HJ61 headlight upgrade

[The Dude]

I found Wayne Tangen's wiring diagram for the FJ62 on the 3FE list and made the same harness for my HJ61 using 24V relays. Tyco part number V4FA-45H11. I am going to try the 20 ohm resistor to see if it works.

So that I can finnaly install these from Daniel Stern lighting. Cibie lows and bosch highs with performance bulbs as recommended by Mr Stern.

As I have found out the 61s have this weird neg switching like the 62s and most NA lenses ground through the housing. So you either wrap them in electrical tape or you blow fuses. The harness solves this problem. It also upgrades the poor toyota wiring.

At the same time I am replacing the two batteries (returned the red tops) with 900 CC amp Costco specials and 2 gauge wire with all new terminals. I am also running a 2 gauge wire from my alt directly to my batteries.

I hope this makes a big improvement in overall electrical issues.

 

[BURGER]

What kind of issues are you having?

I have this problem of when I start the truck it takes about 25 sec before I get a reading of a charge?

I though maybe brushes but I am not sure.

 

[expat]

Good one Brad. As a member of the 3fe list, I always wondered if our 61's had the same backwards wiring as a 62, but was too lazy to trace it out. Post results please.

Mike

 

[ivanhoe]

I found Wayne Tangen's wiring diagram for the FJ62 on the 3FE list and made the same harness for my HJ61 using 24V relays. Tyco part number V4FA-45H11. I am going to try the 20 ohm resistor to see if it works.

So that I can finnaly install these from Daniel Stern lighting. Cibie lows and bosch highs with performance bulbs as recommended by Mr Stern.

As I have found out the 61s have this weird neg switching like the 62s and most NA lenses ground through the housing. So you either wrap them in electrical tape or you blow fuses. The harness solves this problem. It also upgrades the poor toyota wiring.

At the same time I am replacing the two batteries (returned the red tops) with 900 CC amp Costco specials and 2 gauge wire with all new terminals. I am also running a 2 gauge wire from my alt directly to my batteries.

I hope this makes a big improvement in overall electrical issues.

hi,
why bring back the optima's?

i've also made a wiring harness from the daniel stern website and what i'm having problems with is both(hi-lo) stays on when i'm on high beams! mind you, i got only two light system(85BJ60).

the other glitch i have, the hi-beam indicator doesn't come on. is this where the resistor comes to play? i haven't looked at wayne tangen's diagrahm's so i might be repeating myself.
ivanhoe

 

[The Dude]

Ivanhoa,

I had the cheaper 720 CC redtops from Costco and have never been impressed with them. They never seemed to take full charge and my solar converter draw killied them in a couple days. One was ALWAYS out of balance with the other. I have only had the new batteries in a week but so far no problems.

The resistor is for the indicator. There is also a diode in line with it.

I am not sure about the round lights but I always thought that the highs and lows came on together...

Burger,

As for my electrical issues, I just don't like seeing that huge voltage drop when I start my truck. I am sure larger wiring, a cable directly to the batteries, and a better ground cable will help a lot. As far as I know this big draw on start up is normal on the HJ61. I believe it is just the glow screen helping with a good start.


I should have the harnes and cables in tonight. I will post up how it worked out.

 

[ivanhoe]

Ivanhoa,

I had the cheaper 720 CC redtops from Costco and have never been impressed with them. They never seemed to take full charge and my solar converter draw killied them in a couple days. One was ALWAYS out of balance with the other. I have only had the new batteries in a week but so far no problems.

The resistor is for the indicator. There is also a diode in line with it.

I am not sure about the round lights but I always thought that the highs and lows came on together.

dude,
on the old lighting set-up, if you were to put on the high beams. moving the headlight arm assembly slowly, you would hit a sweet spot where both the hi's and low's would come on together and then only the hi's. meaning the lo's do not stay on when the hi's are on.

ivanhoe

 

[The Dude]

Well i got the harness in...The high beams work AWSOME. I light up the night sky and for the really wierd thing, I have 12V at my low beams!!!

I have know idea how this is even possible...It was 1:00AM and I gave up on trying to figure it out. There is NO 12V tap on my truck and NO 12Vs going into the new harness.

I know that I have a huge electrical drain on the truck when the low beams are on as my voltage in dash drops drastically. With them off or on high beam I have 28V + I will try and figure it oput tonight.

