How To? - Disable Low Beams Cut Out When High Beam Engaged?

[Tiestofan25]

Yo!

Just picked up a '94 ES300 at the Boston Police Auction for $900 :D

Since I was the only dude with an iPhone and you can't turn the key (actually, there was no $*#&@ key...ergo add $72 to that $900) and I ran the VIN through carfax; I was the only person to know she only had 144k :P

Fast forward three weeks and after a new master cylinder she's mechanically and aesthetically beautiful aside from the hood needing a respray. The paint is en route and will arrive tomorrow. I've put a set of HID (real HID...) 8000k's in the 9006 (low beam) sockets, but I want to put a set of 10000k's in the 9005 (high beam) sockets. Since the lumen level on the 10000k's will be dimer and since I want to show contrast between the two, I want to disable my low beams from cutting out when the high beams are engaged. Anyone electrical system savvy that can assist?

Thanks!

-M

[Rhoderman]

Typically, they use relays to activate the hi or lo beam headlights.

On my '96, they both stay on with hi beams.

On my '03 2500HD pickup, the lo beams went off when hi beams were on. That sucked.

I used a 1N4001 diode to cause the low beams to stay on with the high beams, but being a diode, it prevented the high beams from turning on with the lo beams.

One side of the relay coil is usually tied to the 12V supply, and the switch pulls the other side of the relay coil to ground to activate it. You put the diode from the switched side of one relay to the other. You should be able to find some more info on the 'net on how to approach this. If you aren't up to par with electrical or electronics, I wouldn't suggest trying it.

Good score on the car! Congrats!