Headlight Wiring

[K_Arts]

Hey guys. . I have a stupid question. Being that my service manual is on the way, I have no way of looking this up.

Can one of you guys that has a service manual look up the wiring for the headlights for me. I purchased a ZETA (it is a ballast that makes the headlights brighter) from FET and I need to splice into the wire for the low beams and the wire for thehigh beam and put a fuse holder in place. When you look at the headlight, each side has 3 wires and I don't know what each wire is... so I don't know which wires to splice into. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Kev

Boy I can't wait till I get my service manual... LOL

 

[HEMI®Dart]

K-Arts,

High Beam = Red/Orange
Low Beam = White/Violet

This is for a '96 Model year truck. But it should be the same wires.

Maybe this will help you: http://dodgeram.org/tech/mods/electric/headlight.htm



[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 02-18-2001). ]

 

[Joe G.]

K-Arts,

Really need to know the year since at one point DC changed from switching the hot leads to the lights to switching the grounds. I would wait until you receive the proper service manual. If you have a '95 I can look up the wiring for you.

------------------
Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,3. 54,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,BD valve body,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

[K_Arts]

Originally posted by HEMI®Dart:

High Beam = Red/Orange
Low Beam = White/Violet

Ok... So are the wires the same colors for both sides???

Thanks a million

Kev

 

[HEMI®Dart]

They should be. These colors are for a '96. Not sure what year you have.

 

[K_Arts]

Originally posted by Joe G. :
K-Arts,

Really need to know the year since at one point DC changed from switching the hot leads to the lights to switching the grounds.

Joe... I have included my Sig... which has all of the details... though good point. Can't believe that I spaced that.

Thanks

Kev



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2k 2500 4x4 SB, Auto SLT, Camper Package, Tow Package, 3. 54 Dif, Ameraguard Bed Liner, Amsoil BMK 15 Dual Bypass and HDD 5w30

 

[Thomas]

You're switching the ground on model year 2000.

 

[K_Arts]

Originally posted by Thomas:
You're switching the ground on model year 2000.

HUH? Can you give further details?

Thanks

Kev

 

[csutton7]

my 99 has different colors--you best wait for someone with a Y2K truck to tell you or wait for your manual--chris

------------------
chris sutton
1999 2500 qcab longbed 4x4 red sport w/ all the options 'cept plow pkg, 4:10 detroit locker in rear & front ARB,
5" skyjacker lift w/ 35" BFG mud terrains on 16. 5x9. 75 Weld rims, black smittybilt nerf bars, black 3 pc. bug persuader,
black lumber rack, camel leather int. w/ mb quartz spkrs and 8" sub, power edge EZ, DTT vb & tc, mag hy-tec transmission pan,
red magview diff covers & coming soon: 275 injectors, red L&L ladder bars, turbo temp monitor & guages on "A" pillar

 

[Thomas]

Kev,

On your model year 2000 you will find that 12 volts is always present at the lamp socket. When the headlamp switch is used to turn on the headlamp the switch is completing the circuit by providing a path to ground—useful information if you want to trigger relays using the wires at the lamp socket.

I don't know how this effects your application.

 

[K_Arts]

Thomas... so are you saying that I can not tap into the low beam and high beam wires, add a fuse holder and tap the Zeta in place? Here are instructions for the Zeta... do you guys have any idea of how I can install this?

Zeta Install

CSutton - That is interesting that your's has different colors, cause mine are the same what Hemi is saying for the 96. I just want to verify that these are right before I cut'm and screw my headlights up.

Thanks

Kev


[This message has been edited by K_Arts (edited 02-19-2001). ]

 

[Thomas]

Here are the model year 2000 non-sport wire colors:

VT (left) VT/RD (right) 12 volts

VT/WT (left & right) low beam

RD/OR (left & right) high beam

 

[K_Arts]

Thanks a million guys...

So after seeing the link that I posted for the ZETA. Do you believe that I can just tap into the wire to make this thing work?

Thanks

Kev

 

[B.G. Smith]

I have a hard time with the elect. dwgs. but from looking at the installation dwg, looks to me like all you have to do is plug the device into the fuse panel and mount and ground the ballast. You will need to determine which leg of the fuse is the + side to plug in correctly. bg

------------------
White 99 3500, QC, 3:55, auto. most options except leather, Line-X bed liner, fiberglass running boards Rancho 9000s, bug shield and window vents, black vented 5th wheel tailgate, 110 gal. aux. fuel tank.

 

[K_Arts]

BG... here's my problem. There is an electrical distribution center located behind the drivers side battery, but the only fuse in there that says anything about the headlights is a mini. . where as the Zeta has ATO fuses on it. Unfortunately, you can not get an adapter that goes from mini to ATO to just plug the Zeta in. So Whatcha think?

Kev

[This message has been edited by K_Arts (edited 02-20-2001). ]

 

[B.G. Smith]

Sorry I took so long to answer. The lights on our truck are fused, left side and right side rather than high beam and low beam and they are hot all the time, even when the switch is off, the ground side is switched to make them work, I don't think the Zeta is going to work. It could be done with some relays but would be a nightmare. I would call the Zeta people and see what they say. It looks like a good idea but may not be for the late model Rams. bg

------------------
White 99 3500, QC, 3:55, auto. most options except leather, Line-X bed liner, fiberglass running boards Rancho 9000s, bug shield and window vents, black vented 5th wheel tailgate, 110 gal. aux. fuel tank.

 

[David_VT]

Is this ZETA too expensive to have two of them? I have no idea on the cost.

If they are not too crazy expensive, what about having two and thus replacing each of these R/L headlight fuses with a fused ZETA circuit? Remove the fuse and rig up something to splice the ZETA circuit into the fuse holder socket??

Doing this might have the added benefit of allowing you to power both filaments without overloading the ZETA circuit. I think I read that the ZETA circuit can not run 4 filaments by itself.

 

[K_Arts]

Originally posted by David_VT:
Is this ZETA too expensive to have two of them? I have no idea on the cost.

David_Vt, acutally when you purchase the ZETA, you do get 2 of them. Each one has 2 Fake ATO fuses (1 for high beam and 1 for low beam) that lead up to the box (which is the ballast).

I guess my problem is that I understand Electricity, but I don't have any understanding of a switching ground... I have never dealt with them. Thanks for the info Guys.

Kev

 

[K_Arts]

I have sent an e-mail to my contact person at FET, so I will let you guys know what she says. Hopefully their techs can think of something.

Kev

 

[David_VT]

It will be interesting if you can simply swap the low ZETA for 'right' and the high ZETA for 'left'.

If the fuses that you (or someone) found which feed right or left, only feed the headlights, IMHO replacing the OEM fuse with these circuits should work. The power will only pass through the circuit when the bulb is grounded via the lightswitch (& hi/lo selector)...