Another hi/lo headlight question.

[vanaisa]

Today my 1009 started acting weird - sometimes i can switch to LO headlights, sometimes only HI lights are working. (i.e. HIgh on and OK, LOW not)
What do you think - headlight swich on steering column?
Too cold outside to do thorough inspection. And i need to drive tomorrow in dark time - is there some trick to set permanently lights to low beam?

I am not too bright on electrics....

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Most likely the switch. Possibly the relay. Troubleshooting is needed.

 

[antennaclimber]

Good information here on the headlight circuit:
CUCV Headlight Circuit

I had a Hi-Low switch go bad, until the new one arrived I unplugged the connector on the Hi-Low switch and made a temporary jumper so the low beams were on all the time.
Put a jumper between the Yellow wire and the Tan wire, I think that's low beam, If not, then it's Yellow to Light Green.

 

[Barrman]

When you switch between hi and low do you get a crisp click or more a stirring butter into oatmeal sensation? It is very easy to test. 3 wires, headlight power in, to the high beams and to the low beams. Jumping from the hot wire with the light switch on to either of the others is fine.

That is the easy to check part. 3 years ago one of my trucks far from home on a cold rainy night would only give me high beams with low beams dark. I was convinced it was the dimmer switch and just drove home with the only lights I had. The next day hot wiring as described above got me the same results. I ended up an hour later finding my ground plug on both headlights was corroded just enough to not work on either light. I don’t know why just high beam worked. Neither setting on either light should have worked.

 

[Skinny]

As crisp as one can get from a 37 year old flaky chrome plated plastic switch

I'd vote for a bad switch if it's killing both of the low or high beams. Probably upstream like the fuse or switch.

I haven't tackled adding relays to the headlight circuit yet. I did do conversion lenses on both square bodies I own with LED bulbs. Besides being a thousand times better at illumination I'm hoping it takes some strain off of the switch.

Because I know that day is coming where the switch gives up from pushing all of the current for almost 4 decades.

Merry Christmas!

 

[vanaisa]

Thanks guys! Try to test tomorrow if not snowing too mutch. Click is crisp but yes, it is old switch...

Edit: sure, it is faulty hi/lo switch on steering column. Jumper wire did job, now is time to new switch. When waiting switch arrival, i bought pair of 50W led lights - they are hi beam but with inserts installed they are fog lights. Hopefully get them tomorrow

https://www.startax.net/image/sku/MTYwMy0zMDAzNjQuSlBH/full/1603-300364.JPG