Print Page | Close Window

T3 headlight relay modification???

Printed From: The Brick-yard
Category: T3 Section
Forum Name: T3 Tech help
Forum Description: Forum for T3 specific problems.
URL: http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=70817
Printed Date: 28 Mar 24 at 12:48
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: T3 headlight relay modification???
Posted By: youthy giblets
Subject: T3 headlight relay modification???
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 21:50
Read somewhere that I can improve the headlights by altering some wiring and the headlight relay, anyone know anything about this mod?



Replies:
Posted By: Steve B
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 21:59
Sure I saw something about it on the inside of last nights takeaway box....or was it on here when searching for headlight relay or headlight upgrade


Posted By: Tee3
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 21:59
there is no headlight relay... thats the problem.

You can add one...

Simple relay wiring, edit... see below



-------------

YOU CANT EDUCATE GAMMON

http://www.tee3.co.uk/" rel="nofollow - http://www.tee3.co.uk/


Posted By: Tee3
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 22:02


i'd do it slightly differently 1 relay for dip, another 2 for the main beams.



-------------

YOU CANT EDUCATE GAMMON

http://www.tee3.co.uk/" rel="nofollow - http://www.tee3.co.uk/


Posted By: club joker 84
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 22:16
Do it!  One of the best things I've done to my van.  Add a pair of "Nightbreaker" bulbs for the full effect. A huge improvement over standard Big smile


Posted By: youthy giblets
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 22:26
Originally posted by Steve B Steve B wrote:

Sure I saw something about it on the inside of last nights takeaway box....or was it on here when searching for headlight relay or headlight upgrade


Sarcasm is the funniest form of humor!!!!


Posted By: Steve B
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 22:28
and humour. Big smile


Posted By: Tee3
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 22:47
Also worth mentioning the earths... if youre going to the trouble of fitting relays, split the earths up and earth them to the body near the lights, rather than the standards setup where the spindly little earth wires go all the way back to the earth spider by the fuse box.




-------------

YOU CANT EDUCATE GAMMON

http://www.tee3.co.uk/" rel="nofollow - http://www.tee3.co.uk/


Posted By: caron666
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 22:54
Originally posted by youthy giblets youthy giblets wrote:

Originally posted by Steve B Steve B wrote:

Sure I saw something about it on the inside of last nights takeaway box....or was it on here when searching for headlight relay or headlight upgrade


Sarcasm is the funniest form of humor!!!!


I thought sarcasm was the lowest form of wit?




-------------
If it's got tits or wheels sooner or later you're going to get problems.


Posted By: Steve B
Date Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 23:06
and also the highest form of intelligence.


Posted By: Red Westie
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 01:05
I modded that diagram a little with more detail to suit a twin square lamp T3....I'd probably split the earth and have one each side somewhere behind the lamps. You really only need two relays but I would recommend a 40amp for the full beam (30amp for the dip).
 
 
 
Martin


-------------
shelly


Posted By: sdelasal
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 11:51
and where is the best place to mount these relays then and cut into the loom?


-------------
steve


Posted By: Titus A Duxass
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 11:59
Mine are behind the headlights.
I made flying leads to going into the original headlight bulb connector.

You could use a duff bulb to get the connecting spade.



-------------
Bollocks to it all!!
51°24′N 12°52′E


Posted By: syncroandy
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 12:31
When I did this mod, I placed the relays into the existing main and high-beam wires coming from the switch. I think they are rated OK, the weakness in the original design is more the switch taking the full load, and the earthing. I cut into the yellow and white wires just behind the relay plate, and used two VW relay holders which snap onto the relay plate. I got 12v from a spare term 30 on the back of the relay plate. I did add separate earth wires for each light, and brought them back inside and onto one of the earthing crowns. This approach keeps everything inside out of the wet, and makes for a neat install IMO.




-------------
'90 252 EJ25
'90 246 AFN

http://syncrosport.com" rel="nofollow - Syncrosport
Volkswagen Transporter, reloaded.


Posted By: Titus A Duxass
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 12:39
That's well tidy that is!

Think I'll have to revisit mine.


-------------
Bollocks to it all!!
51°24′N 12°52′E


Posted By: syncroandy
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 13:19
Maybe I should I add i didn't take the dash just to do this !

It was already out to upgrade the brake servo (thx. Charlie, did it at last !) so it was an ideal chance to sort one or two wiring jobs.




-------------
'90 252 EJ25
'90 246 AFN

http://syncrosport.com" rel="nofollow - Syncrosport
Volkswagen Transporter, reloaded.