Here is the harness diagram. Can anybody tell me how I would get 12V????

 

[Mongrel]

As I have found out the 61s have this weird neg switching like the 62s and most NA lenses ground through the housing. So you either wrap them in electrical tape or you blow fuses. The harness solves this problem. It also upgrades the poor toyota wiring.

quote]

Please explain this fuse blowing. I have spots earthed to chassis and a pile of blown fuses. Fuses only blow while engine is running. Will running the spotlight negative back to battery fix this?

 

[The Dude]

Jace, I couldn't find the wiring diagram for our trucks so I am not exaclty sure how the lights work.

 

[The Dude]

BEST MOD EVER

Have you ever done something to your truck and then kicked yourself for not doing it earlier, this was that mod.

The Cibie e-code DOT low beams are fantastic and the voltage drop is gone.

The Bosch e-code high beams WOW, just fantastic. I have 400W of high beam light!!

The harness all worked out. The only mod I made was running the grounds for the high beams. I switched the lengths around so they would attach to the battery. Everything else worked great.

I got a little confused on the wiring of the low/high beams. The common in the schematic is 24V not ground, and the lights are marked ground but actually get the 24V...oops

 

[mot]

I guess a little too late for the "before" pics, but any after pics, in action maybe?

I know how exciting it is to do a killer mod that tickles you pink.

Congrats!

Mot

 

[2rivers]

Following with interest Brad, could you give us an estimate of cost involved?

Thanks,
Johnny

 

[The Dude]

I tried to take some pictures but they just don't turn out at night.

As for the cost, I was around $80 per housing and bulb with another $60 in material for the harness. You could do it for less and sacrifice on the quality of parts.

I am running 100/90W high/lows and 100W highs. I gained 1.9V at the headlights with the new harness.

I am however running some lower then expected voltage at the altenator under load. I drop down to 25.9V with the high beams, heater and rear defrost on... Not sure if this is normal or not. I would think it should be in that 27V range... I am going to check with an anmeter to see what kinda draw I am getting.

My new ground wires are on but I still need to attatch my cable from the alt to the battery.

 

[ivanhoe]

Well i got the harness in...The high beams work AWSOME. I light up the night sky and for the really wierd thing, I have 12V at my low beams!!!

I have know idea how this is even possible...It was 1:00AM and I gave up on trying to figure it out. There is NO 12V tap on my truck and NO 12Vs going into the new harness.

I know that I have a huge electrical drain on the truck when the low beams are on as my voltage in dash drops drastically. With them off or on high beam I have 28V + I will try and figure it oput tonight.

Here is the harness diagram. Can anybody tell me how I would get 12V????

hi,
trying to figure out the diode and resistor placement in the wiring upgrade. it goes on the low beam wiring to the stock switch with diode facing toward the switch, correct??
tia,
ivanhoe

 

[The Dude]

yup, that's correct. Make sure you watch the placement of the resistor. The one I got was a straight in line job and it gets very hot. (melts the split loom i had) I am going to try and find one that can mount to avoid any fires!!

Also, I mounted my relays on the RHS of my truck beside the battery. I should have made the power wires with fuses about 6" longer for better access incase anything blows.

I'll take a pic if you want.

 

[Satamax]

What kind of issues are you having?

I have this problem of when I start the truck it takes about 25 sec before I get a reading of a charge?

I though maybe brushes but I am not sure.

That's pretty normal on all mechanical regulator HJ61 (round headlight ones!)

 

[The Dude]

here's a pic of the relays and fuses. Everything else is ran across with the cable that conects the two batteries. The biggest improvement with this upgrade was the cable from the altenator straight to the battery.

 

[ivanhoe]

here's a pic of the relays and fuses. Everything else is ran across with the cable that conects the two batteries. The biggest improvement with this upgrade was the cable from the altenator straight to the battery.

thx for the pics, neatly put away place! i was also thinking of replacing my alt to bat wire, what gauge of wire did you use?
tia,
ivanhoe

 

[The Dude]

I went with 4 guage wire for the alt with an inline fuse and 1 gauge wire for the new grounds and connecting wire. I also installed all new brass marine style connectors. I woulds have gone with the lead military style but I couldn't find any locally.

 

[fond]

Hi

I wanted to do the same upgrade, but I cant seem to find the lamps you are using..

Do you have a product-code or a series number for them ?

Regards from Norway