Bad headlight switch?

[72SDBRONCO]

I have a 72 w a painless wiring harness, 3g alternator and the H4 headlights w/the relay harness kit from Wild Horses. I have had NO battery issues or electrical issues since installing the painless and H4 headlights/harness for a few years….until now.

Recently I tried to take her out for spin, and the battery was completely dead. Could not jump it and went and purchased a new battery. Fired up and would hold a charge fine if I drove it within a few days. After it sits for a week, same issue with new battery, dead.

While driving it last night I noticed the headlights flickering while driving. Never been an issue. Fired it up today in the garage and they were again flickering, but then the passenger headlight went out. Hit the high beam switch and after a couple seconds the passenger headlight high beam went out too!

Any suggestions on where to begin and track down the electrical issue I am having? I have heard about bad headlight switches causing similar issues, thoughts?

 

[Viperwolf1]

The switch would affect both headlights equally.

 

[72SDBRONCO]

Both headlights were flickering a bit before the passenger side went out. The driver side is still on and still flickering. ?

 

[gr8scott]

By conversion kit you mean a relay harness?
http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Illuminator_Headlight_Harness

 

[72SDBRONCO]

Yes, the harness and the headlights. I checked all my grounds, even before the headlight blew, and all grounds are good. Just don't know where to go from here????

 

[gr8scott]

Assuming all your grounds are good I'd try swapping the relays.

Edit: Did you pull the bulb and confirm it "blew"?

 

[72SDBRONCO]

Assuming all your grounds are good I'd try swapping the relays.

Edit: Did you pull the bulb and confirm it "blew"?

Yes, just pulled the bulb and its blown. I'll try swapping the relays….didn't think of that, but I suppose those could go bad too.

 

[72SDBRONCO]

So I go to replace the relays, and cannot find them at any local auto parts…Napa, O'rielly, Auto Zone etc. The harness has been great from Wild Horses to this point, but now I cannot find the relays anywhere. Below is the info on the relay switch. Any suggestions on where to find a replacement or another brand that would be compatible?

Song Chuan
896H-1AH-C
Coil : 12VDC
50A
14VDC

 

[72SDBRONCO]

Has anybody had to replace the relays on their H4 headlight conversion kit w the Illuminator Harness from Wild Horses? I cannot find the replacement relays anywhere. Please let me know if you have found a similar relay replacement that will work. Appreciate the help, thanks.

 

[66broncoCT]

Looks like they're just regular 4 prong relays. Any parts store will have them. Probably by the wiring terminals or the fog lights. They won't have the same part number on them but I think they're mostly all wired the same. You could also test the relay before replacing it. Take a test light put the clip on the negative battery post turn the headlights on and probe the headlight connector. Light=good relay. No light=possible bad relay. You could also try to get the ground clip into the ground terminal on the headlight plug that way your testing the entire setup. Don't really see how a bad relay would blow the bulb though. Relays can't spike voltage they only turn it on and off. Did you check what colts you have at the battery with it running? Might be overcharging that could blow the bulb.

 

[DirtDonk]

Is it the Illuminator, or Night-Lighter harness SDBRONCO?
Give us a call tomorrow and if it's the Night Lighter, we'll send you a new pair of relays. We'd appreciate it if you'd test them first of course, so we don't send them out needlessly and, frankly more importantly, you're not delayed in your getting back on the road.
If you can't test them to verify they work, we'll send you a new pair just in case.

I doubt it's the relays, but you never know. They are different than a standard "Bosch type" relay, but have been extremely reliable to a fault.
If you have the Illuminator, then they are in fact the standard relay style that you can find just about anywhere.

Either way though, those relays are most definitely not killing your battery. Not unless your headlights are stuck on. In which case you'd not only see them, but your battery would die overnight.
Initially, I would suspect a bad alternator/regulator/diode issue. The flickering, the dead battery, both indicate that this is at least a possibility.

A bad relay might make them flicker, but I'm not sure how it could burn out a bulb. A bad alternator that's putting out too many volts might, but most bulbs can handle some bit of over-voltage I would suspect. But that voltage means heat, and on high and with too many volts, that heat could kill a bulb pretty quickly perhaps. Maybe Phil knows more about that.

Easy to test relays though. Sounds like they're working from the way you describe, but like I said, don't hesitate to call in to find out what we can do. Harder for them to diagnose over the phone than for me to do here of course, but at least it's another layer of help.

In the meantime, disconnect the battery when letting the Bronco sit, so that it does not drain the battery. And while you're doing that, start testing for the drain using the normal tests described hereabouts many times.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[72SDBRONCO]

Thanks Paul! I understand what you are saying and reached out to WH today. Spoke briefly w Justin, who was going to have Cory give me a call. I also emailed Cory my scenario along w a great handwritten diagram of how I have everything wired . I am sure he will get a laugh out of my art, but thought it might help.

And yes, its the Illuminator Harness Im running. Thanks for the advice Paul, appreciate it.

 

[ransil]

I would fix the charging problem fisrt

 

[hardwork]

I have had the flickering headlight problem twice now, I've traced it to the voltage jumping momentarily to as high as 18 volts (and burning out bulbs). The culprit was the field wire at the 3g altanator had a poor conection . Replaced the terminal and was good for 2 years .Then same problem same fix.

 

[72SDBRONCO]

Paul and WH team were able to help me out. My alternator was putting out too much voltage. Replaced the ALT, no longer flickering and blowing out lights, and no longer draining the battery. Thanks guys.

 

[DirtDonk]

As Ed would say... "A result!" ;D
Glad you got it fixed. A big drain like that can get expensive with replaced batteries!
Luckily the modern crop of chargers can often fix a superdead battery, but better to not go dead in the first place.

Nice to be up and running again, eh?
Might be using your Bronco for flood rescue duties if the strange weather patterns keep up!

Paul