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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Headlight Relays

Has anybody modified the headlight circuit by fitting relays. Together with halogen bulbs, they should improve the brightness considerably.
John
John James

John,

The lamp switch and wiring on a T series are quite robust and I suspect they could handle the amps required for halogen headlamps. Your problem will be the ablility of the dynamo to cope.

Read recently in the Octagon mag that you can easilly convert to an alternator from a Metro and still use the taco drive.

I have fitted relays into the lamps on my Lotus Elan and could send you circuit diagrams if you want - they are very simple.


Jan T
Jan Targosz

Jan
I have this article on fitting relays to the MGB:
http://www.mgcars.org.uk/MG_Elec-Tech/h-lamp_relay.html
Powering the headlights thru relays from the live side of the starter switch and using 60/55 watt halogen bulbs shouldn't add much extra load on the system. I suppose it doesn't matter if the car is positive earth relay-wise.
John
John James

John

would you need to swap the positive/negative terminals of the relay to coincide with the positive earth?? Or will this not matter due to the relay essentially being a switch??


~PHIL
Phil

Gentelmen - I have an article and instructions for fitting a relay to the brake light circuit for the cars. To see the article, go to the following web site: http://www.omgtr.ca/technical/brakelightrelay/brakelightrelay.htm
The same arrangement will work for the headlights. The advantage to using the relay in the circuit is that it takes the heavy current off of the headlight switch (expensive to replace) and runs it through the relay (inexpensive to replace). For use in the headlight circuit, the arc supression circuit (diode and capacitor) shown in the diagram can be eliminated. Eliminating the arc supression circuit makes the relay circuit non polarized, so it does not matter which way the relay coil is hooked up. If you have any questions regarding installations, contact me at the above e-mail address.
Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

This thread was discussed on 13/10/2003

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.