Help installing toggle dip switch on dash for lights.

55modified

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• May 29, 2017

• #1

I need a light "dip switch" for my headlights. The floor switch can't easily be reached due to pedals in my car. Would like to install Lucas style toggle switch on dash for this function. Anyone done this? What type of switch would I need? Three way? On/on? Most are just on/off so I don't think those would work?

 

vette

Darth Vader

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• May 29, 2017

• #2

I haven't looked at that circuit for awhile but i would suspect that it is a three way switch. 3 terminals, one is common the other 2 would be on or off depending on the switch position. I bought the toggle switches I used for my twin fuel pumps from NAPA. They can supply almost any configuration, look at their website. My fuel pumps are electrically interlocked so that only one will come on at a time. I used double pole/double throw toggle switches from NAPA for that. See pic.

 

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HealeyRick

Yoda

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• May 29, 2017

• #3

Here's what I used for a switch: https://www.holden.co.uk/displaypro...me=Toggle+Switches+-+Long+Lever&pCode=020.144
Along with an E-type bezel: https://xks.com/i-7085159-jaguar-es...-dip-e-type-16-2523.html?ref=category:1207259

Looks like this:



I'm embarrassed to say I forgot how I wired it. The headlamp switch needs to be on and the dashboard switch operates with high beams at top = middle position is lights off - and bottom is low beam

 

vette

Darth Vader

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• May 29, 2017

• #4

Rick, what you discribe would be the same as what is called a 3-way switch if you have an off position in the middle. Hot wire would come in to a middle terminal then the up position could be used as the high beams and the bottom position could be used as the low beams. Ideally, there would be no need to have an off position if you are using the original dash headlight switch as the off/on switch. In which case you would have a toggle switch that just moves from on to on with no center stop position. but it would still need 3 terminals in the back.

 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin

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• May 29, 2017

• #5

That's COOL Rick just leave the normal dash switch on all the time.--

Course when i first saw it i thought it was the gear shift lever.-----:congratulatory:

 

DerekJ

Luke Skywalker

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• May 30, 2017

• #6

You don't need a 3 way switch. I still have the normal 'pull' switch for the lights and just use a 2-way switch on the dashboard for the main/dip. It is the simplest solution as all you are doing is replacing the 2-way floor switch with with a 2 way dash switch.

 

OP

55modified

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• May 30, 2017

• #7

DerekJ, so just a simple on/off toggle switch? What did you use exactly?

I like the idea of constant on. Not sure I want "off" in middle between throws.

 

Michael Oritt

Yoda

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• May 30, 2017

• #8

If I were doing it I'd opt for a three-position switch: Up=on, middle=off, down=momentary on, the last being used to flash the lights at oncoming traffic for whatever reason.

 

HealeyRick

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• May 30, 2017

• #9

Here's a on/on switch that could be used without the middle "off" position: https://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct.asp?pCode=020.144 I like the long lever as it is easier to get to, especially in the dim light of our interiors.

 

RAC68

Darth Vader

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• May 30, 2017

• #10

Hi All,

I am a little confused why you would put the dip switch on the dash and not just keep it on the floor? I would expect there are enough to address with your hands and dipping the headlights seems to be just another.

Have you installed relays to off-load the total flow of lighting power from passing through the dash harnesses? If so, are your driving lights powered only with High Beams as is required in many US States? As I see it, if so, the installation of a 2 or 3 way dash dip switch should be relatively easy by running a line from the dash dip switch as a replacement of the floor dip switch.

Am I missing something?
Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

HealeyRick

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• May 30, 2017

• #11

RAC68 said:

Hi All,

I am a little confused why you would put the dip switch on the dash and not just keep it on the floor? I would expect there are enough to address with your hands and dipping the headlights seems to be just another.

Ray(64BJ8P1)

Click to expand...

Because V8. No room for your left foot to operate the switch if you've swung your pedals to the left to make room for the engine:

 

DerekJ

Luke Skywalker

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• May 30, 2017

• #12

I use a long switch like the Holden example. (I think its the same but i can't actually access the Holden site!)

See attached

 

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Keoke

Great Pumpkin

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• May 30, 2017

• #13

SO:
If so, are your driving lights powered only with High Beams as is required in many US States?

What chu do if driving lights go out???????

 

vette

Darth Vader

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• May 30, 2017

• #14

Hi folks, the nonmenclature of the switches is a little misleading. And I might admitt that in some parts of the electrical industry the names might be used differently but the name 3-way implies that the switch has 3 terminals. you would have a common which is the power to the switch and then two hots leading from the switch. The switch would be on in one direction or on in the other direction. There is no diffenate off position. As an example, when you have a light in your house that is controlled from 2 different switches at 2 different locations, those switches are 3-way switches. They have 3 terminals but alas there would only be 2 of them to control the light. If the light is controlled from more than 2 locations then the other switches in the circuit are called 4-way switches. Yeh, i know, it doesn't seem to make sense but that is the convention of naming switches configurations. so the have a switch that will turn on the low beams in one position, and the high beams in the other position with neither being on at the same time and no definate off position, you will need a 3-way switch. See drawing.

 

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RAC68

Darth Vader

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• May 30, 2017

• #15

Rick,

I see your point where the modification of peddle location eliminates access for any reason in this tight real-estate condition.

Keoke,
Because of the state requirement to have the driving lights on only with the high beams, the dip switch dips both the high beam and driving lights together. Keep in mind that I am using 3 relays (low beam, high beam, driving lights). This is effected by having the dip switch gated to the high beam relay and the driving light relay. Yes, the driving lights can only be turned on with the high beams active and not with the low beams or independently. Since I have little use for the windscreen washer, I have imbedded the driving light switch within the washer pump button.



I have had the driving lights since the car was first purchased new and find that their long narrow beam was very complimentary to the broad wide beam of the high beams. I see little benefit for me to have the deriving lights on alone, however, could easily change this restriction if I decided to install fog lamps in place of the driving lights.

Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin

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• May 30, 2017

• #16

YEP,BUT
Because of the state requirement to have driving lights on,IF they fail you are required to retire to the side of the road.

Keep driving lights separately energized N get home when head lights fail.:eagerness:

 

Last edited: May 30, 2017

Keoke

Great Pumpkin

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• May 30, 2017

• #17

Nomenclature:

For Automotive Switches & Relays


Rocker/ toggles witches & Relays of different styles are referred to as - SPST, SPDT, DPST, DPDT, in On, Off .12 Volt Automotive r DC circuits.
.
Where:

S=Single
P=Pole
D=Double
T=Throw

 

Last edited: May 30, 2017

John Turney

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• May 30, 2017

• #18

I have an On-Off-On switch, but one of the Ons is spring loaded. Off is low beam, On is high beam. I use the spring loaded position to flash the high beams. Since I have the OD switch on the shift knob, the switch went in the OD switch spot. Very convenient.

 

OP

55modified

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• May 30, 2017

• #19

HealeyRick said:

Because V8. No room for your left foot to operate the switch if you've swung your pedals to the left to make room for the engine:

Click to expand...

That is correct.

 

OP

55modified

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• May 30, 2017

• #20

John Turney said:

I have an On-Off-On switch, but one of the Ons is spring loaded. Off is low beam, On is high beam. I use the spring loaded position to flash the high beams. Since I have the OD switch on the shift knob, the switch went in the OD switch spot. Very convenient.

Click to expand...

Where did you source that switch? What brand?