Electrical Problem

[Loose Deuce]

I have a problem with my new Head Lights I installed. I got some of those fancy Heller Globes with the easy change lamps, I got the 70w for heavyduty use. They work good on Bright but on Dim they are way too Dim like there is a bad ground maybe. I cleaned all the Grounds connections I could find all over the truck and its the same.

I did notice that while I was switching from high bean to low beam the low beam indicator on the dash has a weak glow instead of it not shining at all, Think the problem will be in the Dimmer switch or not getting a good ground to it ? thats the only thing I havent tore in to yet and its because its box is covered with that thick under coat material.

 

[ironhorsethegeneral]

The idicator light is for high beam not low. If it is glowing at low beam that means you have a ground problem or you have the wires crossed somewhere.

 

[cranetruck]

Re: RE: Electrical Problem

The idicator light is for high beam not low. If it is glowing at low beam that means you have a ground problem or you have the wires crossed somewhere.

Yes, and the ground for each sealed beam is one wire for each lamp grounded to the frame on each side....no other ground in that circuit.
The indicator is grounded via the dash.

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

RE: Re: RE: Electrical Problem

Are you positive about the light not being on at all for low beam?

 

[acetomatoco]

RE: Re: RE: Electrical Problem

Yes he is. I would expect that the low beam wire is mis- connected on one lamp with the low beam hot wire and you are getting feed back. Remember, too, that there is a cutout in the light switch which will cycle (circuit breaker) if you increase the amperage requirement too much in the light circuit with non standard addons. It does handle the convoy warning light kit, though.

 

[littlebob]

RE: Re: RE: Electrical Problem

I agree with all of the above suggestions. You might try and run a jumper ground directy from the battery to one of the lights and see what results you get.
littlebob

 

[Loose Deuce]

I'm sorry for being late on responding to your answers, something came up and I just forgot all about my post. I thought I tried every thing on the way the leads are connected to the back of the lights. I found a head light wiring diagram with the numbers on each of the wires, so I hooked every wire up like it should be. One thing that I remember is the bayonet pins on the back of the new lights were a little different, like the pin pattern was upside down compared to the originals. Heck it shouldn't be that hard to get right, its only two wires and a ground for each light.

It doesn't matter which way I rig them up, the low beam indicator always has a dull glow and the headlights real dim on low beam. On high beam everything is normal on both headlights and the high beam indicator.

Unless I'm mistaken If I switch the two wires at the lights (not the ground)back and forth, the high beam will be in the right place or the low beam will be where the high beam should have been going by the indicator on the dash. They are some really nice lights I just got to get them straight. I have a few ideas to try later

 

[BEASTMASTER]

my 5 tons been like that since i got it. gave up trying to figure it out. just adjusted the high beams so they hit the road like the low beams. never use high beams anyway. as long as i can get an insp. sticker, i don't worry about it.

 

[nattieleather]

Sounds like a grounding problem to me. Check your grounds for the head lights as well as for your dash. Also make sure your high low switch isn't grounding slightly... Just a few things to check.

 

[Kaiser67M715]

Bringing this thread up, as it follows close to my symptoms. My high beam indicator is on when in low beam, turns bright when I go to High Beam( I thought this was normal, as it tells you when your headlights are on, rather then the parking lights; service drive + park = no headlights, although I verify if it is off in park) I put in a NOS front harness when I got the truck-I did have to add turn signal lights and wiring-my truck is a '52 M35 with the gas motor.

a few more tidbits, high beams work great, low beams are dim(I would say like a 24volt bulb running on 6volts) same both sides. yesterday it was pointed out after a long run(1 hr plus) that my park lights came on very dim- although I never turned them on, I was in stop light mode only.

I have NOT replaced the three way switch, but I have replaced the dimmer twice(same symptoms both times), and I have checked both grounds at the headlights, and at the instrument panel; however I have neglected to check for voltage drop at the wires(I will do so and report back) I am just wondering if the three way can go bad and cross current internally?

I am terrible with electrical, so bear with me- I made a few magic smoke shows before, and so am really cautious about how I do things. So actually I am wonder if switching high to low beam wires at the bulb with affect anything? I think not as it is a power, and as long as I keep a ground it should be fine?....

Thanks

 

[Kaiser67M715]

little update, tested voltage at several locations-it was raining so I didn't check alot, maybe later if it stops.

but here is what I got- at both headlights-left and right, low beams only- 24.7 volts on wire #18 (24.8 volts at battery-truck not running for tests)

I had around 10.2-10.7 volts on #17(not good, and further investigating needed)

and around 11 volts on both my grounds(again not good, further investigating needed)

at my instrument cluster, I had 0, zero volts across the panel and my spider ground, and from the panel to the dash-OK there.

and I had 11.2V at #17 for the indicator-again not good, further investigating needed.

I will look at my dimmer switch and look at the power incoming and going out-it is entirely possible the dimmer switch is bad(would be the third, although the first was clearly malfunctioning, had no lights at all, and the second, the switch would get stuck in high beam-other then that it seemed to function fine.

oh, disconnecting 17 from the headlights had no change on light output, and disconnecting 18 made the lights very very dim(17 still hooked up), disconnecting the ground...can't remember, think it went dimmer but not out...I'll have to double check that again. and disconnecting both 17 and 18 made the light go out

 

[Kaiser67M715]

little more investigating done, went through all the wires, then I went and pulled the bulbs and housing so I could test continuity in the plug, had continuity between 18 and ground, went to other side-nothing, no continuity, I was like great...but why only one side if both acted the same? went back to the drivers, and bang-no continuity between 18 and ground(good, no breaks in the wire to dash). checked the light side plugs(Packard connectors to an H3/4 plug) fine, checked the bulbs, continuity between all terminals, pretty sure that is NOT supposed to happen, at the least continuity between low and ground, and high and ground, but not continuity between high and low...off to do more checking.

 

[Kaiser67M715]

well solved part of it, still don't know why the park lights came on in stop light mode, but I assume that is completely separate issue.

but for the headlights, it turned out that the conversion kit I bought had the wires for high and ground reversed, which was causing the back-feed voltage in low, but not the high circuit. I didn't question it, because 1. My original lights never worked, one side got burnt to a crisp in a fire, the other had a nice mouse nest. and 2. I followed the instructions included with the bulbs and it had the harness connector pre-wired with packard connectors, which told me which color wire was which position. everything now works as it should.

and on that note, a little story on how I came to this conclusion; my dad came and helped, and we completely disconnected the head light from the harness, and using a pair of jumpers from ground on the engine and positive from alternator we moved the ground around. he works in the big rig business as a mechanic, so he knows a few things. being it was only dim in low, but fine in high, and it was back feeding, he knew the ground must be in the wrong terminal. he said that sometimes headlight manufactures change the ground terminal location from convention either because it was cheaply made or whatever. apparently they get a couple trucks every now and then where the headlights are dim, but the only thing changed has been the bulb. so by moving the ground to a different terminal, the issue is fixed.