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Rewiring starter switch to have headlights shut off with ignition


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Folks, I like to drive with my headlights on during the day as running lights. However I’m always nervous that I’ll forget to shut them off after driving. I know that some have affixed buzzers etc to the lights as warnings, but I was thinking about an alternate solution and wanted to run it by you.

On my ignition switch, I have the following connections (looking at the back of the switch):

- single pole at 12 o’clock - STARTER - Single White/Red wire to Starter Solenoid 
- double pole at 1-3 o’clock - ACCESSORY- no wires 
- double pole at 5-7 o’clock - IGNITION- Two White wires to Ignition & fuse box 
- double pole at 9 o’clock - 12 VOLTS - Two Brown/Blue wires to Alt/Battery/Lights 

As I have no radio, I assume that’s why ACCESSORY has no connections.

What if I moved the Brown/Blue wire from the lights to the Accessory pole? Wouldn’t that give me lights when the ignition was on (regardless if the engine was running), yet shut the lights off when the ignition was off? If for some reason I did need lights with the engine off, I could move the key to the Accessory position. The nice thing is it’s an easy mod to undo.

Is there a drawback I’m missing?

thanks

Jim

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Hi Jim.

Only slight drawback I can think of is that if your battery is not as good as it should be, the additional drain of the headlights might be enough to prevent the engine from starting.

Other than that it seems like a clever idea.

Bob.

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Bob, thanks!
I found this diagram on the Moss (US) site and it indicates that at startup the Accessory position isn’t powered. So while cranking, there shouldn’t be a draw from the lights if I had them switched on.

Jim

 

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If you are using regular headlamps, not led type which take low current, then a relay in the headlamp supply circuit that is energised by the ignition switch would be sensible to protect the contacts in the ignition switch from being overloaded.

 

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Sorry, I should have mentioned that I am going to install relays in both headlights (one of the reasons I’m going down the wiring rabbit hole). My plan there is to source power to the relays right from the battery/Alternator. My marker/directional lights are already converted to LED.

Jim

Edited by Tr4aJim
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