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installing a headlight indicator light
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dagimp
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:50 pm    Post subject: installing a headlight indicator light Reply with quote

All,

I want to install a headlight indicator light so I know when I've left my headlights on, and when I'm driving with my lights on. Where would you recommend I connect the power source for the light? Even though it is a headlight indicator, I'd like to know when I've left my parking lights on too. Thanks a lot.
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Emeritusx
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a volt gauge. Otherwise you will need to run to the fuses. But I can tell when my lights are on by the voltage drop. If your prone to forgetting your lights buy a battery guard
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Semper_Dad
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Better to have a light on buzzer than just a warning light. You probably wouldn't see the light during the daytime anyway. You can usually find them in most Auto Parts electrical section. You can also make your own with a buzzer, relay, and a few wires. Search the internet and you can find easy to build setups. Should cost less than $10
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dagimp
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Emeritusx wrote:
Get a volt gauge. Otherwise you will need to run to the fuses. But I can tell when my lights are on by the voltage drop. If your prone to forgetting your lights buy a battery guard


Running to the fuses isn't too much of a problem, they are right there. Which fuse and which side of the fuse should I run the wire to?

An alarm isn't a bad idea either. I'll Google it and check out prices for components. I don't want to make it too complicated but it's worth a look.
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yellow73kubel
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think I would splice it into the wire between the dimmer relay and the headlight switch. Should be a terminal on each one marked with "56". Ground it wherever is convenient. That wire should give you 12v any time the light switch is on, high beams or not. I'll check that tomorrow and see if it would work.
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Captain Spalding
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:31 pm    Post subject: Re: installing a headlight indicator light Reply with quote

dagimp wrote:
Even though it is a headlight indicator, I'd like to know when I've left my parking lights on too.

Fuses 7 and 8 service the parking lights. I would use the side of fuse 8 that has the gray/black wire on it.
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thinghunter
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could always run a wire off one of the dash lights also since they are on when the parking lights and headlights are on.
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dagimp
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thinghunter wrote:
You could always run a wire off one of the dash lights also since they are on when the parking lights and headlights are on.


Thought about that, but you can turn off just the dash lights by turning the headlight switch counter clockwise.
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tallman206
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like a lights-on buzzer for my needs.
Go to Radio Shack and get one of their inexpensive buzzers, such as this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102817
or
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102818

Really, any of their buzzers that can operate on 12V DC will work, suit your audio preference. Some are high pitched tones, some are low pitched, and some are louder than others.

Connect the buzzer's positive lead (plus or + or red) to your tail lights circuit at the bottom of fuse S7 or S8 (either one will do). Look for where the grey/red or grey/black wire attaches.
Connect the buzzer's negative lead (minus or - or black) to your ignition powered circuit at the bottom of fuse S1 or S2 (either one will do). Look for where the black/yellow or black/grey wires attach.

If the taillights are turned on, and the ignition is not on, then the buzzer will sound.
If the tailllghts are turned on and the ignition is on, then the buzzer will not sound.
If the taillights are turned off, and the ignition is on, then the buzzer will not sound.
Of course, if everything is off, then the buzzer will not sound.

Simple enough, and I like it, but many persons are annoyed by lights-on reminder buzzers and have disconneted them in the historical past.

Have fun
Jerry
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Towel Rail
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it too hard to check if the headlight knob is pulled out? Razz
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j5josher
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

frist off the buzzer would just go off when ever

inless you hook it up to key so when you turn the key off the buzzer buzzes

or get a door switch from a bug and then you could hook a map light to it too...

Razz

alot of things could work out from that door switch
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dagimp
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

j5josher wrote:

or get a door switch from a bug and then you could hook a map light to it too...


What door switches work with a Thing? Do they work with Thing locks or do they require a lot of fabrication?
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burnunit
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here in Nova Scotia I have a slightly different problem - they have made daytime running lights mandatory, so I need a buzzer to sound when I'm running and the lights are NOT on. Preferably just buzz when I'm moving, but I think that would be difficult on a '83 Westie.

Will need another buzzer for lights-on ignition-off as well.

Anyone know of a cheap, easy to install, daytime running light kit?

Mike.


tallman206 wrote:
I like a lights-on buzzer for my needs.
Go to Radio Shack and get one of their inexpensive buzzers, such as this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102817
or
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102818

Really, any of their buzzers that can operate on 12V DC will work, suit your audio preference. Some are high pitched tones, some are low pitched, and some are louder than others.

Connect the buzzer's positive lead (plus or + or red) to your tail lights circuit at the bottom of fuse S7 or S8 (either one will do). Look for where the grey/red or grey/black wire attaches.
Connect the buzzer's negative lead (minus or - or black) to your ignition powered circuit at the bottom of fuse S1 or S2 (either one will do). Look for where the black/yellow or black/grey wires attach.

If the taillights are turned on, and the ignition is not on, then the buzzer will sound.
If the tailllghts are turned on and the ignition is on, then the buzzer will not sound.
If the taillights are turned off, and the ignition is on, then the buzzer will not sound.
Of course, if everything is off, then the buzzer will not sound.

Simple enough, and I like it, but many persons are annoyed by lights-on reminder buzzers and have disconneted them in the historical past.

Have fun
Jerry
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dagimp
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 7:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, so I'm digging up this old thread because it's taken me this long to get this project going!!!! I bought a VW/Audi indicator buzzer for this project. Of course it has way more prongs than I know what to do with. I want to more or less set it up the way Tallman instructed (but if there's a key in/key out indicator on the Thing, I wouldn't mind incorporating that too). Anyway, I have no idea how to read the wiring diagram on the relay. Can anybody help me out and let me know which connections to make where? Thanks!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Bashr52
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went with automatic headlights, never have to worry about it, and I have daytime running lights as well Laughing
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mondshine
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The solution posted by tallman206 is, by far, the simplest and most elegant answer.
If you insist on using a VW relay, the standard buzzer relay from most '70's VW's would work well. There are only 2 terminals on this relay.

Photo from the gallery:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It's the one on the far right, but as the tall man suggests, any 12V buzzer would do.

Good luck, Mondshine
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dagimp
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mondshine wrote:
The solution posted by tallman206 is, by far, the simplest and most elegant answer.
If you insist on using a VW relay, the standard buzzer relay from most '70's VW's would work well. There are only 2 terminals on this relay.

Photo from the gallery:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It's the one on the far right, but as the tall man suggests, any 12V buzzer would do.

Good luck, Mondshine


Thanks. If I'm correct, there should be able to set it up as Tallman suggested just using the relay I currently have. However, I just need to know which connectors on the relay I need to use. Unfortunately, Google has failed me.
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sjbartnik
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why don't you just do what VW did to get a high beam indicator light? Run a wire from one of the low beam headlight terminals at the fuse box. For the high beam VW crimped the high beam indicator light wire into the same crimp connector as the wire to the high beam but you could just use one of those piggyback spade terminals.

Or of course the easiest way would be to just get into the habit of looking at your headlight switch before driving off and before exiting the car. Very Happy
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got a new head light switch from TTS, and It had a jumper wire that took it off the key switch! my head lights would not come on with out the key on! really confused me when I was rewiring it! but there is a red wire with a white strip that goes to the key switch, and it went to light switch.
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