Wiring ideas for your car

Discussions about general body work and modifications
Kingspeedy2
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Kingspeedy2 »

Lou,i also like those ceramic headlight connectors you mentioned. Since I am going upgrade the lights to something brighter probably Halogens with separate bulbs ran through relays so I can spot those pesky deer that like to pop out in my neck of the woods
In looking at those connectors and figuring out relay wiring and a couple of questions came to mind.
for reference I have the
stock sealed low beam as an H5006 with 3 contacts
and stock high beam as H5001 which has 2 contacts

QUESTIONS
1) of the 4 headlights on the 65 which are the highbeams? the upper set? Sounds dumb I know but I never had my car running at night before tearing into it

2) iF the stock low beam has 3 contacts does it have 2 low beam fillaments or does it have a high beam filament that comes on along with the separate high beam lamp.
Current DOT regs prevent high and low beam lamps operating at same time

3) all the 4 lamps sets I have seen for the 65 advertise H4 halogen bulbs ,but my reading shows H4 as high/low combo bulbs

4 )assuming H4 aren't right what halogen bulb # would you expect to find in a 4 lamp system so I can figure the load
thanks

Lou's Comet
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Lou's Comet »

King,

I am not sure what headlights I am using yet, the ceramic connectors will work with sealed beams, not sure they will work with the capsule type hapeadlights, (lens/housing with seperate bulb)

As far as the lights you have with 3 contacts and 2 contacts. The 3 contacts is low and high beam (1 contact low, 1 contact high, and 1 contact ground) and should be on the top. The ones with 2 tabs (1 contact high, 1 contact ground) are high beams only, and go on the bottom. When your low beams are on only the top two will be lit, when high beams are on all four will be lit.

Been looking at something like these. Want glass not plastic, and don't want any halo or "special effects" just simple glass lens housings.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/upd-31386/overview/

They use this type bulb

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla- ... gIdxvD_BwE

They have the 3 contacts, high, low, ground. So I figure if I don't wire the low beam contacts on the lower front bulbs it should work the same as stock. Low beams just upper bulbs lit, on high beams all 4 will be lit.

Edit** wanted to add the low beams are 55 watts ea so like 4.5 amps each side or 9 amps for both. The high beams are 65 watts each so you will have around 10.8 amps each side or 21.6 amps for both sides. Not sure if you were running seperate wires for each side?

Lou

Kingspeedy2
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Kingspeedy2 »

thanks lou.those summit lamps look good ,I like the more stock looking clear ones as well .Their are certainly some interesting lamp choices available .

Lou's Comet
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Lou's Comet »

Kingspeedy2 wrote:thanks lou.those summit lamps look good ,I like the more stock looking clear ones as well .Their are certainly some interesting lamp choices available .
If you find some you like with the H4 bulbs I think they take the normal connectors like the original ones or those ceramic ones.

And yea there are some interesting ones, lol

Lou

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Jims65cyclone
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Jims65cyclone »

Lou's Comet wrote:The high beams are 65 watts each so you will have around 10.8 amps each side or 21.6 amps for both sides.
Lou
Lou....Wouldn't the 65 watt bulbs pull 5.4 amps each, so 10.8 amps for both sides? Is there an extra factor of 2 in there somewhere? :?
Jim
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Lou's Comet »

Jims65cyclone wrote:
Lou's Comet wrote:The high beams are 65 watts each so you will have around 10.8 amps each side or 21.6 amps for both sides.
Lou
Lou....Wouldn't the 65 watt bulbs pull 5.4 amps each, so 10.8 amps for both sides? Is there an extra factor of 2 in there somewhere? :?
Jim
Each side will have 2 bulbs on with high beams, the top bulb is low and high, bottom is high only, so on high all 4 bulbs would be lit.

Lou

tomb22
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by tomb22 »

Lou's Comet wrote:King,


Been looking at something like these. Want glass not plastic, and don't want any halo or "special effects" just simple glass lens housings.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/upd-31386/overview/

They use this type bulb

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla- ... gIdxvD_BwE


Lou
I was looking at some of those halo lamps, but there awful expensive. Like the ones you pointed out Lou. The price of the lamp seems really cheap, but I've never bought any.

I bought a remote security system and after checking it out , I find I need more relays. So it looks like I'll have to get another relay box. I'm planning on building a council so maybe some of these electrical items will have to end up in there.

Has anybody found where to get a good price on wire? I'm not going any smaller than 16 gauge.
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Lou's Comet »

tomb22 wrote:..........................

Has anybody found where to get a good price on wire? I'm not going any smaller than 16 gauge.

This seller on eBay has some nice deals, listed as generic but USA made. It is GXL which is the better insulation wire.

Also sells it in bundles of different colors at 25 and 50 feet lengths.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTOMOTIVE-WIR ... 2167073167

If buying on rolls Jegs is cheaper than Summit. Their wire is SXL same type of insulation as the GXL, but thicker. Also USA made.