Posted By: Titus A Duxass
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 13:56
Off topic - How much of a difference did the servo upgrade make?



-------------
Bollocks to it all!!
51°24′N 12°52′E


Posted By: syncroandy
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 14:08
Significant I would say. One thing I did notice though, was there is slightly more drop in the pedal before the brakes bite, compared with stock. At first this concerned me, but I soon got used to it.

-------------
'90 252 EJ25
'90 246 AFN

http://syncrosport.com" rel="nofollow - Syncrosport
Volkswagen Transporter, reloaded.


Posted By: youthy giblets
Date Posted: 06 Jan 12 at 21:06
Originally posted by syncroandy syncroandy wrote:

When I did this mod, I placed the relays into the existing main and high-beam wires coming from the switch. I think they are rated OK, the weakness in the original design is more the switch taking the full load, and the earthing. I cut into the yellow and white wires just behind the relay plate, and used two VW relay holders which snap onto the relay plate. I got 12v from a spare term 30 on the back of the relay plate. I did add separate earth wires for each light, and brought them back inside and onto one of the earthing crowns. This approach keeps everything inside out of the wet, and makes for a neat install IMO.





Have you found it much of an improvement to the standard set up?


Posted By: syncroandy
Date Posted: 07 Jan 12 at 08:33
Originally posted by youthy giblets youthy giblets wrote:



Have you found it much of an improvement to the standard set up?


Yes, it does make a noticeable improvement. I guess it may depend to an extent how worn-out the old switches are (how much voltage-drop they cause). Definitely worth the hours work and a few bits IMO (assuming you have old relays etc. lying about). The later cars I've seen do have relays as std. so VW obviously thought so.


-------------
'90 252 EJ25
'90 246 AFN

http://syncrosport.com" rel="nofollow - Syncrosport
Volkswagen Transporter, reloaded.


Posted By: scottbot53
Date Posted: 08 Jan 12 at 16:56
there is a post on samba.com about this with photo's and a detailed description of how to do this 


Posted By: Griff71
Date Posted: 08 Jan 12 at 20:40
Just done this on my doka and makes huge difference.  Simple job too.  Used the how to off the samba.com.Smile

-------------
89 Doka (EJ25 conversion)Sold
71 Bug (1955cc twin 40s)
65 Ragtop Bug (Mrs Griff)
98 Subaru Legacy GTB (330hp)
06 VW T5 1.9tdi T28


Posted By: BobbyH
Date Posted: 01 Dec 17 at 20:24
Sorry for the thread resurrection but isn't the guide on the Samba just putting extra load/feed through the switch if you are splicing into the fuse to switch side rather than the switch to light side?

Not great with electricity but it looks rather straight forward.

-------------
1989 1.9DG Devon/homebrew Waterboxer


Posted By: ducce999s
Date Posted: 08 Dec 17 at 14:43
Im using this type of ready set

http://www.lmctruck.com/features/cc/ccc4l.htm" rel="nofollow - headlight wiring set



-------------
Syncro addict :)


Posted By: BobbyH
Date Posted: 08 Dec 17 at 16:25
I have all the parts, and understand the basics, it just looks as though the Samba guide feeds in to the fuse to switch/stalk side rather than the feed direct to the lights so I was wondering doesn't that just push all the load through the switch? Which is what I thought a relay was meant to avoid.

If so where is it best to interrupt to add the relay?

-------------
1989 1.9DG Devon/homebrew Waterboxer


Posted By: AndyT
Date Posted: 08 Dec 17 at 17:12
Check these guys out for parts, very cheap and quick

https://www.beal.org.uk/search.html?search%5Bkeywords%5D=relay&_a=category" rel="nofollow - https://www.beal.org.uk/search.html?search%5Bkeywords%5D=relay&_a=category

https://www.beal.org.uk/automotive/automotive-relays/9-pin-relay-base.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.beal.org.uk/automotive/automotive-relays/9-pin-relay-base.html


-------------
LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k



Posted By: AndyT
Date Posted: 08 Dec 17 at 17:20
P.S. don't forget the wiring load, if you are not sure get the kit linked above or similar.

I remember the formula as Virgins Are Rare. Volts over Amps * Resistance or (Watts)
So a 60W bulb would give 12/60*Watts a 5amp load.
A 100W bulb 12/100*Watts a 8.33amp load.

Always leave a safety margin, for the above example I'd use 16amp cable and a 10amp fuse.


-------------
LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k




Print Page | Close Window

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd. - https://www.webwiz.net