How to make low beams run with high

[Flashflood]

I want to possibly put spider halos in my 2000 explorer but Idk how to make low beams run with high I've heard that's the best to do? Any write ups, help would be appreciated.

 

[donalds]

Its illegal !
Sorry

 

[Flashflood]

Its illegal !
Sorry

Cheers other people have done it so I thought I asked

 

[1998Exp]

Its illegal !
Sorry

You may be right, but I couldn't find a law in any state that requires turning off the low beams when the high beams are on. Can you tells us where it says so?
Incidentally, flashing the high beams by pulling the stalk up lights both the highs and lows, but you couldn't do this for a longer period of time with the original dual-filament incandescents - legal or not - the sockets would melt.

 

[J_C]

What bulbs are you talking about? The stock headlight housing is for 9007 bulbs which contain the high and low beam in same bulb. If you attempt to power both filaments at once, it will burn a typical incandescent bulb out rapidly because it runs too hot, as well as melt the housing.

If you're sure your replacement bulbs can handle this, there are a couple of options that are easier. One is put a diode between the high and low beam wires so high supplies power to the low but not the other way around. Ideally you'd choose a schottky diode due to that type having a lower forward voltage drop, and it will probably need a modest sized heatsink.

The next step up in complexity that avoids having the forward drop loss of a diode, is to tap off the high beam wire, run that to a relay coil, other end of relay coil to ground, then on the relay switched contacts, you take the normally open side, run the high beam wire to that, then run a wire from the other contact to the low beam wire, so when the high beams are on, the relay energizes, closing the relay contacts so the power from it goes to the low beam.

You may be right, but I couldn't find a law in any state that requires turning off the low beams when the high beams are on. Can you tells us where it says so?
Incidentally, flashing the high beams by pulling the stalk up lights both the highs and lows, but you couldn't do this for a longer period of time with the original dual-filament incandescents - legal or not - the sockets would melt.

There is NO modification you can make that is legal, besides DOT compliant same-type incan bulbs. It's all-inclusive. Granted, the verbiage may vary by state and local police, may not have the skill set to do anything but it's still, contrary to good will and not needed.

Jumping to the end conclusion, the goal is not to have the most light possible. It blinds other drivers and if you feel it's needed, you might have a clouded headlight lens but otherwise, your eyesight is too poor to drive a brick on wheels at the speeds you want to go which would necessitate extremes in lighting mods.

If you want to see better driving at excessive speed then you need custom made projector housings and HID setup. There is no cheap/easy way to get that done, it's not worth the bother for a 20 year old vehicle that drives like a top heavy brick on wheels, you should never be going fast enough to need it if your headlight lenses aren't clouded up from UV exposure and if they are, that is the thing to fix.

 

[Flashflood]

What bulbs are you talking about? The stock headlight housing is for 9007 bulbs which contain the high and low beam in same bulb. If you attempt to power both filaments at once, it will burn a typical incandescent bulb out rapidly because it runs too hot, as well as melt the housing.

If you're sure your replacement bulbs can handle this, there are a couple of options that are easier. One is put a diode between the high and low beam wires so high supplies power to the low but not the other way around. Ideally you'd choose a schottky diode due to that type having a lower forward voltage drop, and it will probably need a modest sized heatsink.

The next step up in complexity that avoids having the forward drop loss of a diode, is to tap off the high beam wire, run that to a relay coil, other end of relay coil to ground, then on the relay switched contacts, you take the normally open side, run the high beam wire to that, then run a wire from the other contact to the low beam wire, so when the high beams are on, the relay energizes, closing the relay contacts so the power from it goes to the low beam.


There is NO modification you can make that is legal, besides DOT compliant same-type incan bulbs. It's all-inclusive. Granted, the verbiage may vary by state and local police, may not have the skill set to do anything but it's still, contrary to good will and not needed.

Jumping to the end conclusion, the goal is not to have the most light possible. It blinds other drivers and if you feel it's needed, you might have a clouded headlight lens but otherwise, your eyesight is too poor to drive a brick on wheels at the speeds you want to go which would necessitate extremes in lighting mods.

If you want to see better driving at excessive speed then you need custom made projector housings and HID setup. There is no cheap/easy way to get that done, it's not worth the bother for a 20 year old vehicle that drives like a top heavy brick on wheels, you should never be going fast enough to need it if your headlight lenses aren't clouded up from UV exposure and if they are, that is the thing to fix.

I'm probably not going to worry about it. I've just heard when running halo that it's best to do it. I'm not even going to mess with it until I see how they are.

 

[1998Exp]

What bulbs are you talking about? The stock headlight housing is for 9007 bulbs which contain the high and low beam in same bulb. If you attempt to power both filaments at once, it will burn a typical incandescent bulb out rapidly because it runs too hot, as well as melt the housing.

Seems that the O/P was talking about the "Spyder" aftermarket brand, which has two separate lamps. I believe that they are usually LEDs.

 

[J_C]

That's not a link.

What is separate lamps? I mean if the product includes a new housing/reflector, that's one of several factors to get it to work longer term, but if it's just the same 9007 meant to run high vs low beams, it would depend on the specific bulb design, what happens if you try to circumvent their design... typically, LED already try to run at the max they can get out of them for the price point and if you try to exceed that, it's going to burn out fast.

