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While I had everything apart, I decided to add headlight relays to my Midget. I figured it would be an improvement to get power from the battery directly to the headlights instead of through the switch.
I took some aluminum L channel and made a bracket to mount the relays. One relay is for the low beams and the other relay is for the high beams. I spliced into the Blue/Red and Blue/White wires and added the relays. The relay in the back (far right in pic) is for the electric fan. I still have room to add a relay for driving lights, as I'll be installing a set here this week.
I used a left over electric fuel pump relay kit that I had ordered from Summit Racing, since it had all the hardware I needed. Same size thickness of wires in the relay kit as the wires for the headlights. I ended up ordering another kit so I'd have the same setup for the hi beams, so I did this kind of the expensive way (the kit is 23 bucks from Summit, but the kit gives you everything including the breaker and terminal lugs).
You can low buck the job by going to Walmart and getting 2 driving light installation kits for 10 bucks each, which comes with everything you need (plus you'll have two really cool looking LED switches left over that your kids may like). The wiring in those Walmart kits is only like 16 gauge, but you only need a few inches of wire from the relay to splice into the headlight wires. Considering that the headlight wires that come from the headlight bucket to the splice connections are only like 16 gauge, I wouldn't see a problem with using the Walmart kit, however. I'll probably do a Walmart late night shopping excursion in the near future and pick up a kit for my driving lights (besides I like that switch that comes in the kit..).
I use a 30Amp circuit breaker, fed from the battery and routed to both relays.
In summary, what's needed:
1. 2 Relays, 10 amp or greater, with sockets. Most relay/ sockets already have the wires on them so you shouldn't have to buy additional wire.
2. Some heat shrink (good engineering practice and just looks neater) for the wires.
3. Soldering iron and solder. I suppose you could use wire crimps, but just a better engineering practice (did I already say that?).
4. Some wire cutters, for uh, cutting wires.
5. A 20 Amp circuit breaker or fuse, or 2 10 Amp fuses or breakers for each circuit. Overkill the design by running a 20 Amp breaker with 10 amp fuses to each relay. Using the circuit breaker has the advantage of having terminal lugs, so you can use a ring terminal to connect the power wire rather than soldering.
6. Couple feet of some 8, 10 or 12 gauge to get from the battery to the circuit breaker (or fuse). I used a piece of 8 gauge car stereo power wire to get from the battery to the circuit breaker. Another option is to tap off the starter solenoid instead of the battery for a cleaner look (I'll probably go back and reroute my wire to the solenoid).
7. A couple of terminal lugs for the battery and circuit breaker.
8. A couple of fasteners to mount the relays. I built the bracket for the relays so I wouldn't have to drill holes all over the firewall for mounting them.
9. Some tie wraps or electrical tape. You want it to look neat, right?
Perhaps overkill, but it maximizes my H4 headlights and the charging capabilities of my Delco alternator.
I took some aluminum L channel and made a bracket to mount the relays. One relay is for the low beams and the other relay is for the high beams. I spliced into the Blue/Red and Blue/White wires and added the relays. The relay in the back (far right in pic) is for the electric fan. I still have room to add a relay for driving lights, as I'll be installing a set here this week.
I used a left over electric fuel pump relay kit that I had ordered from Summit Racing, since it had all the hardware I needed. Same size thickness of wires in the relay kit as the wires for the headlights. I ended up ordering another kit so I'd have the same setup for the hi beams, so I did this kind of the expensive way (the kit is 23 bucks from Summit, but the kit gives you everything including the breaker and terminal lugs).
You can low buck the job by going to Walmart and getting 2 driving light installation kits for 10 bucks each, which comes with everything you need (plus you'll have two really cool looking LED switches left over that your kids may like). The wiring in those Walmart kits is only like 16 gauge, but you only need a few inches of wire from the relay to splice into the headlight wires. Considering that the headlight wires that come from the headlight bucket to the splice connections are only like 16 gauge, I wouldn't see a problem with using the Walmart kit, however. I'll probably do a Walmart late night shopping excursion in the near future and pick up a kit for my driving lights (besides I like that switch that comes in the kit..).
I use a 30Amp circuit breaker, fed from the battery and routed to both relays.
In summary, what's needed:
1. 2 Relays, 10 amp or greater, with sockets. Most relay/ sockets already have the wires on them so you shouldn't have to buy additional wire.
2. Some heat shrink (good engineering practice and just looks neater) for the wires.
3. Soldering iron and solder. I suppose you could use wire crimps, but just a better engineering practice (did I already say that?).
4. Some wire cutters, for uh, cutting wires.
5. A 20 Amp circuit breaker or fuse, or 2 10 Amp fuses or breakers for each circuit. Overkill the design by running a 20 Amp breaker with 10 amp fuses to each relay. Using the circuit breaker has the advantage of having terminal lugs, so you can use a ring terminal to connect the power wire rather than soldering.
6. Couple feet of some 8, 10 or 12 gauge to get from the battery to the circuit breaker (or fuse). I used a piece of 8 gauge car stereo power wire to get from the battery to the circuit breaker. Another option is to tap off the starter solenoid instead of the battery for a cleaner look (I'll probably go back and reroute my wire to the solenoid).
7. A couple of terminal lugs for the battery and circuit breaker.
8. A couple of fasteners to mount the relays. I built the bracket for the relays so I wouldn't have to drill holes all over the firewall for mounting them.
9. Some tie wraps or electrical tape. You want it to look neat, right?
Perhaps overkill, but it maximizes my H4 headlights and the charging capabilities of my Delco alternator.
