24 volt head light converion (1 Viewer)

[kling-on]

I have a Canadian BJ42 with 24 volt system but 12 volt head lights... I found cheap 24volt LED head light at a government auction. Anyone know how to make then 24 volt again cause the lights are the 24 only

 

[george_tlc]

Presumably if they are 12V bulbs (low/high combo bulb?), then the headlights must be in series to run from 24V.

So, with your 24V LED headlights, just wire them in 'parallel' to the 24V feed.

The only 'complication' is that presumably you have low beam/high beam LED headlights? So you will have two 24V feeds, one for low and one for high.

cheers,
george.

 

[kling-on]

I was told each head light is wired to one battery

 

[george_tlc]

Follow the wires and see if indeed that is how they are connected. Sounds feasible to ensure one light going out doesn't take both out.

You'll need to follow the wires and determine how they connect to the batteries. Likely via a relay or two or more depending on how they switch the low/high beam.

Is that stock wiring from toyota or has someone 'played' with things to utilise standard 12V headlights?

My old 24V nissan used 24V headlights (before I ripped all the 24V crap out and converted it to 12V).

cheers,
george.

 

[kling-on]

I'll have to ck but as I remember one wire from each light goes straight to one of the battery's

 

[langsen]

If they are wired the same as the Canadian HJ60, which uses 24 volt for everything except the headlights, then this may be helpful:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rewiring-a-stock-hj60s-12v-headlights-to-24v.678686/
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rewiring-a-stock-hj60s-12v-headlights-to-24v.678686/
Are they the truck-llite bulbs?

 

[Dieseler]

Sounds like you have a Cdn 42 there is a weird wire tap that produces 12 volts to each bulb if you run a search there is some posts that have a wiring diagram of the BJ42 headlight which shows the trace.
You will have to check your light switch to see if it is 12V or 24V I dont recall what volt switch I have in my 42 I do know that my JDMs all have a 24v switch this is because the entire system is 24v including headlights.

 

[bj40green]

This is a Canadian 24V truck with 12V headlights.

The drivers side is hooked up between 12V and ground.
The passenger side is hooked up between 24V and 12V.

And this your new set up.

Rudi

 

[bj40green]

If they are wired the same as the Canadian HJ60, which uses 24 volt for everything except the headlights, then this may be helpful:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rewiring-a-stock-hj60s-12v-headlights-to-24v.678686/
Are they the truck-llite bulbs?

The difference between a 40 series and a 60 series is that the coil of dimmer relay on a 40 series is hooked up between 12V and ground. On a 60 series the coil of the dimmer relay is hooked up between 12V and 24V.
It took Mark and me a while to figure that out.

Rudi

 

[kling-on]

Well I was hoping to make it simpler but I guess looking at your diagram I need two 24 volt relays to make it work... Time to order more parts :-/

 

[kling-on]

Yes truck lite...military surplus I thought they'd do both but they say 24 only on the back :-/

 

[george_tlc]

Rudi, interesting stock/oem setup. Seems like a daft idea though (from a battery balancing idea) versus having 24V lights to start with. And if one of those 12V headlights go out while out in the sticks, then you have a balancing issue or driving only during the day...

The older 24V patrols always had 24V headlights - never realised that toyota had a major brain fart in their implementation.

cheers,
george.

 

[blis]

Rudi, interesting stock/oem setup. Seems like a daft idea though (from a battery balancing idea) versus having 24V lights to start with. And if one of those 12V headlights go out while out in the sticks, then you have a balancing issue or driving only during the day...

The older 24V patrols always had 24V headlights - never realised that toyota had a major brain fart in their implementation.

cheers,
george.

They didn't, everywhere else around the world 24v cruisers come with 24v headlights besides canada...

 

[george_tlc]

Canada was special eh? I'll have to harass my canadian wife that the only brain damaged 24v toyota was destined for canada

cheers,
george.

 

[bj40green]

From what I've learned over the years, it was not a Toyota idea, but Toyota had to modify the head lights for one or some reason especially for Canada and Canada only.

Rudi

 

[markthemenace]

Milsurp LED lights? Sounds interesting Rudi, the lights are still going strong. I bought a box and I'm going to make up a wiring harness and replace the "testing" phase of my wiring.

 

[kling-on]

Ya every other bulb is 24volt ... Just 12volt head lights... Order 2 40 amp 24 volt relay will start making the harness in a few weeks