headlight pop from getting 14-18 + volts going through them from the alternator.
And you have your lights feeding off the full power of the alternator?? Playing with fire--literally.
Eventually what will happen is the relays in the kit will burn out from the high voltage and then---NO lights. I would suggest wire up another voltage regulator for the "upgraded" headlight kit. Or use the factory wire feed for the headlamps system. Popping those fancy Cibie headlamps can prove very expensive. <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Tue Feb 17 2009, 09:18PM ]</span>
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
68Cbarge wrote ... .... I would suggest wire up another voltage regulator for the "upgraded" headlight kit....
Not sure I understand how to do this, you can't have two regulators controlling one alternator.
Be like having to follow orders from two wives!
To do your lights properly, move them from the alternator and connect them at the main splice. Turn everything on and feel the wire running from the splice to the alternator, if its getting too hot you need to make it bigger. You can remove the old wire and install a bigger one or simply run another wire beside the old one and connect the two ends together. If you are using a stock alternator the wire is probably ok, but if you ever swap in a bigger alternator you must increase the wire size. <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Wed Feb 18 2009, 12:54AM ]</span>
Joined: Fri Dec 22 2006, 08:41PM
Location: Warrenton, Virginia
Posts: 1366
OK, I'll probably end up switch the source from the alternator to the battery.....I was just trying to follow Daniel's suggestion...using tha alternator directly as a source IS what he recommends for old Mopars!
IT NEVER really made sense to me, but I figured, hey, he's supposed to be the lighting consultant!! Just goes to show....always got to think for yourself and not let someone else do the thinking for you.
Guess there's a lot of that going around, isn't there!! !bbb
Joined: Thu Feb 12 2009, 02:56AM
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 690
Pls dont hook it to the battery!!!!! if you read what all the guys on here have been telling you you will see that this is simle. 1) add a larger gauge wire from the ALT to the junction on the firewall easy to find just follow the old wire. 2) attach your lights relay power to the power out or regulated side of this same junction. There you are done your lights will work correctly as well as no fires. Take my word for it I am an Electrician by trade and en excellent mechanic. Just not a good speller sorry
Joined: Fri Dec 22 2006, 08:41PM
Location: Warrenton, Virginia
Posts: 1366
OK, VIP Driver....I think I see what you mean. If I hook it to the battery, same problem.......it STILL won't be a "regulated" source. Is that what you mean??
That still makes me wonder how Daniel Stern can condone what he has on his site.....he says battery OR alternator....Just want to be SURE of what to do before I do this again....
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
VIP driver wrote ... ... Take my word for it I am an Electrician by trade and en excellent mechanic. Just not a good speller sorry
Nothing wrong with your spelling and you said it in a lot less words than I did!
Before readers get too hard on the headlight guy, remember that all this regulated stuff we've been chewing on only applies to three wire alternators. The more typical one wire alternators that GM loves are a different can of worms. !stars