Plus, there is no street legal LED retrofit bulb for this application. If you're going to break the law anyway, might as well just get a narrow beam light bar, turned on when nobody is around, emphasis on narrow beam, will be several times brighter than some wishfully marketed special headlight bulb.

The LED headlight bulb retrofit market is all about criminals using deceit to lie for profit. There is no LED bulb that is legal to use that isn't designed into and used in a custom housing reflector/lens for it.

Amazon and ebay often offer these illegal bulbs, because our government is terrible at upholding law and order. Corruption, lack of funding, take your pick. I can make no excuse for amazon, a primary offender who never needed extra profit enough to promote fraud.

 

[1998Exp]

That's not a link.

What is separate lamps? I mean if the product includes a new housing/reflector, that's one of several factors to get it to work longer term, but if it's just the same 9007 meant to run high vs low beams, it would depend on the specific bulb design, what happens if you try to circumvent their design... typically, LED already try to run at the max they can get out of them for the price point and if you try to exceed that, it's going to burn out fast.

Spyder Auto Ford Explorer 95-01 1PC Projector Headlights - LED Halo - Chrome - High H1 (Included) - Low H1 (Included) 5010148 - The Home Depot

Offer extra power and safety to your automobiles with the help of this excellent Spyder Auto Ford Explorer Projector Headlights LED Halo Chrome High H Low H. Weather resistant product.

www.homedepot.com

 

[blueka]

I did this in my 99 Sport.

I ran a relay and used the high beam wire as the trigger.
I ran 2 wires from the relay, to each of the low beams so that when the high beams were triggered, It triggered the low beams. I did this because I had HID bulbs in my low beams, and having them turn off n on means no light for a while. just don't put HIDs in your high beams or it'll blow fuses

Si

 

[Mbrooks420]

I had my old Mounty set up to run both highs and lows off a separate switch. I did all the wiring changes behind the dash. Very basic.

 

[Gary Crist]

As stated above hi low all the time not good.
Take a look at 12.17

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/tp-108-13_tag.pdf

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm probably not going to worry about it. I've just heard when running halo that it's best to do it. I'm not even going to mess with it until I see how they are.

That's the first step to do, see what you are working with.

Laws are made to supposedly help people, but they are also created to help to punish people too. Nobody should have any extra lights turned on while driving with people able to see them. Meaning fog lights should be off unless there is actually fog(or snow or heavy rain). But there are no laws(which are being enforced) that stop people from abusing others by blasting lots of bright lights, or the fake fog lights they leave on constantly, which most cars have.

Real fog lights are a low and wide angle beam light, bright upon close objects, not projecting out and into oncoming driver's eyes.

That being said, I support turning on every light you have, all of them, to do to others as they are doing to you. If you have any bright lights on, I want as many of my own bright lights on, to return the favor(you #######).

I don't have an modified car lights on any of my 8-10 Fords. But my first car was a 72 Gran Torino, those have four 5 3/4" lights. Older cars have a foot switch for the high beams, no turn signal flasher circuit. I installed four Cibie lights, and the alternator couldn't handle them. After a big relay/solenoid, and an upgrade to the alternator, I added new bulbs, 100w in the high beams, and 55/100's in the low/high's. So 400 watt lights was plenty to get the attention of drivers who thought it was okay to run high beams all the time.

Think about how your lights affect others, those coming at you, and the people you are behind. Turn all the lights off except the main headlights, or a fake fog light which is as bright as a normal headlight. Reserve the rest of the lights for the high beam circuit alone, or switched when you go off main roads.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I only ever ran the dual lights on back roads where you were unlikely to come across other drivers, and when plowing off road.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's how I plan to work with my Mountaineer's lights, I love those large headlights. I'll have the XP8 front bumper, and will find some real fog lights for those.

 

[blueka]

you could always do this

https://www.explorerforum.com/forum...756095376579_5562755338786825839_n-jpg.79945/

Si

 

[C420sailor]

I have obnoxiously bright LED takedowns in my lightbar. 99% of the time they’re used for legitimate purposes, but when I come across an asshole with illegal lighting and no concern for others, it’s fun to fight fire with fire.

 

[blueka]

That's what that ridiculous light bar was all about on my hood. Even lit up the local cop when she didn't dim after I'd flashed her twice to remind her that her brights were on.



Si

 

[donalds]

I put y yellow filter on my light bar
Don't hurt your eyes nearly as much
Jess uses it at night usually midnight to watch for deer
She is responsible aswell

Headlights fog lights led light color

Hot topic here All OPINIONS GOOD OR BAD ARE WELCOME Lets see your lights ...any and all... I have stock fogs with yellow film on them Good bulbs Stock headlight good bulbs Led light bar triple row 26" flood and beam with yellow film 2 layers for back roads ...deer.. Fogs only below pretty...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[CDW6212R]

I put y yellow filter on my light bar
Don't hurt your eyes nearly as much
Jess uses it at night usually midnight to watch for deer
She is responsible aswell

That's all we good people are asking for, the others who don't care, they have to have a reason to do the right thing.

Do you know what else is hard to work with at night, white strobe lights. Some school buses drive with their one rooftop strobe light on all of the time. Mail vehicles often have them mounted around the back. I have never driven with mine on, but a have turned them on briefly about three times, can you say tailgating?