Lou

Lou's Comet
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Lou's Comet »

Been playing around sketching out my wiring, started with the lighting. Picture of how I am planning the front, though may change the grounds for the parking lights.

Image

The gauge wires I am thinking of using.

Image

Started on the rear lights.

Image

I'll probably make multiple wiring diagrams of the different systems then maybe one with all the wiring on it.

But anyhow playing with the sketches got me thinking of the switches. If I use the higher candlepower bulbs for my tail lights and parking lights I will probably still have around 11 amps (including the other lights, dash, lic plate, etc) running thru my headlight switch even with the relays for the headlights. Was trying to find out the circuit breaker rating in the headlight switch, thinking it is 15 amp. Which would be getting me close to 80% of the switch circuit breaker rating. From what I read good to stay below 80% rating.

While looking at switches I found out that Ford headlight switches in the early 70's had 2 circuit breakers built into them. A 18 amp circuit breaker for headlights only and a 15 amp circuit breaker for the rest of the lights. I was thinking of going this route, that way if 11 or so amps I am running with the rest of my lights ever gets to be too much, and trips the breaker, my headlights will stay on. With the relays only going to have around 1 amp? Running thru the headlight breaker? Does this sound right?

Also like to know what the turn signal switch is rated at? I am figuring with the better bulbs the amperage for turn signals, 2 bulbs in the rear and one in the front for 7.5 amps a side. Thinking the switch should handle this. But would like to find the rating.

Brake lights will be around 10 amps, still need to find out brake light switch rating.

When I sketch the dash and engine wiring I can then start figuring how much wiring I need of each gauge and start making a list.

Lou

tomb22
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by tomb22 »

Lou's Comet wrote:
While looking at switches I found out that Ford headlight switches in the early 70's had 2 circuit breakers built into them. A 18 amp circuit breaker for headlights only and a 15 amp circuit breaker for the rest of the lights. I was thinking of going this route, that way if 11 or so amps I am running with the rest of my lights ever gets to be too much, and trips the breaker, my headlights will stay on. With the relays only going to have around 1 amp? Running thru the headlight breaker? Does this sound right?

Lou
Thanks for the ebay ad I think I will buy from him.
I think you got it figured out Lou. The relays don't even take a amp to operate.

I've got to come up with a relay for the parking lights because of the security system so I don't have to deal with the high current thru the headlight switch.
How many amps do your parking and brake lights take? I know you don't want LED, but I was wondering why? They seem bright and take very little current.

I like your sketches too

tom
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by Lou's Comet »

Tom,

Brake lights will draw 9.6 amps, 4 bulbs at 2.4 amps apiece.

My parking/tail lights will draw 6.54 amps, 6 bulbs at 1.09 amps each. Plus add for dash lights, 8, 4 watt bulbs 32 watts total, so add 2.66 amp draw, then lic plate and interior lights figure another 2 amps?

6.54 + 2.66 + 2 = 11.2 amps going thru switch that would be max with interior lights on at same time as running lights. Running lamps alone little under 10 amps ??

LED's may become a option later, never know. But think they my look a little modern for my build. But anyways would like to wire it capable of the higher amps so I can run the brighter bulbs if I choose. If I decide later to run standard or led bulbs I know it will be fine because of their lower draw. KWIM??

How does your security tie in with your lights?

Lou

tomb22
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by tomb22 »

Lou's Comet wrote:Tom,

How does your security tie in with your lights?

Lou
When you lock it or unlock it, it's set up to flash the parking lights, but you don't have to wire it up. I'm pretty sure I will.
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tomb22
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by tomb22 »

I started to wire my relay box to see if the cheap one will work. It seems very sturdy and I wired it up for the high and low beam lights with the high beam switch operating the relays. The relay you see is a 40 amp for the high beam lights with a 30 amp fuse feeding it.
This relay box comes with a spot for a 40 amp relay and bigger stakeons for the wires.
So far I'm pleased with it. You can wire it up any way you want. I installed a small terminal strip in the bottom of the box to gang together the hots to feed the fuses and the grounds for the relays. I will be adding fuses and and more relays for electric fans. One for the cooling and one for the AC.

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poboyjo65
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by poboyjo65 »

did you have to get a special crimper ?
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Johno

tomb22
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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Post by tomb22 »

John
I bought a IWISS 1424B Weather pack Crimper Tool for Crimping Delphi Packard Weather pack Terminals similar to the one you suggested from Amazon for $20.00. It's designed for 16 gauge and smaller but I'm making it work well for the bigger sizes. I can't pull the wires out of the connectors and the crimp looks awesome.
It will work great for the Delphi Weather pack terminals when going thru the firewall with 16 gauge wires for gauges and relay control wires.
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