2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Why is the headlight switch still hot?

[Darrenf]

Hey all, I recently finished installing Sport Headlights with a Daniel Stern wiring harness with Relays. On my 1 hour drive home the other night the light switch was still hot. I don't understand how that could be with most of the current running through relays. The only thing that is maybe still running through the switch are the running lights, right? oh... maybe the fogs since I've got those jumpered to run with high beams on. Ideas?



Thanks!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Hey all, I recently finished installing Sport Headlights with a Daniel Stern wiring harness with Relays. On my 1 hour drive home the other night the light switch was still hot. I don't understand how that could be with most of the current running through relays. The only thing that is maybe still running through the switch are the running lights, right? oh... maybe the fogs since I've got those jumpered to run with high beams on. Ideas?



Thanks!

Pretty easy to disconnect the running and fog lights to see...



And I thought it was illegal to burn the running lights on hi-beam?



At least as they come OEM, they only burn on lo-beam...

 

[Darrenf]

do you mean to run the "fog" lights on high beam? Guess I Don't know about that... I got the idea from this forum as a fix for the low beams not coming back on.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

do you mean to run the "fog" lights on high beam? Guess I Don't know about that... I got the idea from this forum as a fix for the low beams not coming back on.

Yeah, I don't know for sure either - I just notice that all the vehicles I see with "driving lights" on at night are low beam only, and seem to remember past discussions on the subject. My truck also uses the Daniel Stern setup, and my switch is only slightly warm now, it's a nice way to go to extend the life of the switch, while also getting brighter lights.

 

[Darrenf]

Hmm next time i drive at night I'll not run the "driving lights" and see if that makes a difference, But i like the little extra -up close- light they provide. Might need MORE relays to run the rest of the system... Ug.

 

[GAmes]

I'll make a stab at it. Do you drive with your instrument lights turned way down? On a 97 the rheostat is in the headlight switch, and the dimmer you make the instruments lights the hotter the switch gets. If that is the case on an 01 there are two solutions. Either turn the lights up a little brighter and/or drill some holes in the top of the vent duct that is just below the switch and keep the selector for the vents on the dash position at night.

 

[Darrenf]

As a matter of fact i do have the instrument lights turned down quite a bit, I'll bet you're right about that. ok. . turn the lights back up and wear "my sunglasses glasses at night", if you recall that ol' ditty.



Thanks for the tip!

 

[24V-DSL]

Turned mine all the way up and it cooled down. Not hard for me to get used to the brighter lighting.