High and low beams at the same time?

Ive noticed that when going from high beam to low beam you cna hold the stalk and get them both on at once. Is it possible to wire these together? Without damage?

that doesnt even make sense

Running both for any length of time is not good for the bulbs.

I want to run the high and low beams at the same time.

Why couldn't you wire a pair of 'low-beam' driving lights to come on with the high beams?

I have driving lights, and rollbar lights, I just wanted to know if it can be done, theres always need for more light.

What he said. Very bad for the bulbs. A bunch of motorcycle whack-jobs did this on the pro circuit for a while in the '90s with "stock" wiring and bulbs, on the old GSX-R's. Lots of bulbs and some wiring cooked, IIRC. You must understand, the sealed housing bulb was designed for one or the other. Running both creates more electrical draw, resulting in more heat. Just hit Wally World and drop $10 on some cheapies if you need more light that bad. Or upgrade the bulbs in your existing lights. For under $20 a pop, the Sylvania Silverstars make a bunch of difference over stock headlights. And most off-road lights will take a 100 or even 120 watt bulb (usually H4 style), so long as the wiiring and relay will take the added draw. That's my 2 pennies.

-Rich

It may be possible. I use a BriteBox in my 05 Dodge with Sylvania lamps. I was skeptical, but the lamps hold up well with the high and lows running simultaneously. However, it has 9007s for headlamps.

In my Jeep, I use H4s, and am currently testing them while running both on low. I am also using Sylvanias rather than an inexpensively made import lamp. I haven't been doing it long enough to make a determination. I have a separate harness that I put in years ago that uses two relays to control the headlamps instead of using the factory's which uses the high/low switch to directly feed them (later models I believe are different). Painless Performance has a harness now for H4s, which I think is the same socket as our sealed beams. I use two rectifying diodes in parallel to send current to the lowbeam relay coil from the highbeam relay output. This allows lows to be energized with highs, but lows work independently on low. A IN4001 diode has a forward voltage drop of about 1 volt, so paralleled is .5 volts. One should be fine, but if you use the high and lows while the engine is off, a 1 volt drop at 11 volts may cause some relays not to trigger, so you would only have highs rather than high and low at the same time. Follow me so far?

I like having both beam patterns as opposed to brighter high beams. And, with both on, I'm still getting a total wattage equivalent to the sum of the highs and lows, how ever many lumens they put out.

So far, it's working for me. Results may vary.

I've always heard that the added heat from both of the filaments burning would cause them to burn out prematurely. It makes sense, because i only see the cars with two seperate bulbs that run the lows and highs together.

summitlt said:

I want to run the high and low beams at the same time.

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Not a good idea. If they were separately enclosed, I'd say it's doable - but with both filaments in the same envelope, you'll go through the bulbs like popcorn.

Go with upgrading the wiring (use the OEMR wiring to "trip" the relays, the use the relays to switch a shortened power path to the lights,) and maybe upgrading the bulbs to Silverstars or H4's. You'll be happier, and it will be cheaper overall...

5-90

johnsoninc86 said:

I've always heard that the added heat from both of the filaments burning would cause them to burn out prematurely. It makes sense, because i only see the cars with two seperate bulbs that run the lows and highs together.

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So did I.

Of course you can, but with all mods there is a down side.

I run both my highs and lows together, BUT I have a upgraded wiring system. I run 12 gauge wire with Bosch Relays, my left headlight has about 16 inches of wire from battery to headlight and left is about 4.5 feet. And I get a FULL 14 volts with the engine running and before I hot about 10.5 volt thru the stock system. With 80w/100w H4 bulbs in E-code lenses. I generally get about 6 months out of my left headlight before I lose the low beam and have had my right bulb for 2 years, must be something to do with the longer power wires. Also my left ground is starting to cook. I try to limit my use of high/low together, only about 20 minutes at a time. And they get HOT and will make your skin stick if you touch them, ask me how I know. Infact they are SO bright with them on I have XRAY vision.

Of course if you did go this route I would suggest that you mount a fire extigiuisher on the floor next to you and have a pair of BIG wire cutters. Electrical fires can be hard to put out. Just remember to cut the ground wire off the battery before you use the extiguisher.

Hans

http://www.redblues.com/hilobeam.htm
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-9617.html

Rather than argue why you would want to do it, Im posting some linx that I found that may help you out.

I *think* it was in Galls catalog, or maybe JCW catalog, they sold an adapter that did just what you talk about, only I cant find a link to it.

Cheers,
Andrew

It would be easier/better if you had a Waggy front clip....

I can vouch for the short life of the bulb thing. No need to ask, here is the story.

Picture this, dark moonless night, a while past sundown, middle of Utah on the burr trail, in a hurry to find a camp spot descending a narrow paved road as fast as I dared with occasional deer feeding off to the side. hey holding my brights switch back keeps both bulbs on and I can see better! after a few minutes... Fla-SNAP one side went dark. Oh Crap! that was a brand new silvania cool blue. The other bulb was actually much older.

Now I have H4's and IPF driving fog combos, good reliable light.

the things in jc whitney are for gm trucks with 4 lights not for one bulb with 2 filiments they are made by painless wiring. but if you had a waggy or could switch to that front end you could get one of them and mod it for the 4 headlights.

summitlt said:

I want to run the high and low beams at the same time.

Click to expand...

Aside from cooking the bulbs, as Old_Man wrote, you will also overload the wiring. I think the stock headlamps are 35 watt low beam and 55 watt high beam. Run 'em together and you're pushing 90 watts. You'll need to rewire to run the headlights off relays, with heavier gauge wires.