Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Quote:

Relays are good things. I use them quite frequently to prevent overload of original wiring. Better a relay than a fire.

Craig

Possibly the switch is at fault but more likely age has taken a toll on the old breaker and it was no longer capable of carrying 30 amps. That has been a problem others have found. Believe Ross has mentioned that breaker as being one of the first things he changes for that very reason.

Many of us have installed the relay as you propose doing and go a step farther by adding two relays for high/low using the dimmer switch to activate them. That way the load is taken out of two switches. I would make sure there is protection for the lights & harness via a separate self resetting circuit breaker in the new light feed wire.

I had the same problem last night. I had gone to my mechanic's house last night to work on a brake problem and the headlights shut off during both trips (about 2 miles each way). After letting the circuit cool for about two minutes, it worked again, long enough to get home. I'll replace the 30 amp breaker, but I'd like a bit more info on the relay. Is there a specific one, or just a generic 6 volt unit like you use for the horn relay? How did you mount it - under the dash or under the hood?

Thanks

I can't speak to all the different ways others have done their relays but I chose to mount mine so they could be easily removed. These are on a 56 but believe same principle for most models will work since Packard tended to keep things like the basic wiring reasonably constant. I know I can do something similar on the 47. I believe Randy mounted his 56 relays under the front splasher completely out of sight and might have some photos in one of his blogs.

For this one, I made a chassis and mounted the relays using some existing holes -- sort of out of the line of sight but still in the engine cmpt close to the original fender terminal strip. Removed the existing HL connections from old terminal strip and re-connected to my new strip. Ran the relay commands & ground back to original strip and connected where the original high or low beam had been.

There are options on getting the new power for lamps. If the horn relay is close, that feed is a 12ga wire on 6v cars so one option -- If horn relay is not close, you can go directly to the starter solenoid BAT connection and run a new wire. Being 12v and slightly smaller horn wire I chose the latter and installed a self resetting CB inline in that new wire. I do recommend using an additional breaker for the lights whichever place you choose to obtain power.

12v relays are available all over. 6v relays are available from several places and possibly still in regular parts stores. I believe someone mentioned that the 60s thru early 70s VWs still used 6v relays for their headlights. I bought my 6v relays from Y&Z Yesterdays Parts along with the other items since they have a minimum amount for online orders.

Here are a couple of photos of my install along with a crude schematic.

Attach file:

---

  (38.36 KB)


  (35.00 KB)


  (29.92 KB)


  (101.90 KB)

This guy sells relay kits, here's an article about why they are good and how to do it. Whether you buy his kits or not it's good info.
madelectrical.com/electricaltech/brighter-headlights.shtml

I put the original headlights back in, but when I put the halogen lights in I will use the relays and follow the above schematics.
On another problem:
I was driving home and the car stalled. I popped the hood and took the following picture. This wire goes from the ignition to the coil. I did install the pertonix ignitor and that wire is fine. The insulation melted off the wire. This is a brand new wiring harness. I am guessing a larger (thicker) wire would work, but what caused the wire to over heat and melt the insulation?

Attach file:

---

  (86.29 KB)

Interesting. Is that a 12v aftermarket harness or one you made yourself? Some of the aftermarkets have fusible link wiring which might be stressed on 6v. Anything else on that particular feed besides the coil or any chance it got too close to something hot?

I don't know that much about the Pertronix but it must keep the coil constantly grounded or energized except when it actually triggers & simulates the points opening to fire. That constant current might get the wiring hot particularly if a 12v size. Packard used 14ga for that particular run. Any idea what size that wire might be?

I am still running 6V positive ground, just like it came out of the factory. The wire gauge might be 14, it did not seem like it. Why wouldn't the Pertronix wire insulation melt too?
The harness is from Rhode Island wiring.

That kind of burning indicates a dead short. Better figure out what is wrong and fix it, I mean the cause of the problem not just the burnt wire.

Quote:

That is an excellent point. Am assuming yours is the typical pertronix with a small module inside the dist connected with one or two wires to the coil?? If those wires didn't burn then I would wonder if there is any chance the burned wire or the terminal connected to coil shorted to something or the coil itself has shorted.