rusty wires

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killnine

killnine

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No that's not my **** name. My headlights went out, so troubleshooting, found that one of the contacts on one of the lamps was almost broken off. I replaced the lamps, and then it was still not working. Only the brights would work. So I was getting a good voltage reading up until about 8 inches from the lamp connector, and there it was stopping in its tracks. I probed it to a specific spot, where the wiring looked fine. Cut back the wire, and found the wires were all rusty and brittle. WTF. I've never run into that much before. I guess it's time for a headlight relay upgrade, and replacing at least this run of wire.
 
With the newer halogen bulbs that would be a good idea. I Have seen older cars burn up switches, they can't handle the amperage load.
 
That internal rot happens occasionally in wire systems.

One of my relay kits would take the entire load off your factory wiring. Would only require one functional low beam headlight socket to trigger the system. You could also hard wire to a clean section/area prior to the rot.
 
Halogens and the relay upgrade will make a very nice improvement in your headlights. fairly simple to do too.
 
Certainly more common where you live on the Gulf. When I re-wired (w/ relays), I used ceramic 3-prong terminals (ebay) in case I ever switch to hotter bulbs.
 
BTW, the halogen version of standard headlights draw the same amperage as the standard filament types. The recently-become-popular (but long time available) separate bulb headlights can indeed draw more amperage.

Killnine, your car likely got water sucked in the wire ends at some point in time and thus the rust. The brittle insulation is the thing that gets a lot of this wiring.
 
I did the headlight relay kit on my car recently, and I gotta say if I would have known what a huge difference it makes I would have done it a long time ago.
I hardly ever use my high beams anymore, because I just don't need em.

I REALLY like the fact that it takes the amp load off the cabin wiring and switches.
 
Yeah I used Daniel Stern's kit and ecodes on the 70 duster. Huge difference. Time to do this one too. This one will need at least the wiring from the bulkhead to the front replaced too though. Sounds like it did get some water or something and rusted some of the internal wiring.
 
water ingress from end or crack in insulation, copper is like solder wick when it comes to moisture, sucks it up.
 
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