So last night I let a buddy use my truck( he is one of the few privelidged people I trust with it)

Anywho he gets back and I got no headlights, I had an issue with the high beam before and it was no big deal as it was the dimmer switch. I figured it finally just took a total dump. So today I put a dimmer in it and that fixed my high beams but the lows still don't work.

What else can it be.

 

check to make sure the bulbs aren't blown on the lows? I know it sounds dumb, but it would be the first place to start.

 

Check the new dimmer to see if it has power on the DIM side.

 

Checked the bulbs, that was actually the first thing I checked.

OK so the dimmer isn't new but it is a known good factory chrysler dimmer.

I'll have to dig out the FSM and figure out which terminal that is.

BTW I'm not good with wiring at all, in fact I hate screwing with it with a passion.

Are the Highs and lows on 2 different feeds from the battery?

 

Maybe I can help you,

The wires you will be following,
L-1 = 12RD
L-2 = 14LG
L-4 = 16VT



Check fuse #4 #5 and #6 if there is no power there then check the fuse link under the hood.

Power feeds the light switch as L1 12RD through Term #81 protected by an internal circuit breaker, and leaves the switch through Term # H as L2 14LG where it enters the dimmer switch Term #19, leaving dimmer switch Term #18 it changes gauge and color now L4 16VT where it enters a 2 pin molded connector (Snow Plow Provision) above the base of the steering column, leaving the connector still L4 16VT it exits the cab through the bulkhead connector Term #5

On the hood side Term #5 exits the bulkhead connector as 16VT and splits continuing its way to each headlamp.

If you are sure you have power to the light switch and you know the dimmer switch is working then I would check the connection of Term #5 at the bulkhead connector.

Have you upgraded to a more powerful headlamp like an H6054SS Silver Star recently without upgrading your system using relays?

Left side.



Right side.



Hope you can follow my logic.

Lets think about why your headlights are so dim and your wiring is always burning up.

12 volts is supplied over a 16-gauge wire from the light switch that supplies both low beam headlamps while the ground path is supplied through a 20-gauge tail under a sheet-metal screw, the high beams are only slightly better being supplied through a 14-gauge wire, looking at all of the resistance from undersized wire and poor connections is the reason you only have barely 10 volts at the headlamp and a lot of heat generated along the way.

Let me know if I need to explain myself any better.

Jim

 

Wow electrical and electronics along with mechanics have always been my lifelong passion along with my occupation.

Jim

 

Thanks for the diagram Jim, I went over to stillsmokins place tonight and we did some checking around, well he did all the multi meter stuff while I watched. We found out I have an issue with L2 and maybe at the bulkhead. I'll dig into it a little deeper when I get some more time.

You explained yourself perfectly, you said pretty much the same thin Jeff said. He is also very good with automotive electrical.

And yes I've been running silver stars since the day the truck needed a new set of sealed beams 5 years ago. After I get this issue fixed It will get relays.

I like the mechanical side of things much better.



Thanks again Jim your expertise is very much appreciated.

 

Once you put relayed power to those SilverStars, they won't last five weeks, let alone five years.

I really loved my SilverStars; we had them on all of our regulary driven trucks.

Alas, at twenty-bucks apiece, and replacing them two-at-a-time every other week, Kentucky wages forced me back to cheaper options.

 

My Silver Stars last an average of 7 months give or take 2 weeks, I keep track of them and I have staggered the installation so they never burn out at the same time.

I built a regulator and run them at 13 volts for a blue/white output.

For me the price of the lamp is worth it for the output of light they produce, not happy with it but I accept it.

I am still looking for an acceptable HID for mine.

Jim

 

BK, I didn't mean I ran the same set for 5 years, I've probly ran 8 or 12 set since I started using them. The 1st set lasted about a year but each set there after has usually lasted about 6-8 months, this last set only lasted 4 months.

Today I replaced the sealbeams with some Sylvania Xtra vision head lights, they are one step below Silverstars but I have had much better luck with longevity with em in some of my other trucks. I really like the Silverstars light output( I do a lot of night driving) but like you said BK its tough to swallow how much money I've spent on lights in the last few years.

I have also thought about HIDs or somthing.


BTW Everything works again after I replaced the bulbs

 

On our trucks, when one goes, the other goes within half-a-mile.

I came home one night with only DIM left on one bulb.

We downgraded a step and haven't had a light out since.

Even the lower grade sealed-beams reach way on out there when on relays.