Headlight wiring

[TomoHawk]

PrOxLaMuS,

Do you think you could post a sketch of the wiring diagram for that VB headlight harness? I called VB to ask then if I could get a copy to see if it was right for my car, by they don't have that info...

From what I know of the VB headlight harness, it's probably very similar to Dave's. It uses new connectors that plug directly into the back of the headlamp,totally bypassing the OEM wiring. Only there's just the one relay to power both lights. One relay should be adequate though, as a 60W lamp uses only 5 amps @12V, andthe relays go up to 20 amps. The 280Z uses a 10 Amp fuse for each headlamp, which is a little overkill, but maybe the Nissan engineers had a reason for that (like 7 amp fuses weren't cheap or common). You still have to get in under the fender and unscrew the back plate to the lamp to get at the back of the lamp tho.

I always wondered about plugging into the headlamp plug that's just behind the radiator support. I mean the round plug (on 280Z) with the three round pins. I haven't had a chance to measure the voltage at that plug, but I assume it's not at the 13 volts the battery has.

Since the headlamp power comes straight off the battery, I wonder where the voltage loss is from. In that circuit you only have the one fuse link, with its two (connections). Maybe just replacing that segment would be a significant improvement.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

well for one.. the wiring is short.. and it was tough to get it to stretch across the engine bay and have it tucked in a hidden

as for plug and play.. it does plug into the original headlights.. BUT.. in order to put the connector through the rear headlight casing I needed to CUT the plug off and re solder it....

no way I could have gone around..

other than that.. very easy to install..

ohh and to hook it up to the high beams and low beam headlight switch I used the passenger side plug.. which DIDN'T FIT..

where the wiring plugs into the headlight it uses a rectangular 3 prong plug. When I cut off that plug I had the 2 spare plugs since I used my new ones.

where the headlight SWITCH plugs into the headlight harness it uses a circular 3 prong. SO basically I cut off the round plug and used the existing rectangle 3 prong from the back of the headlight and soldered and crimped that on. and it worked out great..

so the harness and relays work great... ugly yellow wiring which sticks out.. and it took some modification as expected ... but it works!

I'll take a pic of the diagram tonight

[clete]

TomoHawk,

Dave's post from 09/26/2004 contains a pic that shows his prototype harness plugged into those connectors by the radiator support. Unfortunately, he has no source for the round 280Z type. So if you would like a VB harness to cut up and install like Prox has, I will sell you one cheap.

Prox, thanks for the update. VB's ad ("no cutting required") was a little inaccurate.

[TomoHawk]

From the VB catalog, pg. 51, it says

"this Heavy-Duty Harness is complete with separate relays for low and high beams and features OE style headlight sockets for easy installation with no splicing or cutting required."

from the sound of that and and Prox's description, I would think that all you need to do is disconnect the old light connectors, plug in the new ones, hook up the battery wire & ground, mount the relays and connect the two wires for the switching from one of the old light sockets.

They just made the cross-over section too short.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

yeh thats all you need to do.. sort of..

the back of the headlight casing has a small small hole for the wiring to go through..

you can't fit a huge connector through there!!

so you have to cut off the connector, feed the wires through and re-attach the connector.

and it may be plug n play for a 240Z but definatly NOT a 280Z

The Relays and power was sooo easy.. that was already done.. i just needed to fine a 12v source!

[TomoHawk]

You couldn't just pell the metal pins out of the connector shell to get the wire through the hole?

[240Zdragon72]

I also got the VB harness. The harnesses are for Toyotas with H4 lights. That is the only explanation I can find as to why they are so short. I would hate to waste my $30 not to use it.

Prox, I would like to see some pics as how you did yours. I read your posts and I might have to be out looking at my car to see where you are talking about with the switch harness.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

i tried pulling the wires out of the connectors but i couldnt seem to get them out.. even with a pair of needle nose pliars and a small screwdriver...

no luck..

i didnt want to break the connector.. so i just cut the wires.. no biggy

i'll take some pics tomarrow.. my day off... for the wiring

[PrOxLaMuS©]

Here's some pics of the harness and relays

the 2nd picture is the pic of the original circular plug CUT OFF and i used crimps to attach the new plug. the plug i sourced from the OLD headlight plug which plugged into the back of the original headlight which was no longer needed.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

and the package and diagram

[EScanlon]

IMO, even though it's more expensive, Dave's (Zs_ondabrain) harnesses' are decidedly the way to go.

Sorry, but to stick a deflated New Years Blow Pipe in fluorescent yellow in my engine compartment .....

Dave's arrive properly spaced, wrapped, sealed and ready to install. The hardest part of the installation is getting down on the ground to connect to the existing wiring going to the headlights with OEM style connectors. After installation your lights are NOTICEABLY brighter even in the daytime.

If you're going to be changing the headlight bulb / housing itself that's the time to address changing out the wiring from the bulb to the connection to the new harness. But you don't need to change the connection wires even if you DO change your bulb / housing for a higher power one. That's because you shouldn't be overloading with the new harness, and you don't HAVE to pull the headlight acorn out.

From the looks of it, it looks as though you ran it all the way to the bulbs. That's a lot of work.

I'll see if I can take some pictures of my installation of Dave's product.

Enrique

[TomoHawk]

Don't you just hate it when the American companies get this stuff that was "translated" into english from Japanese? I would think that somebody at VB would inspect this product and notice the Instructions SUCK! And then work out with whomever printed the instructions, something understandable in English. They probably had engineers faxing back & forth over the pacific, but nobody bothered to proofread the stuff, and notice it doesn't make sense to those in the U.S.

It's understandable if the product was being sold by a Japanese company, and shipped to the U.S., but VB is in KANSAS! :devious: