Finally got it done. Upgraded the crappy factory wiring and bypassed the FCM for both low and high beams. The factory wiring appears to be 18 gauge which is way to small for the current load required to get the full light output. I measured over 1.5v drop at the lights.

I ordered a 12 gauge wiring harness from suvlights.com that's plug and play. Comes with everything needed except the load resistors (6 ohm 50w). The resistors prevent the FCM from tripping the lamp out indicator. BTW, the harness was a little short for proper routing for a full size truck so I added 12" to the wires. Also makes it easier to remove the headlight housing for maintenance with the extra length pigtail.

From the initial test the light intensity went from a slight brownish color to a more brilliant brighter white. And now I get full regulated voltage from batteries to power the lights.

Suvlights.com and Daniel Stern Lighting both sells the components needed if you want to do your own wiring. The load resistors can be found at V-leds.com

Not bad for about $80. Another solution than going with HID lighting for people not wanting to go that route.

MikeyB

 

This is real good info. Thanks.
Where did you put the resistor once the new harness is in?
D. stearn's site has some great info.

 

Nice Mike! How long did it take you to rewire everything?

 

The resistors connect to the original factory harness. One for the low and one for the high beam. The other end of both resistors wired to ground. Same for the other side. To make it easier and not touch the original factory wiring I ordered an extra 9007 connector with pigtail and wired in the resistors for plug and play to the existing harness.

Spent about 3 hours on it.

MikeyB

 

Man I wish I understood electronics enough to tackel something lik that. So now can you run both high and lows at the same time or you still need the bright box?

 

I wired it so both low and high are still separate. Can be easily modified by adding two 12 volt diodes so both low and highs are on at the same time. It's something I have thought about but concerned about the thermal loading on the bulbs which can create a very short lifespan.

Oh ya, will notice the headlights getting bright, then dim when the heater grid is cycling due to the battery loading.

MikeyB

 

Don't supposed there is a little schematic for this....
I think I follow you on the diodes. They pluged into the light sockets?

 

I'll have to create a schematic.

The two diodes would go on the low/high beam control signals to the relays. One diode would bridge the two signals together while the other diode would be located upstream from the bridge on the low beam side to prevent current backflowing into the FCM. When the low beam is on the bridge diode would block the power going to the high beam side. Activating the high beams the power will flow through the bridge diode and energize the low beam relay.

MikeyB

 

Man all this nerd talk is making my dome peice hurt!

 

OK, I'll ask.......



Where are the pictures?

 

Ok, here's the schematic for headlight high+low beam. Pretty much like a Brightbox using diodes and relays.



MikeyB

 

I hope you had better luck than I did with the bulbs. Every different type of bulb I tried burnt out way to quickly. i detailed most of it here

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...e-t189530.html

The relay harness is a very good upgrade tho.

 

hmmm this seems interesting...Now do you have any idea of what the effect of this would be on a plow harness?

 

Is there an easy fix for the fog light when you goto highbeam. I have a 08 1500 hemi ram truck. The fog lights are on during low beam, but go off on highbeam. My 02 truck has a headlight relay, I just put a small little piece of paper into the relay to prevent the fogs to go off during hibeam. Yesterday I looked at the 08, I can't find any relays. The 08 truck has decent lights, but I want my fogs to stay on, all the time.

 

The Integrated Power Module (IPM) on my 08 Cab and Chassis is kicking my butt. Been through the wiring diagrams, and there is no diagram that shows the physical location in the IPM of the components (relays, etc.) for the headlights and fog lights.

I had hoped to jumper, probably with a diode, the fog light relay or control so that if stayed on with the high beams.

I don't even know if they're using a relay for the fog lights, or some type of solid state switching device.

Does anyone have any details on the internal workings of the IPM?

George