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Agree on the fuse holder. None of the RadioShack or HF 10 for a dollar specials. This is Napa's 30 amp variety, has heavy gauge wire and very well made.

Thanks, Howard and Kevin, the one comment about if the relay fails, i think it can be wired to use both set ups.

The original wiring and relays, switch between both.

Riki

ps i read about this relay system in the auto restorer,

IIRC the only reason the relays are used is because u'all are running Halogens or some other high draw headlites???

Quote:

Keith, I have found that halogen headlights draw the same current, or even a bit less than the conventional tungsten lamps.

(o[]o)

Putting them on relay takes the headlamp load off of the main harness, circuit breaker, headlight switch and floor dimmer. Also it takes all the voltage loss associated with all those contact points out of the circuit as well.

So usually you will have slightly brighter headlights and parking lights because of it.

Another add on is ground wires soldered to the reflectors and brought to the chassis.

Also, as bulbs age they get dull. New bulbs are brighter than old bulbs. You can test them with a piece of extra white paper or whatever. Put a new bulb next to an old bulb.

According to a chart produced by the Packard Electric Division of GM, a 10% voltage drop at a lamp results in a 30% candlepower drop.

Soldering an extra wire might help older assys and parking lights but the headlight grounds are brought out from the lamp socket in postwar cars in the same cable as the two hot leads. Connection on either side is usually to one of the screws that mount the headlight junction strips to fender sheetmetal. Those screws and any other ground wire terminals attaching there might be a good place to clean up any oxidation.