Headlight help!

[hdfat2002]

OK, so here's the final bad-ass solution:

Problem:

Passing lamps turn off when activating the high-beam (ironically, when you need MORE light)

Reason:

Passing lamps are fed by low-beam headlight power supply. Low beam deactivates when high-beam is activated.

Solution:

Snip wire running from low-beam terminal of headlight to feed (supply) side of passing lamp toggle switch. Connect a high-current rectifier diode from low-beam terminal of headlight to passing lamp feed (inline with wire snipped previously). Install a second diode from high-beam terminal to same passing lamp feed wire.

Result:

High and low beam headlights still operate independently. Passing lamps receive feed current from both high and low-beam headlight eliminating the cut-off of passing lamps when high-beams are activated. The diodes used allow the low beam to turn off when high-beam is activated, eliminating overload issues.

Benefit:

I rode highway 101 from LA to San Luis Obispo (California) with this new set up in the dead of night this past weekend. The added light from the passing lamps when switching to high-beam on the twisties was a real treat. The passing lamps give you good light for the up-close and peripheral-vision stuff you ordinarily miss when switching to high-beam. No overload issues at all.

Cheers,

-Fat