headlight headaches heading for me - Page 2

crabtruck · 07-15-2009, 10:06 PM

Since there are several ways the circuits could be set up,
depending on whether they made allowances for using a different lamp pattern,
or automatic switching controls for fogs etc,
you should do a quick check of who's talking when.

Pull the relays and make a little map of which socket is hot when
as you cycle through the different combos of lights, including lo,hi,
fog, hd lite, et al. It may even be that this is using the relays
in a "reverse" manner, that's why relays are not marked "in" and "out".

This also assumes the relays share the same "control" signal, maybe they don't.
"L" and "R" are just for convienence, they may be tied together and to the batt.

bradrhale · 07-16-2009, 06:40 AM

no other lights tied to that circuit. just those 4 headlight bulbs. all the chicken lights and clearance lights are completely different from the light switch and the dimmer.

love the new avatar.

crabtruck · 07-16-2009, 06:59 PM

So map the sockets "hots" - should take 3 min and be very useful/educational.

bradrhale · 07-16-2009, 08:00 PM

cant give you that info at the moment as it is almost bedtime and the truck will be gone tomorrow. ill spend sat working on it and several other items so ill tell you what happened. i do think that it is in the dimmer switch. the idiot light for it on the dash is no longer working either. this is why i am betting it is in the switch for the highbeams.

crabtruck · 07-17-2009, 11:22 PM

Pretty sure there's a seperate relay for the idiot light,
part # t-10-di, (may have that backwards).
Anyways, the dash light probably just over-heated its cb.
Long as we're guessing and all......

bradrhale · 07-18-2009, 08:56 PM

alright, found the solution. and like all electrical problems, it all ends with something dumb. took another dimmer switch and plugged it in (not installed) and tried it. same situation. ran down most of the wires to the relays and found that one relay wouldnt work without the other. unusual. started reading all the schematics on the fuse/relay block door and what do we find?? circuit breakers. and here is 2, one for the LH lights and one for the RH lights. and yes, i have beaten myself up for letting this beat me up. good thing it turned out to be simple as this was a 92 dollar item.
only real problem i had today was trying to get the alternator to release so that i could put 2 new belts on it.

crabtruck · 07-19-2009, 07:17 AM

see above ... I believe I mentioned the cb ?

bradrhale · 07-19-2009, 07:23 AM

dont have to rub it in, i know your the man. when i first read your post, i was in idiot mode. read something completely different. that, and i couldnt find the circuit breakers.
but while i was in there, i found a wire that had been spliced into the left turn signal wire. took it loose and found that everything still worked. have no idea where it went besides into the dash and that is a no mans land trying to sort through all the wires, air lines, and oil lines. i just left it off. am sure if something doesnt work on it come monday, the driver (idiot) will tell me.

crabtruck · 07-19-2009, 07:37 AM

LOL brad, I was just yankin your chain....
my "cb" was for the idiot light " part # t-10-di "

BernieB · 07-19-2009, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrhale

while i was in there, i found a wire that had been spliced into the left turn signal wire. took it loose and found that everything still worked. have no idea where it went besides into the dash and that is a no mans land trying to sort through all the wires, air lines, and oil lines. i just left it off. am sure if something doesnt work on it come monday, the driver (idiot) will tell me.

I'll bet it was someone's "quick fix" for a turn signal indicator that stopped working.

07-15-2009, 10:06 PM	#11
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,364	Since there are several ways the circuits could be set up, depending on whether they made allowances for using a different lamp pattern, or automatic switching controls for fogs etc, you should do a quick check of who's talking when. Pull the relays and make a little map of which socket is hot when as you cycle through the different combos of lights, including lo,hi, fog, hd lite, et al. It may even be that this is using the relays in a "reverse" manner, that's why relays are not marked "in" and "out". This also assumes the relays share the same "control" signal, maybe they don't. "L" and "R" are just for convienence, they may be tied together and to the batt. Attached Thumbnails

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07-16-2009, 06:40 AM	#12
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,024	no other lights tied to that circuit. just those 4 headlight bulbs. all the chicken lights and clearance lights are completely different from the light switch and the dimmer. love the new avatar.

07-16-2009, 06:59 PM	#13
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,364	So map the sockets "hots" - should take 3 min and be very useful/educational.

07-16-2009, 08:00 PM	#14
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,024	cant give you that info at the moment as it is almost bedtime and the truck will be gone tomorrow. ill spend sat working on it and several other items so ill tell you what happened. i do think that it is in the dimmer switch. the idiot light for it on the dash is no longer working either. this is why i am betting it is in the switch for the highbeams.

07-17-2009, 11:22 PM	#15
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,364	Pretty sure there's a seperate relay for the idiot light, part # t-10-di, (may have that backwards). Anyways, the dash light probably just over-heated its cb. Long as we're guessing and all......

07-18-2009, 08:56 PM	#16
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,024	alright, found the solution. and like all electrical problems, it all ends with something dumb. took another dimmer switch and plugged it in (not installed) and tried it. same situation. ran down most of the wires to the relays and found that one relay wouldnt work without the other. unusual. started reading all the schematics on the fuse/relay block door and what do we find?? circuit breakers. and here is 2, one for the LH lights and one for the RH lights. and yes, i have beaten myself up for letting this beat me up. good thing it turned out to be simple as this was a 92 dollar item. only real problem i had today was trying to get the alternator to release so that i could put 2 new belts on it.

07-19-2009, 07:17 AM	#17
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,364	see above ... I believe I mentioned the cb ?

07-19-2009, 07:23 AM	#18
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,024	dont have to rub it in, i know your the man. when i first read your post, i was in idiot mode. read something completely different. that, and i couldnt find the circuit breakers. but while i was in there, i found a wire that had been spliced into the left turn signal wire. took it loose and found that everything still worked. have no idea where it went besides into the dash and that is a no mans land trying to sort through all the wires, air lines, and oil lines. i just left it off. am sure if something doesnt work on it come monday, the driver (idiot) will tell me.

07-19-2009, 07:37 AM	#19
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,364	LOL brad, I was just yankin your chain.... my "cb" was for the idiot light " part # t-10-di "