The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - Heavy-duty headlight connectors?

**dmjlambert** · 01-22-2017, 01:29 AM

There are lots of options for headlight upgrades. One of the most common upgrades is to simply install halogen sealed beam bulbs. H6024 bulbs, they are inexpensive ($8 - $12 each), and the existing wiring can handle it.

To over-engineer, it is most effective to worry about the length of the wire more than the gauge of the wire, and people do that with the relay mod. Using that method you can power the headlights directly from the battery, which is near the headlights, and just use the existing wiring from the headlight switch to turn on the relays. I have already upgraded my bulbs to the H6024, and have it on my to-do list to install a relay harness such as this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XXOC9Z4

There is a risk with this in there are more things to fail, fuses could go out, relays could fail, etc. leaving you with no way to see as you're speeding down a dark winding highway. I've considered maybe adding a rectifier diode between the wire that powers the relay and the wire that goes to the headlights, so if the fuse or relay fails, the lights would not go out completely, they would just dim.

01-22-2017, 01:29 AM	#2
dmjlambert Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 3,563	Re: Heavy-duty headlight connectors? There are lots of options for headlight upgrades. One of the most common upgrades is to simply install halogen sealed beam bulbs. H6024 bulbs, they are inexpensive ($8 - $12 each), and the existing wiring can handle it. To over-engineer, it is most effective to worry about the length of the wire more than the gauge of the wire, and people do that with the relay mod. Using that method you can power the headlights directly from the battery, which is near the headlights, and just use the existing wiring from the headlight switch to turn on the relays. I have already upgraded my bulbs to the H6024, and have it on my to-do list to install a relay harness such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XXOC9Z4 There is a risk with this in there are more things to fail, fuses could go out, relays could fail, etc. leaving you with no way to see as you're speeding down a dark winding highway. I've considered maybe adding a rectifier diode between the wire that powers the relay and the wire that goes to the headlights, so if the fuse or relay fails, the lights would not go out completely, they would just dim.