HID and LED Lights Install - GMT-400

[nubuilder]

Alright, now that the output from the QUAD relay (blue) is going to the signal of the LOW (orange), all the switches (off to low, low to high, high to low, low to off) are working fine, but the lows flash for a split second only when going from low to high, not high to low (I video taped it and watched it in slow-mo).

I'm assuming this means I need a capacitor? -- If I do, please elaborate.

 

[drperry]

Alright, now that the output from the QUAD relay (blue) is going to the signal of the LOW (orange), all the switches (off to low, low to high, high to low, low to off) are working fine, but the lows flash for a split second only when going from low to high, not high to low (I video taped it and watched it in slow-mo).

I'm assuming this means I need a capacitor? -- If I do, please elaborate.

A capacitor is a mini-battery... It will keep the relay energized while you switch between the two modes.

 

[Bernie]

Alright, now that the output from the QUAD relay (blue) is going to the signal of the LOW (orange), all the switches (off to low, low to high, high to low, low to off) are working fine, but the lows flash for a split second only when going from low to high, not high to low (I video taped it and watched it in slow-mo).

I'm assuming this means I need a capacitor? -- If I do, please elaborate.

A capacitor is a mini-battery... It will keep the relay energized while you switch between the two modes.

What he said.

What you want is an electrolytic capacitor rated for 15 volts, (or a little higher - but not over 20vdc). You can get 'em from any good car stereo place because the "usual" use for them is to try and keep the voltage to a car amp stable at higher levels. They don't work all that well for that purpose, but they'll work fine for this application. You want to connect it on the low beam relay, between the orange and the black wires. It'll be marked with one leg as negative, and that's the leg you connect to the black, and the positive leg to the orange wire.

What this does is, as long as the orange wire is hot the capacitor will be charged. As soon as the orange wire loses voltage the capacitor will start to discharge, which will keep the relay energized for a second or so, long enough for voltage to come back on the orange wire as the switch is made. It'll also tend to keep your low beams on a few seconds after the whole setup is turned off, while the capacitor discharges. If you find 'em staying on too long use a lower value capacitor (not lower voltage though), or we can install a "bleeder" resistor with it.

 

[nubuilder]

Bernie, I'm slightly confused as to where to put it .
By orange and black wires on the LOW beam relay, that would make it between the signal and the ground.
So you want it from the orange terminal to the black terminal?

Could you please clarify using the diagram in post #73 ?
From what wire on what relay GOING TO what wire on what relay (using the colors in the diagram).

Could I splice the capacitor into the orange wire going to the LOW relay?
(if this is a totally bad and wrong idea, I'll forget it)

 

[drperry]

Alright, now that the output from the QUAD relay (blue) is going to the signal of the LOW (orange), all the switches (off to low, low to high, high to low, low to off) are working fine, but the lows flash for a split second only when going from low to high, not high to low (I video taped it and watched it in slow-mo).

I'm assuming this means I need a capacitor? -- If I do, please elaborate.

A capacitor is a mini-battery... It will keep the relay energized while you switch between the two modes.

What he said.

What you want is an electrolytic capacitor rated for 15 volts, (or a little higher - but not over 20vdc). You can get 'em from any good car stereo place because the "usual" use for them is to try and keep the voltage to a car amp stable at higher levels. They don't work all that well for that purpose, but they'll work fine for this application. You want to connect it on the low beam relay, between the orange and the black wires. It'll be marked with one leg as negative, and that's the leg you connect to the black, and the positive leg to the orange wire.

What this does is, as long as the orange wire is hot the capacitor will be charged. As soon as the orange wire loses voltage the capacitor will start to discharge, which will keep the relay energized for a second or so, long enough for voltage to come back on the orange wire as the switch is made. It'll also tend to keep your low beams on a few seconds after the whole setup is turned off, while the capacitor discharges. If you find 'em staying on too long use a lower value capacitor (not lower voltage though), or we can install a "bleeder" resistor with it.

I don't think they're going to have anything that small

Bernie, I'm slightly confused as to where to put it .
By orange and black wires on the LOW beam relay, that would make it between the signal and the ground.
So you want it from the orange terminal to the black terminal?

