High Beams with the Low Beams

[Beowulf]

Does anyone know how to make it so my low beams will stay on when I switch to high beams? I noticed that when I switch to High Beams and don't release the lever the Low Beams are still on. But, once I release the lever I am left with just my high beams. I would love it if I could have Lows and Highs at the same time and then be able to switch back to just low beams.

I have done the Fog light override and this would be a welcome addition.

This is on a 2006 Wrangler.

 

[sandalscout]

I've seen this done on cars before, basically they jumpered the relays together and made the lows stay on all the time.

Worked fine for a few people, melted one guys wiring harness, and melted another guys bulb housing.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Do you have quad lights or multi-filament bulbs? If you have multi bulbs, I wouldn't recommend it. You'll be essentially be putting out 110-120W from one bulb. Too much for most systems to handle. The housing could melt, and the ground could burn up since the multi bulbs have a common ground.

That being said, if you want to proceed, it's relatively easy electrically. All you need to do is wire a diode between the two relays, on the signal side, not the power side. You need a diode, because if you just do it with wire, both beams will be on all the time. The diode is a one-way valve so to speak. You only want the high beam relay to power the low beam relay, not vice versa.

 

[Beowulf]

I only have single lens/bulb setup. It is just the standard 7" round lights that run H4 Bulbs. I could get around the wiring issue buy using the many upgrade kits available. However, with running fatboys I don't know how I could get around the heat issue.

 

[Schattenjager]

... You'll be essentially be putting out 110-120W from one bulb. Too much for most systems to handle. The housing could melt, and the ground could burn up since the multi bulbs have a common ground.

I mostly concur. A far better route is to independently wire a set of aux. lights. It would be less strain on your electrics, longer life for your H4's and far superior results.

 

[ntsqd]

I did this as an experiment in trying to get some usable light out of my Sub's puny 150mm headlights.

It worked just OK with the sealed beams. When I finally found some H4's they came with little plastic 'City Light' holders. Guess what? My lights started out pretty bright, but started getting dimmer and dimmer. Come to find out it was soot from the burning plastic covering the inside of the lens.
Not knowing if the diode mod was going to be permanent or not I had wired it as an 'interrupt' between the signal wires and the relays.

There is no reason that a 7" round light can not work well. What they can't do falls into aux lighting. I would put the lights on relays and go to a brand name (I use Hella) 55/100 bulbs. Any more wattage and their lifespan is considerably shorter. Not to mention the watts vs. lumens diminishing returns.

If they are still not to your liking I would suggest trying different lens/reflectors. Ironically I've had the best results with off brand units. The best set of 7's that I have came from JCW about 20 years ago and were $19 each then. The second best are a set of off brands that I got from the local 4X shop for $60/pair about 5 years ago.

 

[Beowulf]

I am currently running the IPF housings and the H4 FatBoy bulbs. The light is impressive, but wanted to see if I could squeeze out a little more. The only non-metal or glass is the rubber boot on the back end.

I have already modified my Aux Light relay so my Fog lights don't go off when I turn on my high beams. That has been a huge improvement.

 

[Schattenjager]

Does your Jeep use H4's? If so, you might very be able to upgrade your bulb to 80W low and 100W high beams. I did this on my 05 Tacoma with no need to upgrade wiring etc. The results are amazing and the modern cut of headlight lens' insure that you will not blind anyone with your lows, and your highs can make trees bloom in January.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Does your Jeep use H4's? If so, you might very be able to upgrade your bulb to 80W low and 100W high beams.

He's running the IPF X51, which is an H4 bulb at 60W/80W.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I strongly caution against running overwattage bulbs on stock wiring, especially on newer vehicles. I did it on my Focus, and I burnt out the wiring pretty quick. It's 22Ga or something stupid like that.

 

[ntsqd]

Like-wise I would advise that the lows be stock wattage or very close to it for both legality's sake and as a kindness to on-coming driver's.

FWIW I really dislike it when a Tacoma of any vintage and the later Tundras come up behind me in my 82 Rabbit diesel DD. They all look they have their high's on in my mirrors. In on-coming situations when my eyes are fresh I can tell the difference, but when I'm tired Tacoma lows look like highs to me. Just because I haven't flashed them doesn't mean that they're not causing me problems with glare. I haven't flashed them because I recognize that I am really susceptible to glare blindness and to a point have learned to deal with it. IME it is a rare late model aero headlight that doesn't have a glare problem. It just doesn't bother most folks as much as it bothers me.

What lens/reflectors are in the Jeep? There are good designs and bad designs, and fortunately you have choices. A good design can make as much or more of an improvement than throwing more wattage in there.

 

[86cj]

I know a 1157 bulb burns both filaments when the brake or blinker is on, but it seams to me somebody would have tried this twenty years ago if it would work in a 7" round headlight, H4 or not.
I would run a new relay and wiring, the Jeep wiring is very marginal for anything except what it came stock with. Some vehicles have a big voltage drop by the time 12V gets to the headlights and a seperate relay will give the stock bulbs more light with no other changes....

 

[Schattenjager]

I guess it depends on vehicle - My 05 Tacoma has had the 80/100W's for 70K miles with no problems - a lot of that was three years in Alaska where they see heavy use in the fall and winter. but of course - let your conscience be your guide in the robustness of your Jeeps wires!

Following my friends in the past and later having asked them if my 3" lift & brighter bulbs were a problem, no one has ever noticed. The lens is well cut and there is a FINE line between light and dark on the horizontal line of output, at least on the newer rigs.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I know a 1157 bulb burns both filaments when the brake or blinker is on, but it seams to me somebody would have tried this twenty years ago if it would work in a 7" round headlight, H4 or not.
I would run a new relay and wiring, the Jeep wiring is very marginal for anything except what it came stock with. Some vehicles have a big voltage drop by the time 12V gets to the headlights and a seperate relay will give the stock bulbs more light with no other changes....

Yeah, but they're designed for that, and the bulbs are like 5W.

 

[02TahoeMD]

I used a Painless Wiring 4 way headlight relay kit (got it as a gift) to set my lowbeams to stay on with the highbeams. I love it, it really fills in the space between the front end and the "end" of the high beams. Only issue I had with it was blowing the relay while four wheeling pretty hard one night. Replaced the relay, and no other issues.

That said, my brother in law did rewire his headlights, using heavier gauge wiring and got an appreciable improvement in his candlepower. He has an F350 and he got the info off of a forum. Maybe you can find something similar for your ride?