let there be light... Hella light

[fish2live]

Lighting comments and a questions:

So now that I've got the ARB bumpers on, T-bars cranked and winch wired up I started to think about lights...

Last night I cut the A3 wire to kill the DRLs (only for '03 and later 100's - thanks Jim Chow) http://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-c...64555-drl.html now I'm going to add a switch in-line to manually control the DRL's on/off.

Then I did the mod to have the ARB Sahara fog lights stay ON when you flip on the high beams... thanks SINCITY http://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-c...tml#post915002

Now I want to add a pair of HELLA 4000's or the new HELLA Free Form 4000's
---I might keep them stock with the 100watt bulbs or maybe upgrade to the brighter bulb (120 or 140 I think) - the FF has the 55watt bulb and I hear they're great
---OR - I might make them custom HIDs and see if they hold up - and then they only pull 35watts... http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82281

Now the questions...
Either way I go with the hardware I ideally want to have the option to trigger the Hella's when I hit the high beams OR manually with my OEM switch on the dash - anyone done this?? If so, how do you "trigger" a circuit, such as driving lights, with the high beams without actually using that high beam circuit to run the driving lamps? Any ideas on how to do that AND still have it wired to a factory OEM dash switch for manual operation?

Does anyone know if the Hella 4000's will fit the Sahara using the stock ARB holes? I am pretty sure they do....

Anyone try the new Hella 4000 Free Forms with the 55watt bulb? I hear they are much better than the old 4000's with the 100watt bulb..

Anyone try the "poor man's HID" upgrade idea?

Thanks,
Fish

[1loudLX]

manually, 4000s should fit on the LC no problem....free form is wack unless you get the compact HID ones and poor mans HID kit should be substituted for the Vision X all in one HID offroad lights, that way you can have them for hte same price as an HID kit + 4000s


oh i just read into your question more, i kind glanced it. You could setup a relay to trigger when you use the highbeam switch and/or the dash switch. But if your going HID i would say keep them manual only and not hooked to your highbeams because when you flash the highs the HIDs will get triggered and short bursts are bad for hids and i cant believe i am writing this run-on sentence because run-ons really bother the crap out of me and if your still reading this stop because im not typing anything that is important anymore i am just typing because i cant stop my fingers they just wanna type, type all night long man they're on FIRE baby yeah fire thats right.

[fish2live]

LOL - that is a funny post loud... let's call it "Free Form Typing!!"

ok, so I totally hear you on the HID - if I go that route then I will NOT put them to turn on with the high beams. But, the reality is I probably won't go HID and likely get the 4000 and keep them Halogen.

The 4000 standard and 4000 Free Form are the exact same size from the specs on-line....

[LandCruisers4Life]

I like all my extra lights wired separately from the factory system. I hate having to turn on something else to have another thing work. To me that's just not intelligent.

[fish2live]

Then I don't think you got my point because that's what I want as well ;-)

I want manual operation of the Hella's when desired with no reliance on anything else. But then I ALSO want them to turn on/off in conjunction with the OEM High Beams. Here is why. I used my Hella 4000's on my old 80 Cruiser all the time while driving to/from fishing on pitch black back roads. I like the extended vision, especially in WA and Canada where there are a LOT of Deer, Elk and Moose to avoid. So, driving with the high beams on a lot I not only have to switch them off with oncoming traffic, but ALSO switch off the Hella's by hitting the switch on the dash - then, switch them both back on (flip the High Beams, reach down and hit the Hella Switch) then off again with another car, then back on, then off, then on - every time with the distraction of taking my hand down to the dash and fumbling for the switch... I think you get the point, it's a PAIN IN THE A$$ even when there is only a car every 5 min...

thus my design idea... (and probably not going with HID due to flipping them on/off a lot more often)

Subsequent research has me looking here for relay ideas here: Hella Relays - I'll call him tomorrow and discuss if a 2 position switch (factory OEM I have in place) and one of his relay's will do the trick. I would like it to have it when the OEM switch is ON then the Hella's are just simply ON, regardless of anything else running or not... if that OEM switch is OFF then the Hella's are off, UNLESS you hit the high beams, then they come ON.

[LandCruisers4Life]

Originally Posted by fish2live

Then I don't think you got my point because that's what I want as well ;-)

I want manual operation of the Hella's when desired with no reliance on anything else. But then I ALSO want them to turn on/off in conjunction with the OEM High Beams.

Then all you have to do is make a circuit with two inputs. One can be dead unless you have the high beams on, and the other can be manually controlled. Simple.

[LandCruisers4Life]

Originally Posted by fish2live

I'll call him tomorrow and discuss if a 2 position switch (factory OEM I have in place) and one of his relay's will do the trick. I would like it to have it when the OEM switch is ON then the Hella's are just simply ON, regardless of anything else running or not... if that OEM switch is OFF then the Hella's are off, UNLESS you hit the high beams, then they come ON.

Exactly. Now you're thinking !!

[1loudLX]

fish, easily done with a relay or two. I think i said that in my free form post. I just dont like the free form's look but thats just me. I had the regular Euro Beam 4000s when i had my centerguard on. When I get my bumper it will be 4000 euro beams or those HIDs that they have on bajaoverland.com

[fish2live]

Thanks Gents - I'll let you know the results...

As for the 4000 standard driving vs. the new 4000 Free Form, here are pics

Pictured is the Hella 4000 Standard Driving Halogen (parabolic) - then the Hella 4000 Free Form Driving Halogen- they look like identical housings (and have the same measurement specs) but the reflector and glass are different. No - that Free Form pictured is NOT a Pencil Beam!

I want to talk to the lighting place and see if I can upgrade the standard 55w bulb in the Free Form to the 100 or 120w.

