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Old 02-17-2008, 12:25 AM   #1
jonney_boy
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Default Building Relay Harness for highbeams ('06 wrx)

I currently have a '06 wrx with plans to install a set of driving lights using the factory high beam circuit as a trigger. So with no intentions of cutting the factory wires, I bought a few male/female 9005 connectors to build myself a short "pigtail" that I can splice without worry.

This then got me thinking, would it be worth while to build a relay harness for the high beams in the car? I know subaru's are ground switched so i'm unsure how a relay harness would help (since the 12V provided would be comming straight from the battery and the relay would only be switching the ground circuit).

Furthermore, how would one go about wiring a relay harness for a ground switched setup? I know how to do it for positive switch but am lost when it comes to ground switched.


*as a side note, I currently have HIR bulbs in the high beams and they are great, bright and even wide spread of light... I have a set of FF75's + 65W bulbs that are ready to be installed*.
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Old 02-17-2008, 09:51 PM   #2
jonney_boy
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lol... can anyone point me to a wiring diagram for this setup?
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Old 02-18-2008, 01:03 AM   #3
tofushopguy
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Daniel Stern Lighting has a wiring diagram with explanations on how to do a ground switched scheme.

Basically, instead of grounding the relay you use the factory positive and negative wires from the headlamp connector. Hope that helps.
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Old 02-18-2008, 01:38 AM   #4
tomak
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonney_boy View Post
This then got me thinking, would it be worth while to build a relay harness for the high beams in the car?
Can you explain why you want to build a relay harness if there is already a factory relay in place? I don't understand what the gain of this would be, though I haven't measured the voltage on my bulbs.

For an older vehicle that has a straight connection between the battery, switch and lights, I can see how a relay setup helps.

Just curious, that's all.
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Old 02-18-2008, 02:13 AM   #5
jonney_boy
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I haven't checked the voltage at the bulb either, I just figured it was an chance to upgrade the factory wiring and ensure I get full voltage at the bulb's. I've heard people with buy-eyes reporting huge gains in output with a relay harness... hence why I wanted to try.


On the other hand, if there is no real gain, I am not going to bother. Under hood space is really tight in this car.
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Old 02-18-2008, 02:23 AM   #6
QuikWgn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonney_boy View Post
I haven't checked the voltage at the bulb either, I just figured it was an chance to upgrade the factory wiring and ensure I get full voltage at the bulb's. I've heard people with buy-eyes reporting huge gains in output with a relay harness... hence why I wanted to try.


On the other hand, if there is no real gain, I am not going to bother. Under hood space is really tight in this car.
Does anyone sell a heavier gauge relay harness for Bugeye's? Other than building pc's I am not electrically inclined in the slightest. I have Osram's on order(9007's and H3's for the stock fogs since I refuse to throw HID's in my stock reflectors, but if they will be hindered by an inadequate harness I'd like to make sure they perform to potential. ..
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Old 02-18-2008, 02:25 AM   #7
jonney_boy
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yes there are a bunch of compaines that do sell a plug and play harness for bugeyes....... I belive rally lights has one. There was another company that has one too but I can't remember it off the top of my head.
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Old 02-19-2008, 12:26 PM   #8
tofushopguy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomak View Post
Can you explain why you want to build a relay harness if there is already a factory relay in place? I don't understand what the gain of this would be, though I haven't measured the voltage on my bulbs.

For an older vehicle that has a straight connection between the battery, switch and lights, I can see how a relay setup helps.

Just curious, that's all.
One reason to upgrade the harness (heavier gauge wire) is to run higher wattage bulbs without burning through the factory wires.

It's not totally necessary to upgrade the wiring harness, because most of the voltage drop occurs on the ground side (subarus are ground switched Daniel Stern lighting has some valuable information on why switches cause voltage drops). I have heard of another mod where you directly ground the bulbs to avoid the voltage drop.

However, I'm going to personally get a wiring harness from www.lightwerkz.net
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Old 03-02-2008, 07:12 PM   #9
jdubya301
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i believe you would put the switched ground from the oem connector to pin 85 and the common power from the connector to pin 86.

I am pretty sure thats how you do it

im working on 2 wiring harnesses now, one for my bi xenon projector retrofit, and one for my driving lamps.
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Old 03-02-2008, 08:11 PM   #10
LightWerkz
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Just wanted to chime in and let everyone know we offer fully custom wiring harnesses for all applications. Just pm/email us and we can give you a quote.

Thanks
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Old 03-02-2008, 09:13 PM   #11
Paranoid Fabrications
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if i remember right, with the stock wiring there is a 1.2v drop at the headlights. so making a harness will get you full voltage to the headlights, so they will be much brighter.
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