Landrovernuts Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I have fitted relays to my headlights and completely rewired them yesterday and what a transformation - headlights are much brighter and gets my vote as a cheap but excellent modification if anyone is looking to do it. Today I thought I will bypass the dim - dip relay and after reading the previous threads on this, I thought a five minute job! Well I cannot find either a black relay or a pink relay behind the dash. Infact behind the dash I have a yellow voltage senistive relay and two small green relays - none or which have the wire colours in connection with the dim dip circuit. Easy I thought look under the driver inner wing for the ballast resistor and isolate the circuit there, but no cannot find that either. Does anyone know where else land Rover in their wisdom fitted this relay or resistor (tried fuse panel also, but no joy) so I can isolate it as my new headlight relay does not like it when on side lights only (as expected)? The land Rover is 1989 V8 county (90) if that helps and any suggestions gratefully received. Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 What age is your vehicle? The Dim-dip nonsense was a late-1980s/early-1990s thing: any LR younger than about 20 years should be unencumbered by dim-dip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 You say that, but I'm pretty sure it was still being fitted well into the mid-late Td5 Defender era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 my 1989 110CSW had the black box [see picture below] behind instrument pack, that was the only place it was ever fitted at factory, if there is no plug near that end then it probably wasn't fitted to your vehicle, or a previous owner has already removed the unit & wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Early90 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 i can confirm my 05 110 has it fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrovernuts Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 I have the black box you pictured Ralph under the clocks! Thought it was a voltage regulator and hence having the heat sink fins and that is why I did not mention it. Right, if I remove the black box what wires if any need jumping or is the sort that you just remove? Thanks for your help Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 it's been moved then, factory location is screwed to the underside of dash binacle above the instruments, Just unplug & stow plug/wires safaly, remove the unit from cab if you want, normal dip beam operation will be restored. it is a voltage transformer [very unreliable] drop volts down to put dip beam on at about 10% normal power. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrovernuts Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks for your help - will give it ago when I am allowed out to play next. Anyone want a dim - dip relay same as pictured above!!? Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Chuck it in the bin, they are so unreliable not worth it's weight in scrap, I've got 5 dead ones here removed from my 110 over the last 20 odd years of ownership, I replaced the headlights recently with crystal lense units with a pilot [side] light built in, gives about the same glow as a dim dip headlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrovernuts Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Thanks Ralph, works a treat now. Was only joking if anyone wants it! Daft thing is this one has been reliable. Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodumatau Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I was wondering if ther are any clever people out there who have wired the headlights on a landy to switch off automatically when you turn off the engine, ? This is something I have been thinking about how to do since buying my '83 V8 as I manage to keep forgetting to switch off the headlights ( been brainwashed by modern cars that think for you) What would the best way be to do it? Feed the headlights off a switched 12v line? Through relays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 should be possible using a normal on/off relay, but you'll still have to make sure the switch is fully off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I was wondering if ther are any clever people out there who have wired the headlights on a landy to switch off automatically when you turn off the engine, ? This is something I have been thinking about how to do since buying my '83 V8 as I manage to keep forgetting to switch off the headlights ( been brainwashed by modern cars that think for you) What would the best way be to do it? Feed the headlights off a switched 12v line? Through relays. Yes I have. See my post somewhere on the dim / dip system. When I removed my Din/ dip relay,. I bridged two of the dim/ dip connections as per the drg. Doing that should mean that when you turn ign off the headlights, if on, should go out. I can't say they will though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I you have upgraded the headlamps to relays you can just feed the switch live from an ignition live as your not pulling much current. if not then fit a relay in the switch live to be energised by an ignition live. should be simple enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Pretty sure mine do that already? Side lights will stay on but turning the ignition off will extinguish the dipped/main beams if they are left on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I was wondering if ther are any clever people out there who have wired the headlights on a landy to switch off automatically when you turn off the engine, ? This is something I have been thinking about how to do since buying my '83 V8 as I manage to keep forgetting to switch off the headlights ( been brainwashed by modern cars that think for you) What would the best way be to do it? Feed the headlights off a switched 12v line? Through relays. A relay triggered of the oil pressure switch would do the job, this is how heated screens etc dont come on for this reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodumatau Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Yep the oil switch is a good idea, this is what I have on my TD5's in bots for their aux battery solenoids, a relay that triggers the solenoid when it has oil pressure. Disadvantage with that is that engine must run to have lights.... Which is bad and good... If I just plug a relay directly to a switched live then the lights will pull power when cranking. So need a plan that switches lights off while cranking and on the rest of the time the ignition switch is on.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 A relay triggered of the oil pressure switch would do the job, this is how heated screens etc dont come on for this reason. that's how the dim dip circuit is switched but only if main lights switch is on side/tail lights on setting, VSS unit stops rear screen from working until alternator is charging, there's no direct link to oil pressure switch in rear heated screen wiring circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I don't think that it would be legal to only be able to have headlamps on if engine was running. That's a big difference than having them on with ignition live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.