[LandCruisers4Life]

Nice looking lamps.... However I could do without "Metal Metal" on the ring... what would they put if it were plastic? "Plastic Plastic"?

My brother isn't the smartest guy in the world, and when we were kids I bought a Dymo to label some stuff. He got all carried away and labeled the home stereo "Stereo".............. As if I couldn't tell what it was. I gave him crap about all those labels he made for months

[fish2live]

I will change the first one to "Heavy" and leave the other one "Metal" - maybe Hella did that for laughs!! ;-) yes, pretty stupid...

I've been PMing with Jim Chow on this - he has some good thoughts on how to make it work so I'll do some tinkering with a relay and some circuit testing and post up what I find...

too many projects, not enough time...

[fish2live]

Ok - this is a pic for Jim Chow to look at. I've been PMing him but I can't send a pic..

Jim? Thoughts? But i am not sure if B1 or B2 is COLD if the High Beams are off... if so would this work?

[LandCruisers4Life]

When I wired my sons Hella lamps on his truck, there was a Red +12V line which went to the battery, and they wanted you to run a separate Green +12V line to tap into the high beam line. We wanted to be able to turn on the lamps anytime we wanted to (even with vehicle off), so I took the +12V Green Line and also attached it directly to the battery. Now he can turn the Hellas on whenever he wants.

Now, you could via a secondary switch be able to put the Green Line into the switch, and have it either toggled directly to the battery, or toggled to the high beam line. Do you follow me?

[fish2live]

I follow you LC4life - but that won't give me the Hella's turning on when I flip to High Beam...

I think I have a plan now. Going to go with my chart above but I am going to tap into the A5 wire. I tested all the wires last night and A2 and A5 have no current at all UNTIL the hi's come one - and I have me DRL's disabled so they don't run current there at all.

We'll see if this works - not sure about how any "back current" from the OEM switch might change things along the tap into the A5 wire... we'll see

[1loudLX]

You could always put a simple diode into the circuit to prevent any back current between the two triggering curcuits.

[LandCruisers4Life]

Yes, but a Zener diode.....

[fish2live]

Ordered the Hella FF4000 with the 100W bulbs today. I decided not to go with the 130w for now as the life is probably only 30 hours - vs. 250 hours for the 100w. www.rallylights.com were really helpful and price was fair. Also orderd the Hella harness but going to use my own OEM switch.

LOUD - yes on the diode, good call - and I ordered mine here:
Digi-Key - 1N1184-ND (Vishay IR - 1N1184)

4life - I didn't know about Zener Diodes - sound good but the one I bought is rated at 100v so that won't be exceeded - thus avoiding any avalanche breakdowns... ;-) Zener diode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Final diagram is below - we'll see if the whole thing blows up after install....

[Jim_Chow]

What is your voltage reading between 2A and ground (say, pin 1A) on the harness side of the plug when the DRL's would normally be on? I thought it would be high when the DRL's are supposed to be on regardless of cutting the wire at pin 3A.

[fish2live]

Zero... damn Jim, now you're making me second guess my testing last night after 2, uh, 3, beers..

I'l double check when I get home but I'm pretty darn sure it's dead cold...

[fish2live]

OK - just triple checked that lead in all scenarios - no current at all - lights off, pkg on, lows on - nothing... ground it to the battery as well as the 1A wire. The only time it gets juice is when the highs are on...

So, we'll hope this works... update next week after the lights arrive..

[1point4]

I got those lights on my LC '06 - see signature for photos

[fish2live]

1.4 - those look like the ones! ;-) I'll be psyched for some more light and to FINALLY have my Hella's pop on/off with the flick of the OEM High Beams....

Are you running the stock 55w Free Form bulbs? I hear they are about 25% more light than the old 4000 throws with the 100w bulb. I ordered the 100w bulb to put into the Free Forms from the guys at Susquehanna Motorsports Home Page and they say it rocks - about 2x the light from the old 4000's... I'm not sure about double, I want to see it for myself.

They can also sell the 130w bulbs and the guy thinks it would be bright as all hell... but that they'd only last about 25 hours!! ;-) No thanks...

[1point4]

sorry for the delay - i have the stock 55's for now, honestly, they aren't terribly bright. the way i have the light directed they do add a decent amount of light to the middle of the road - you actually see what you may be driving into very well.

130's - you will melt the snow in front of your rig! :-)

I've been stuck with a new job so I haven't done any more mods (hey, it's not like i'm a hurry to destroy my '06 LC...) but I'll start doing some more soon enough I think. Adding in 100's will certainly be one of the items.

[fish2live]

Hella install went "pretty" well - need to get pics posted tonight. HOWEVER - I have a problem and Jim nailed it...

Jim Chow - "What is your voltage reading between 2A and ground (say, pin 1A) on the harness side of the plug when the DRL's would normally be on? I thought it would be high when the DRL's are supposed to be on regardless of cutting the wire at pin 3A."

Damn Jim - you are a wizard - and I was DEAD wrong on pin 2A. It IS cold with the key in the Acc position, but it's HOT w/ the engine running -

My result last night after the install was that the Hella's work "on command" with the OEM dash swtich (engine running or not, or any configuration of pkg lights, Hi's, Lows etc etc... - so THAT is good..). With the engine off (key in Acc position) the HiBeams ALSO control the Hellas - that is good. BUT, with the enging RUNNING the Hella's are ON when all lights are OFF, or PKG lights on - then they go off with Low beams, then back on with Hi's - SO, NOW I HAVE HELLA DRL'S!!!

Almost there though - I think pin 2B might work... Any suggestions Jim?

Maybe I'll just go wire-to-wire tonight...

[fish2live]

still haven't resolved the wiring yet. It works ok since I pretty much always just leave my lights on...

here are the pics. I think the addition of the Hella's make the front end look so much better than just the Sahara that looks a little "bare"