Brighter Aftermarket Headlamps - Page 9 - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Scrrem · 03-09-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by -=Jeff=-

So on the 1990-later cars there are a couple things:

There is a LT GRN wire that controls the High beam as well as the relay to the Foglights.

When the High beam is off, this wire is low (no voltage applied) and it uses the ground through the high beam. Which in the OEM case is a filament.. or a short if you will directly to ground on the other side of the Headlight. When the High beam is activated +12v is applied to the Lt Grn wire so now both sides of the Relay coil for the Fog Lights is at +12v so the coil it not activated.

The LED Headlight is probably not as basic as an LED and Resistor, I am guessing there is some electronics in the headlight module. So now when the High beam is on the circuit 'works' as it should. when on low beam, I am thinking there is now NO 'short' through the headlight to turn on the fog lights

the Simple fix is cut the LT GRN wire on the relay and tie it to ground, but the foglights will work for both HIGH/LOW beams.. to keep them working correctly, I am thinking another relay would need to be wired..

I am pretty sure I know how to get it in there, but I don't have the LED lights to test it..

One added relay:
Cut Lt Grn
Power side of Lt Grn to Pin 86 of Relay
Pin 85 and Pin 30 of relay to Ground (New Wire)
fog light side of LT Grn to 87a.

That should allow you to keep the correct functionality with minimum wiring and wire cuts

Jeff,
I installed my lights last weekend, now moving on to the fog light issue. I have a silly question....can the relay assembly be removed from under the dash? I see the relays and I think I have identified the wires but really would feel better if I could visually verify that I am cutting the correct wires.
Rich

-=Jeff=- · 03-09-2015

I think so.. I have the whole dash pad out at the moment so I don't need to remove it yet. I have not had a chance to work on it either. I was hoping to this weekend but I will be camping with my son. I might get to it this week to look

Hib Halverson · 03-14-2015

Ok, I confirmed that to run the Nighthawk LEDs, you have to change the foglight wiring.

The modification to the fog lamp wiring requires the light green wire coming out of the fog lamp relay be grounded directly to the chassis rather than through the high-beam headlamps. The relay is located behind the trim at the bottom right side of the dashboard in the relay retainer. You will need to remove the lower right-hand trim panel and the knee bolster which is behind it to access the relay wiring. There are five relays there and the fog lamp relay is front row far right. Four wires will connect to it: yellow, light green, purple and brown. Find the light green wire and cut it and splice in a new section which grounds to the chassis. This will restore fog lamp function when the headlight are on low-beam and allow the fog lamps to be on when the high-beams are on as well as when the low-beams are on.

I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to confirm what others have suggested about the fog lights and LED headlights, but my ZR1 was blocked in a parking space for about two months where I could not open the passenger door to work under the dash. It wasn't until last week that I could move the car.

Billy Mild · 03-15-2015

Are the LED headlights worth it?

Hib Halverson · 03-16-2015

Whether or not they are worth is depends on how much fast driving you do at night.

If you don't drive at night, or, when you do, you poke along at the speed limit or less, they're probably not a good value.

If you haul *** at night, they're the best thing going other than auxiliary lighting.

efnfast · 03-16-2015

Spoken like a true Corvetter. "Poke along at the speed limit"

03-09-2015	#82
-=Jeff=- Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 7,123	Re: Brighter Aftermarket Headlamps I think so.. I have the whole dash pad out at the moment so I don't need to remove it yet. I have not had a chance to work on it either. I was hoping to this weekend but I will be camping with my son. I might get to it this week to look __________________ 1990 Corvette ZR-1 #1051 Watson Headers (2" Primary) - 3" Magnaflow Bullet cats - LT4 Catback Late Model IH - Plenum Coilovers - 4.10s Custom Interior NCM Lifetime Member #978

03-14-2015	#83
Hib Halverson Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CenCoast California Posts: 899	Re: Brighter Aftermarket Headlamps Ok, I confirmed that to run the Nighthawk LEDs, you have to change the foglight wiring. The modification to the fog lamp wiring requires the light green wire coming out of the fog lamp relay be grounded directly to the chassis rather than through the high-beam headlamps. The relay is located behind the trim at the bottom right side of the dashboard in the relay retainer. You will need to remove the lower right-hand trim panel and the knee bolster which is behind it to access the relay wiring. There are five relays there and the fog lamp relay is front row far right. Four wires will connect to it: yellow, light green, purple and brown. Find the light green wire and cut it and splice in a new section which grounds to the chassis. This will restore fog lamp function when the headlight are on low-beam and allow the fog lamps to be on when the high-beams are on as well as when the low-beams are on. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to confirm what others have suggested about the fog lights and LED headlights, but my ZR1 was blocked in a parking space for about two months where I could not open the passenger door to work under the dash. It wasn't until last week that I could move the car. __________________ Hib Halverson Technical Writer former owner 95 VIN 0140 current owner 19 VIN 1878

03-15-2015	#84
Billy Mild Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 838	Re: Brighter Aftermarket Headlamps Are the LED headlights worth it? __________________ Looking for a ZR-1 1985 Yamaha RZ350-NOT STOCK 1971 Yamaha AT1-Middle of a restoration

03-16-2015	#85
Hib Halverson Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CenCoast California Posts: 899	Re: Brighter Aftermarket Headlamps Whether or not they are worth is depends on how much fast driving you do at night. If you don't drive at night, or, when you do, you poke along at the speed limit or less, they're probably not a good value. If you haul *** at night, they're the best thing going other than auxiliary lighting.

03-16-2015	#86
efnfast Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dunbarton NH Posts: 7,221	Re: Brighter Aftermarket Headlamps Spoken like a true Corvetter. "Poke along at the speed limit"