high and low beams AT ONCE!

[Brian1973]

1991 Ranger. If headlights are on and I push the stick forward (towards dashboard), I get high beams (while simultaneously the low beams switch off). I find it more to my liking to just pull the stick back and I keep my low beams working while my high beams add to the illumination! It's brighter! Problem is as we all know, the stick doesn't stay pulled back automatically. I guess this is just so it is easy to flash your lights if you need to. Albeit helpful.

Just wondering if anyone has thought of a way to keep those low beams on while pushing the stick forward into the locked high beam position? And is that electrically ok to do? Seems to work fine when I push the stick towards me and hold it.

 

[RonD]

Heat from both filaments being on will shorten life of the bulb, which is why it is setup as "flash to pass", a momentary activation.

You could setup a relay(5 post 30amp) at each head light that would be activated by high beam power, and then pass fused(20amp) power to low beams.
5 post so you don't back feed that fused power to multi-function switch

 

[adsm08]

I would highly recommend not doing that. If you feel you need more light there are three things I would do as an alternative to running your headlights on an over-load setting that will drastically shorten the bulb life and speed up glazing the lenses.

1) Clean the lenses so they are clear, not fogged.
2) Invest in brighter bulbs. A blue tinted glass will give a whiter beam.
3) Go see an optometrist and get your night vision tested.

 

[hoosier1104]

^What he said.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Some older Fords didn't have the greatest light switches either, I know first gens left a lot to be desired for durability (mainly causing fires)... not sure if second gens are a lot better.

 

[hoosier1104]

Overloading a circuit is NO BUENO. DO NOT DO IT!!!! Buy some fog lights or a LED light bar before doing that. DO NOT DO IT!!!!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Nobody recommended overloading the circuit. RonD said the OP could add a switch [relay] that would allow battery power to run the low-beam while the high beam is on.

 

[4x4junkie]

2) ... A blue tinted glass will give a whiter beam.

Bad idea if one is looking for more light... Blue tinting is a filter that reduces the light output. And if that isn't bad enough, it's removing the parts of the light spectrum that the human eye is most sensitive to (520-580nm & longer), while leaving the part of the spectrum that causes more glare (400-480nm).

Higher-wattage clear bulbs would be a better option, however that still could potentially open the door to overheating problems in the wiring & light switch contacts. Rewiring the lights so they are powered through a lighting relay like mentioned earlier could help alleviate such concerns, and the resulting higher voltage to the bulbs would do much more to produce a brighter whiter light than any blue filter can.

By far the best option for more light is to add a set of auxiliary driving lights.
There are many options available in driving lights, though I would probably suggest avoid anything LED if glare is a concern.

 

[Doofy]

Yes x 2 on adding auxiliary lighting with the proper fusing and relays. Automotive wiring is puny to begin with and just deteriorates more over time.

 

[adsm08]

Nobody recommended overloading the circuit. RonD said the OP could add a switch [relay] that would allow battery power to run the low-beam while the high beam is on.

Right, RonD's method would potentially reduce power flow through the switch, which is a good thing, but as Ron also pointed out, it is going to drastically increase the amount of heat output. That is the big thing to be avoided here.

 

[tinman_72]

I installed two relays in my '93 Ranger, one for the low beam and one for the high beam. I installed them using the wires from the multi-function switch as the "switch" and ran power directly from the battery, through fuses and the relays to the headlights. This had more effect than when I replaced the glazed headlight assemblies with brand new pieces.

 

[Brian1973]

Great input guys! Thanks! Sooooo, main culprit would be heat, even if separately fused and relayed!

Hmmmm, what about... LED lights then? https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Mailers-Headlight-Conversion-3200Lm/dp/B01N1STF3I/?tag=959media-20

Burn up the LED?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

LED headlight bulbs generate a bit of heat, most of the high power ones have heat sinks and or fans. But, you can find LED headlight bulbs that put out more light than factory bulbs.


Sent from my kite using a trebuchet

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

When I was talking about heating with the switch it was because you are basically running 2x the voltage the light switch normally sees thru the switch when you hold the lever back.

My pending brother in law put LED's in his Sport Trac... supposed to be good ones and he is happy. I am not overly positive they are much better than the sealed beam halogens in my '85. Pretty sure the OEM bulbs in my '02 F-150 put out more light in better places.

Sealed beam replacements are literally night and day vs a halogen though. And maybe it is just what he got too.

 

[Mark_88]

I agree with adding extra lights and cleaning the lenses.

My 92 lenses were fogged so bad I was tempted to replace them with new lenses. Then I found a method on-line to clean them and it made a huge difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0gbr7YdWLU