CALLING ALL 2003 - 2005 OWNERS who want better lighting...

[Jeremiah]

Getting there on bright lights

I run with the Brite Box on bright (everything on, including fogs) 100 percent of the time at night. Even then, only one car in 2-3 years of driving, much of it on dark mountain highways, has flashed his brights telling me to dim 'em. Given that experience, I'd say my lights are still too dim. But I've solved the problem by driving slower at night, which is a good thing when large wildlife abound. Everyone -- car, animal, people -- loses when a car hits an elk on the highway.

For me, the secret is never drive beyond what your headlights can see. But that's good advice in other areas too. A police expert said it best once: You're basically out of control if you can't stop or avoid hitting whatever animal or vehicle appears in your windshield. That includes the car you're following, the one that just passed you, or one that runs out in front of you from a side street or driveway. No flames, please, I know it's hard to follow that advice, but it's still worth thinking about occasionally and maybe driving a little bit slower when other vehicles are around.

 

[seafish]

The plug-n-play HID thread got me to thinking. .

Another idea here (also illegal) that would produce considerable more light than stock with less potential of over saturating the reflector like those drop in HID kits would be to just drop in a pair of 80/100 bulbs with relay harness. The filament is in the exact location of the standard bulb for focus and should run just as cool as a BriteBox that holds both filaments on in high beam. This obviously should have and improved low beam but also high beam because the 100w is all in the high beam focal area.

Matt, This is a very good idea, I had already been thinking about the wiring upgrade for the oem headlights, based on what some other people have written about getting more voltage to the bulbs. I had not thought about upgrading the 9007 bulbs to a higher wattage, but it is a very affordable experiment, based on the link you provided. I am going to order a fused,12 gauge, 2 relay wiring harness from RallyLights.com. They have a guy in-house who makes them custom per vehicle application and customer wishes. They use all Hella relays, fuses as well as Hella ceramic sockets to plug into the 9007 bulb. The wire they use is a 3 conductor 12 gauge, that is sheathed in a factory sleeve good to 105*C. They use automotive grade connectors for all connections, and shrink tube where necessary, but for an additional fee, I am going to have them shrink tube ALL connectors. Furthermore, He is going to add a couple wire leads to make expanding this harness for my future lighting upgrades much easier--apparently the Hella Relays which they use gang together physically.

I will post before and after pics and voltage measurements in a few weeks. The harness and higher watt Hella 9007 bulbs will be a plug and play affair, unlike all my other lighting upgrades, so I expect to be able to complete this aspect of my lighting upgrade pretty damn soon. I hope it works!!!!

I DID want to confirm here that my 2005 Ram uses a ground interrupt headlight switch, before he builds the harness--Is that correct??

ALSO, wondering if their would be any significant advantage to running each headlight/relay off each battery on each side of the truck?? It would cost significantly more to do, and I do not necessarily think that it is worth it... Whaddya guys think?? TIA

 

[Matt400]

I DID want to confirm here that my 2005 Ram uses a ground interrupt headlight switch, before he builds the harness--Is that correct??

Not sure what you mean here.

The switch and lights have no direct connection. The ground for the lights runs to ground and not to a module.

The positive power supply for the lights comes from a module that is "commanded" by the headlamp switch.



On your low beam circuit you will most likely need a capacitor to fool the module and not turn on a "lamp out" indicator like guys do for the drop in HID kits.

On newer Chargers, Magnums & 300's you can see what is done for this here on step #8 & #9. I am thinking it would only be needed on your low beam relay cuz the high beams most likely are not monitored.

ALSO, wondering if their would be any significant advantage to running each headlight/relay off each battery on each side of the truck?? It would cost significantly more to do, and I do not necessarily think that it is worth it... Whaddya guys think?? TIA

With the size wire they are using on your custom harness I don't think that is needed. What kind of price are you getting for this?

 

[JKloppe]

be carful with those high wattage bulbs, I sold them to my friend and the bulb got so hot it exploded and left the housing cloudy. The bulbs were Hella pn #h83175051 100/80W.

