Headlight dimmer replacement

[46er]

I would like to replace my floor mounted dimmer switch with a toggle switch located at the bottom corner of the dash. Rarely drive at night, seldom use high beam and my left foot could use the space. Know very little of the electrical stuff, but think a SPDT toggle switch is what I need. Not sure of its rating, if any. Connections seem simple, the blue wire is the power in and the blue/white is the hibeam, blue/red low beam. When the column switch is on the blue has power and the toggle will direct where it goes. Thinking a double pole toggle switch;

[A Brit in Bama]

Ralph:

Not sure if there was a question in your post - but - I can confirm what you want can be done pretty easily.

Like you, I wasn't keen on the floor-mounted dimmer switch in my 71. Instead of a toggle switch, I inserted a push-button switch on the gear knob (which was beautifully wood-turned by forum member oppositelocksmith ) to achieve the same result.



Things you'll have to factor in are

• Wires to and from the new switch with terminals to connect with the existing wires running to the lights,
• A ground wire from the new switch to a suitable location under the dash so that the LED illuminates on full-beam
• If you have not already, you should strongly consider installing relays to power the headlights. With the standard wiring, all the current that powers the headlights flows through light-switch stalk on the steering column, and through the dimmer switch, and the (in your case) 54-year old wiring. As an illustration, if you had 60W main beams, then around 10A of current will be flowing. That may be too much for your chosen toggle switch.
• There may be some other things I am forgetting, but I installed mine about 5 years ago, so exact steps are getting foggy.

Inserting relays (Kits available from Moss etc. or you can roll-your-own kit fairly easily) will reduce the current running through the switches to a small (and much safer) fraction of that. Plus with relays, you will get brighter light too.

[46er]

Thanks Keith, I appreciate the info. I did some looking around and the switch will not have the LED, just a plain one as it will be under the dash and the dash light will be lit when highs are on, if ever. The wire harness is new as of 2015, I will take a look at the relays as that is my main concern. Headlights are standard Lucas 7 inchers and the switch i have in mind is rated at 20W. Initially I was thinking of just removing the entire high beam switch plus mount, and just mount it up higher, but I think it would still be in the way. My foot is always catching the edge of it when shifting.

My 250 is from AL, not far from you. Some big storms headed in your direction.

[lfmTR4]

I did that years ago with a toggle under the dash to make it easier to activate and deactivate. IIRC, it had to be a SPDT toggle as it has to be in hi or low beam position for the lights to work. Check out the wiring diagram at http://www.advanceautowire.com/tr2506.pdf for your year.

i used the double male extenders on the foot switch as I wanted both to work https://www.amazon.com/Ancor-230613-...d_gw_ci_mcx_mi

i highly recommend adding the relays to both the low and high beam circuits to take the load off the old switch and it makes the lights brighter. I used standard 12v relays that you can get a your FLAPS. They are upfront on the driver’s side where all headlight wires are. Use the current hot wires to activate the relays and in my case I took took main circuit power from the back of the alternator close by. Also added a self resetting breaker for each circuit.. I’ve never really liked the idea of unfused lights or anything else in the car.

https://www.amazon.com/Gloaso-Automa...9938286&sr=8-8

My gearshift thumb button is for the overdrive

[poolboy]

Lou sent me these components that he just described.
Velcro attachment.

[46er]

Thanks. I ordered the toggle switch and will swap the wires and test before making it permanent.. Will use the extender for the dash hibeam light and if all goes well will move it all. Will definitely look into the relays, thanks Ken; can you post the schematic?. One other issue to look at is the flash-to-pass, the switch is working but not the lights, will have to see if it is all connected, some electrical stuff was not, and that should take care of my electrical 'to do' list. The wiring diagram and Masters book was a big help.

[poolboy]

This is the way Lou drew it up...It's old now but I did manage to hang onto it

[Litespud]

I installed a shift knob-mounted O/D switch like Brit in ‘Bama’s, which free’d up the column stalk, which is a simple interruptor switch. I came up with some combination of relays that allowed the column stalk to operate as a Hi/Lo switch. I repurposed the foot switch as an ignition kill switch as an anti-theft device

[46er]

Getting back to finishing up. I took the easy way with the dip switch, just mounted it up behind the bonnet release and removed its mount, nothing but its location changed. Ordered the headlight relays, question where folks connect to get power for the relays. Moss recommends the starter solenoid, but their instructions are for an MGB and the distance for the 250 is a bit too far for my taste. Thinking of the purple circuit on the fuse box but unsure if that might be too much for the fuse, maybe the brown side?

[poolboy]

I used the battery's connection to the alternator. It's the brown wire in this picture...and no fuse just that circuit breaker.. just the way Lou drew it up.

[46er]

Thanks Ken, I have a 16 ACR alternator, no place for a connection. The brown wire into the fuse box comes off the starter solenoid, I'm thinking that would work, but electric stuff is not my thing.

[46er]

All done