Pete P's modification on 78 280Z = bright headlights

[Guest DRK]

Thanks to Pete P I performed the headlight relay modification to my car last night with no problems. The headlights are now much brighter. I had been experiencing some headlight problems. I have not had any smoke from the switch, but they were very dim, particularly the right one. I own a 78 280Z, and Pete's directions apply to this vehicle as well except there are no T shaped plugs. I just removed several inches of the electrical tape on the harness before the right headlight wires split off from the harness, and cut the wires there. I bought everything I needed at Radioshack from his list of parts. I thought it would be useful information to write and let everyone know that everything is the same as he describes since I have the last year of the first generation Z's.

 

Danny

[Guest DRK]

I followed Pete's directions for the modification. I did not replace the headlights since they were ok. I might replace them with an H4 conversion later. Here is the link to Pete's directions and a nice schematic:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/Headlight_Relay_pg1.htm

 

First I will say that the one thing I strayed from on Pete's directions was not putting the 16ga fusible link or 40 amp maxi-fuse at the voltage source. I intend to add this later though, but I was working on it on a Friday night you know. I did however add the 30 amp inline fuse to the power wire right before the relays. I had some wire and connectors allready, but here is a list of what I bought plus what I would have needed to buy if I had started with nothing:

 

- (2) 30 amp automotive relays

- some 10 ga wire, could use 12 ga instead

- some 14 ga wire

- assortment of 10-12 ga ring terminals, for ground and battery terminal connection

- (1) 30 amp inline fuse

- a pack of 10-12 ga and 14-16 ga butt terminals

- a pack of 10-12 ga and 14-16 ga 1/4" blade insulated female terminals to plug into the relays. (I intend to replace these later with relay sockets)

 

I made up a short list like this from Pete's directions before I went to Radioshack. The R, RB, and RY wires appeared to be 14 ga, but the RW(high beam) wire appeared to be 10-12 ga. The inline fuse holder for the power wire had 10 ga wire connected to it, so I used 10 ga to complete the power wire, and also to extend the RW wire to the relay.

 

The ONLY discrepancy on my car to Pete's directions is that the RW wire on his car has a RB wire connected to it for the right headlight(bottom right of shematic). Mine had a RW wire at this location. He writes about this in the second line below the picture of the T plug in his directions. The T plugs on his car were round plugs on my 280Z.

 

If you have any more questions let me know.

 

Danny

[BLKMGK]

I did something like this myself awhile back when I still had the L6 in my car. BIG difference! no more smoked headlight switches with my Hella H4s too.

 

I would STRONGLY urge that the short circuit protection you use - fuse or fusible link - be placed as close to the voltage source as possible. Any short circuit that occurs between the fuse and voltage source will be unprotected so that lead should be as short as possible...

[Guest zfan]

That's next on the list for me as well!!

 

Mike

[280Zone]

Can you tell us what you did and the parts list? Also what headlights did you use?

 

Thanks

[Nismo280zEd]

Yes.. i thinki should do that while i'm at it.. about to rewire the headlights on my 78 280z. But i'm puting in a 3 position pull out switch on the dash for the lights, (porsche style). and wire from a secondary power so that i can't leave my lights on !!! haven't taken apart the switch yet.. but do you know which wire is high beam and which one is low beam? could help me alot! thanx

[Guest DRK]

When cutting the wires in the harness on the inner fender to connect the relays, the red wire with the white stripe is the high beam, and the red wire with the black stripe is the low beam. I assume these would be the same at the switch.

 

Danny