 

[Matt400]

I wouldn't blame the bulb for that, I run 130w in another set of lamps. This sounds like a handling issue. I bought 75/70w H4's from Rally Lights and one of them blistered and burnt out. I know for a fact I didn't touch it, I know better but that doesn't mean it wasn't delivered without contamination on the glass.



Any surface contamination like a fingerprint can damage the quartz envelope when it is heated and will create a hot spot on the bulb surface when the bulb is turned on. The extreme, localized heat causes the quartz to change from its vitreous form into a weaker, crystalline form which leaks gas. This weakening causes the bulb to rapidly form a bubble, thereby weakening the bulb and leading to its failure or explosion, I was lucky and just got a bubble but it could have exploded.



Camera was out of focus here but you can still see the black blister/bubble on the glass.

 

[seafish]

Well, the basic harness that I described is about $75. 00 from RallyLights.com; Any additional details they will charge me for. I have seen this harness at SUVlights.com that look comparable, but only the dual battery super duty harness is 12 ga. wire, the others are 14 ga. Also, they do not use the Hella ceramic sockets --So I kind of think that the RallyLights.com Harness is a better deal, plus it will be customized and they also really know there lighting stuff.

Heavy Duty Headlight Wiring Harness with relays increases voltage over stock wir suvlights.com HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESSES & WIRING KITS

 

[Matt400]

Another vendor is Daniel Stern for 59. 00 but its all the parts you need- relays, relay sockets, headlamp sockets and pins less the wire. I think they build them too for extra cost. The Rally Lights one sounds pretty good at 16. 00 more its all done.



Using a dual 87 terminal 40a relay should be plenty, one for low and one for high. I don't know why the SUV lights site has 4 relay set ups for a 9007 application unless the relays they use are 20a or something.



C. Fish- When you get a chance, ask that fella building your harness what size relays they are using and if relay sockets will be used. . I might want one too.

 

[fkovalski]

... At the moment I have swapped in a pair of 90mm Low Beam DE Headlamp Module, H9 bulb

into my fog location. Haven't wired them yet, waiting on some connectors- My hopes are the typical wide beam / sharp cut off of a projector will out perform my cheap oem fogs in fog ... .

I will be curious to hear back about these. Seems like a good performance light at a decent price.

... One concern about reto-fits is the Rams headlamp height may be too high for a projector that has double the light output. When stopped behind someone I don't want to cause trouble with the car in front of me. There may be a reason we don't see projectors on taller suv's & pick up's.

Do you really think there is a concern as you state when these are mounted in the stock fog location in the bumper?

 

[seafish]

Using a dual 87 terminal 40a relay should be plenty, one for low and one for high. I don't know why the SUV lights site has 4 relay set ups for a 9007 application unless the relays they use are 20a or something.

C. Fish- When you get a chance, ask that fella building your harness what size relays they are using and if relay sockets will be used. . I might want one too.

Matt, I think the dual relay set-up is for trucks that have 4 headlamps- right low, right high, left low, left high. However, I think that one could also use the extra relays to bring power to a set of foglights, or aux. high beams, which could be very useful. One would just use a different trigger wire for the aux lamp relays.

RallyLights uses a Hella 40 amp relay, with a Hella 30 amp inline fuse. The relays include the sockets. As I mentioned, they also use the Hella CERAMIC socket for where the bulb actually plugs in. I think that is a very good upgrade. I should mention that the $75 was a ballpark price for a standard type harness--I will let you know what mine actually costs when I buy it, but it will be more because of the addons I am going to have him do. I am still toying with the idea of going with a dual battery set up and running 3 relays. Each battery will run one SIDE of my light system--RIGHT side (oem hi/lo, KC aux High, and warn DualBeam) and LEFT side (oem hi/lo, KC aux High and warn dual beam foggers). I think that this will be a cleaner install, that uses less wire,and balances the load completely between the batteries.

If you want to, talk to Ray at RallyLights, he is the one who builds their harnesses, and see what he quotes you. He was very helpful, though admitted to needing some time to look into what I wanted to do.

I am curious about the Stern's harness--Do you know what brand parts he uses, and will his connectors fit 12 ga wire??

 

[Matt400]

I will be curious to hear back about these. Seems like a good performance light at a decent price.

