 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Headlight relays |
 
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| oneten110 Member Since: 02 Jul 2011 Location: Wish I was still in France Posts: 741  
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If Land Rover have fitted relays in the headlamp circuits, it would be a bit superfluous to fit more. Especially for LEDs which should have a lower current draw It is not a Defender, it is a One_Ten
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29th Aug 2019 11:20pm |
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| macfrank Member Since: 05 Nov 2015 Location: somewhere in the north Posts: 1052  
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Looking at MY2012 diagrams, the three-stage light switch controls relay R117 which carries the dipped and main beams' current. So no big load on that switch. A MY2008 diagram doesn't have that relay and the switch carries all the load.
The current however also goes through the dim switch. But that one wasn't the problem, wasn't it? |
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30th Aug 2019 11:25am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17280 
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Oh yes it was, I am afraid. it is in the hands of the Gods which switch melts first or most often. I had more dip/main switches fail than on/off switches before I rewired my headlights properly. |
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30th Aug 2019 1:15pm |
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| macfrank Member Since: 05 Nov 2015 Location: somewhere in the north Posts: 1052
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 So I guess to fit a second relay for the dim switch was on LR's to do list for MY2017 then...  |
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30th Aug 2019 1:27pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17280
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I expect the new Defender has one. At least I hope so.
Perhaps the optional Heritage Pack will have a programmable switch failure simulator built into the lighting ECU. 
I found that the improvement in light output achieved by wiring the headlights with decent-sized cable straight from the battery via relays, and fitting Crystals, was so great as to make any further upgrades unnecessary. The fact that full battery voltage is available at the bulb has also produced a noticeable improvement in bulb life (it is well established that bulbs fail prematurely when operated at lower voltages than they're designed for). |
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30th Aug 2019 1:57pm |
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| macfrank Member Since: 05 Nov 2015 Location: somewhere in the north Posts: 1052
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I didn't know THAT. I thought it was the opposite. |
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30th Aug 2019 2:00pm |
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| 90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2115 
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Hi @blackwolf does this apply to the later Puma 2.4 / 2,2 cars even??
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30th Aug 2019 3:05pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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No, it is correct. Read the below. https://www.google.ch/amp/s/www.topbulb.co...cycle/amp/ You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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30th Aug 2019 3:29pm |
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| dorsetsmith Member Since: 30 Oct 2011 Location: South West Posts: 4554 |
07 to 2012 head light relay kits RH and LH driver as fitted by LR see below
https://www.defender2.net/gallery/albums/u...0relay.pdf Last edited by dorsetsmith on 30th Aug 2019 4:09pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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30th Aug 2019 3:30pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17280
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Yes, I think (as dorsetsmith says above) that it wan't until 2012 that LR did anything about it, and I am not sure how good their solution actually is. Anything prior to that benefits hugely from a wiring upgrade. |
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30th Aug 2019 4:04pm |
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| macfrank Member Since: 05 Nov 2015 Location: somewhere in the north Posts: 1052
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I tried to untangle the relevant parts of the wiring diagrams (I was about to try a new software but was faster on paper
 )
The part framed in red was added as of MY2012 and I think it corresponds to what was added in the bulletin. I added wire cross sections in red. Note there still is a "thick" 2.5 going to the relay 117 - for "historical reasons" 
 Click image to enlarge So where would you recommend to improve this? |
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30th Aug 2019 5:55pm |
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| athelstan Member Since: 06 Aug 2019 Location: Kent Posts: 55 
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Many thanks for your replies folks, extremely useful. To someone who regards anything electrical as a black art, I think I am beginning to understand what relays do and why they are needed.
It has been mentioned that LED lights consume less current than conventional bulbs and coupled with the fact that hopefully Land Rover have now added a lighting relay into the circuit I might forgo the loom and put on as much LED gubbins that I can. I've ordered a pair of LED stop/tail lights and a pair of LED Side Lights together with a pair of LED bulbs for the numberplate. I'm currently using "search" on the forum for headlight reviews. 2015 90 XS Station Wagon Puma 2.2 2015 Morgan Plus 4 |
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30th Aug 2019 10:47pm |
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| Balvaig Member Since: 19 Feb 2016 Location: Fife Posts: 728  
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Don’t forget that Led’s are polarity sensitive and will only work if connected correctly i.e positive to positive and negative to negative. Normal bulbs work with positive and negative to either terminal
It is always worth checking the existing wiring for polarity before fitting your new units. LR haven’t always bothered to get it right! You will probably need a new relay for you indicators too. A search on the forum should assist you find a good one. Hope all goes well. |
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31st Aug 2019 8:40am |
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| athelstan Member Since: 06 Aug 2019 Location: Kent Posts: 55
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Thanks for pointing that out Balvaig, that will explain why when changing my wing light bulbs to LED on my other car, two out of the four bulbs didn't work and were binned forthwith. I'm only glad I didn't give the retailer a rollicking for selling shoddy goods. 2015 90 XS Station Wagon Puma 2.2
2015 Morgan Plus 4 |
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31st Aug 2019 1:57pm |
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