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1990 Hilux Headlight wiring

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Old Nov 1, 2018 | 12:40 PM
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krucks420's Avatar
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1990 Hilux Headlight wiring

1990 Toyota Hilux, the headlights are reverse ground? So I have some new lights that were supposed to be just plug in, I cant return them. And Ive switched the two wires, so I have low beams on my steering column switch. But I cant get high beams. Whatre some of the fixes guys are doing about this?
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Old Nov 1, 2018 | 04:45 PM
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The headlights are "switched ground"; nothing is reversed.

You could try wiring them up with bridge rectifiers https://www.jameco.com/z/BR805D-MDA2...le_178183.html (2 per headlight) like shown here:

This would give you 2 diode drops (about 2.2 volts) off the battery voltage, but since your headlights SHOULD have a constant current power supply internally, this shouldn't matter. (If they're really cheap and just use a dropping resistor, they might be too dim with the rectifier.) If you switch BACK to incandescent bulbs, they will have lower voltage and brightness may be an issue.

I can't tell you for certain whether this will work. If I was switching to LED headlamps, I would, uh, buy the correct headlamps.
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Old Nov 1, 2018 | 05:38 PM
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Putting in relays will do the trick, but you will lose your highbeam indicator on the dash I believe.
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Old Nov 2, 2018 | 06:38 AM
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Originally Posted by krucks420
... And Ive switched the two wires...
Which 2 wires? A problem well-stated is a problem almost solved.

Originally Posted by Paul22RE
Putting in relays will do the trick, but you will lose your highbeam indicator on the dash I believe.
Yes, an H4 conversion harness usually converts switched ground to switched positive.
HB indicator may or may not work depending on resistance of the relay coils, I believe.
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Old Nov 4, 2018 | 12:57 PM
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I'm so confused.

What headlights did you buy?
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Old Nov 4, 2018 | 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by ev13wt
I'm so confused.
What headlights did you buy?

Yes, O.P., it would help if you described your problem well. See signature.

ev13wt,
Most likely he got the cheaper LED lights that are polarity sensitive. The DOT-legit Truck-Lites can wok with either switched-positive or switched-ground system.
Like Scope says above, "If I was switching to LED headlamps, I would, uh, buy the correct headlamps."

Last edited by RAD4Runner; Nov 4, 2018 at 10:33 PM.
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