I have them wired now and have to say they are pretty good with the H9's. You can actually drive at night with just those on if you want. Turning on the oem lows adds some more all around light so they are best together.

I have an HID H9 kit to try out in them, that should be interesting.

Do you really think there is a concern as you state when these are mounted in the stock fog location in the bumper?

Not when mounted that low. The 90mm low beams are recommended for a min of 22" height and mine are at 25" measured in the center. I could put HID in them and pull right up behind someone without lighting up their interior or blasting their mirrors.

 

[fkovalski]

Matt,



From the photo in your post (#275, page 19... ) it appears that there is some sort of mounting frame(?) so that this can mount right into the bumper opening??



Do you know if a supplier that has these and all the associated wiring & relays?



(I guess i am looking for a 1 part number kit to just call and order it up. )

 

[Matt400]

I am curious about the Stern's harness--Do you know what brand parts he uses, and will his connectors fit 12 ga wire??

I bought parts from him to build my own harness when I did my light bar, he sent Hella relay sockets & pins, bosch 30a dual 87 terminal relays, 12g fuse holders and I used my own 12g wire. A little more work but you get to lay it all out the way you want. By using the dual 87 terminal relay you have a terminal for each lamp in a "pair" of lamps.

 

[Matt400]

Matt,



From the photo in your post (#275, page 19... ) it appears that there is some sort of mounting frame(?) so that this can mount right into the bumper opening??



Do you know if a supplier that has these and all the associated wiring & relays?



(I guess i am looking for a 1 part number kit to just call and order it up. )

You need to clarify. . do you mean the 90mm low beam modules? post #275 shows KC slim lights on the bumper plus a pic of Hella 500's

 

[fkovalski]

You need to clarify. . do you mean the 90mm low beam modules? post #275 shows KC slim lights on the bumper plus a pic of Hella 500's

Ooops, My bad

I would like the setup in your post #274 (the ones that you installed in the bumper fog location)

.

At the moment I have swapped in a pair of Hella 90mm low beam projectors
#ad

into my fog location.

 

[Matt400]

I would like the setup in your post #274 (the ones that you installed in the bumper fog location)

Here is what I did. .

I bought those 90mm modules from here.

Part number 97300 qty 2, 68137 qty 2, 87193 qty 2



I then bent & shaped some simpson tie strap pieces that you find at a hardware store for the mounting brackets much like I did when I mounted a pair of 120mm high beams in that same location a few years ago here.



I removed the oem fog socket from the harness leaving the pins attached and swapped on the Hella H9 connector and plugged it in using the factory fog switch to control them.



Yellow & Blue Lighting has all sorts of Hella products and can get far more than what is listed on their site because they are right next to Hella North America in Peachtree City, GA.

check them out here:

Warehouse

 

[Matt400]

Adding relays & fuses to factory location -

Anyone tore into the factory under hood fuse box to add relays and or fuses?

There are spare locations for both. I see some have pins already and wondered if there are wires terminated under there before pulling it apart to see.



Currently I have an additional 4 relays & 4 fuses under the hood and may add 2 more each and its looking a little hackish IMO. Would be slick to use the spare locations and amend the owners manual as to what they are for.

 

[WoodChuck]

Anybody going for the 6k and up lights should read this.

Selective yellow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[WoodChuck]

Just found this site,

- The Retrofit Source (U. S. ) - HID Projector Retrofit Kits, Retrofit and HID Componenents, Projectors Lens, Wiring Harnesses, Shrouds and more!

 

[Matt400]

Anybody going for the 6k and up lights should read this.



Selective yellow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good reading on the selective yellow debate, here is another view- VClassics Interactive - Archive

I have to say from experience I find the yellow better in heavy fog, snow and rain conditions but don't like it in clear weather.



3000's would be slick IMO in bumper projectors in bad weather. I was torn and went with 4300's for my H9 kit to supplement the lows. Basically I have a set of passing lamps now rather than fogs.

 

[seafish]

Just found this site,



- The Retrofit Source (U. S. ) - HID Projector Retrofit Kits, Retrofit and HID Componenents, Projectors Lens, Wiring Harnesses, Shrouds and more!

THANKS!!! NICE link. I like the shrouds that they sell. Good price on the conversion wire harnesses too!