Could you please clarify using the diagram in post #73 ?
From what wire on what relay GOING TO what wire on what relay (using the colors in the diagram).

Could I splice the capacitor into the orange wire going to the LOW relay?
(if this is a totally bad and wrong idea, I'll forget it)

You connect the negative terminal of the capacitor to ground, and the positive terminal of the capacitor to the orange signal wire of the low beam relay

 

[nubuilder]

What you want is an electrolytic capacitor rated for 15 volts, (or a little higher - but not over 20vdc). You can get 'em from any good car stereo place because the "usual" use for them is to try and keep the voltage to a car amp stable at higher levels. They don't work all that well for that purpose, but they'll work fine for this application. You want to connect it on the low beam relay, between the orange and the black wires. It'll be marked with one leg as negative, and that's the leg you connect to the black, and the positive leg to the orange wire.

What this does is, as long as the orange wire is hot the capacitor will be charged. As soon as the orange wire loses voltage the capacitor will start to discharge, which will keep the relay energized for a second or so, long enough for voltage to come back on the orange wire as the switch is made. It'll also tend to keep your low beams on a few seconds after the whole setup is turned off, while the capacitor discharges. If you find 'em staying on too long use a lower value capacitor (not lower voltage though), or we can install a "bleeder" resistor with it.

I don't think they're going to have anything that small

Bernie, I'm slightly confused as to where to put it .
By orange and black wires on the LOW beam relay, that would make it between the signal and the ground.
So you want it from the orange terminal to the black terminal?

Could you please clarify using the diagram in post #73 ?
From what wire on what relay GOING TO what wire on what relay (using the colors in the diagram).

Could I splice the capacitor into the orange wire going to the LOW relay?
(if this is a totally bad and wrong idea, I'll forget it)

You connect the negative terminal of the capacitor to ground, and the positive terminal of the capacitor to the orange signal wire of the low beam relay

What do you mean by that small?
I have 2 car audio shops and RadioShack.

Oh, I get it now.

 

[drperry]

What you want is an electrolytic capacitor rated for 15 volts, (or a little higher - but not over 20vdc). You can get 'em from any good car stereo place because the "usual" use for them is to try and keep the voltage to a car amp stable at higher levels. They don't work all that well for that purpose, but they'll work fine for this application. You want to connect it on the low beam relay, between the orange and the black wires. It'll be marked with one leg as negative, and that's the leg you connect to the black, and the positive leg to the orange wire.

What this does is, as long as the orange wire is hot the capacitor will be charged. As soon as the orange wire loses voltage the capacitor will start to discharge, which will keep the relay energized for a second or so, long enough for voltage to come back on the orange wire as the switch is made. It'll also tend to keep your low beams on a few seconds after the whole setup is turned off, while the capacitor discharges. If you find 'em staying on too long use a lower value capacitor (not lower voltage though), or we can install a "bleeder" resistor with it.

I don't think they're going to have anything that small

Bernie, I'm slightly confused as to where to put it .
By orange and black wires on the LOW beam relay, that would make it between the signal and the ground.
So you want it from the orange terminal to the black terminal?

Could you please clarify using the diagram in post #73 ?
From what wire on what relay GOING TO what wire on what relay (using the colors in the diagram).

Could I splice the capacitor into the orange wire going to the LOW relay?
(if this is a totally bad and wrong idea, I'll forget it)

You connect the negative terminal of the capacitor to ground, and the positive terminal of the capacitor to the orange signal wire of the low beam relay

What do you mean by that small?
I have 2 car audio shops and RadioShack.

Oh, I get it now.

Car audio shops usually have the big ass caps that are used for car stereos

 

[nubuilder]

So is there anywhere local I can check or is this something I need to order online?

electrolytic capacitor rated for 15 volts, (or a little higher - but not over 20vdc)

 

[drperry]

Radioshack might have some, and you might get lucky and have a car audio shop have something small enough...

I don't think you'd need more than 500uf

 

[nubuilder]

OK, so a electrolytic capacitor no bigger than 20 V DC (15 preferred) and 500uf....right?

What does "uf" stand for (just out of curiosity)?