New
lighting functions
I rewired my headlights and driving lights to permit some new
operation modes. Here's a list:
- Flashing
of the driving lights with the stalk (while the headlights are off and
down)
- Automatic
operation of the driving lights with the high beams (enabled/disabled by
an additional toggle switch)
- Late-model
headlamp motor operation (e.g. lights down when HL switch is half-way out)
- Independent
operation of the driving lights from the headlights (w/ the ignition on)
These modifications required some rewiring and the addition of two standard
(black, round) relays and sockets, a diode, and a micro toggle switch. The
conversion is very clean to do and looks nearly OEM.
EASY ALTERNATIVE!! - If you want a really
simple way to flash your fogs when your headlights are off, just buy this part
from JWest:
http://www.jwesteng.com/porsche/fog.htm
Please note - the procedures will be only specific to a 1970 914. There are
some small variations from year-to-year, and they should be apparent by
reviewing the wiring diagrams at Pelican Parts.
The
Conversion....
Background
The wiring diagram that I will use for all of my discussions is at: http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/parts/electrical/914_electric_71a.jpg
. The later model cars may have some slight differences, check the diagrams at
Pelican Parts before you proceed.
Parts Needed
(get this stuff BEFORE you start...!)
- Two
standard 914 black round relays and rubber sockets. I got mine from Ebay,
I bought a full fuse box panel for $20. Your best bet would be to go to a
914 junkyard and get these off of a donor car. The relay sockets I used
have a rubber prong on the backside for mounting onto the fuse panel. Be
careful when locating these sockets - most have connectors and wires for
terminals 30, 85, 86, and 87 - but the socket for the buzzer only has two
connectors. Make sure at a minimum you get sockets with the four
connections. If you are lucky, see if you can get a socket from the front
headlight door relays (#50) - this socket has an additional connector to
terminal 87a, which is needed. If you can't get one, it's a simple fix to
solder a wire to the pin of 87a on one of the relays instead.
- Micro toggle switch (from Radio Shack)- this switch is used to enable/defeat the automatic high beam/driving
light operation.
- Diode (Radio Shack)-
used to block control signals to the fog lamp relay from turning on the
high beams.
- Crimp-on
connector assortment - you will need push on connectors, splices, ring
connectors, etc. Best bet is to go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy an
assortment.
- Crimping
pliers (comes with some assortments...)
- Piggyback push-on connectors. You can get these at Radio Shack, too.
- 1/8"
and 1/4" shrink-wrap tubing
- Heat
gun (get a real gun - most hair dryers don't cut it with shrink-wrap)
- Soldering
iron and rosin-core solder
- Other
standard hand tools (e.g. diagonal cutters, pliers, etc.)
Theory
Part #26 is the ignition switch,
which also includes the turn signal indicator and stalk. The stalk contacts are
between terminals S and 31 (ground). Pulling back on the stalk momentarily pulls
terminal S to ground. S is connected (yellow/red) to terminal S of the
"combination" or high/low beam relay, #27 (located in the RH top
corner of the fuse panel). Jim Thorusen pointed out to me that the internal
wiring diagram of this relay shown is incorrect - just above terminal 56a, there
is a connection shown that goes to the top of the relay coil - it actually is
connected to 56, not 56a. If you look at the later schematics at Pelican Parts,
you'll see that this was corrected. When the lights are on, there is +12V
applied to 56 - the momentary contact to ground with the stalk brings terminal S
on the relay to ground, and toggles the high/low beams.
The auxiliary lights are controlled by relay #53. The first trick to notice
is that the ground for the relay coil is supplied through the high beam
filaments. This means that when the high beams are switched on, and the fog lamp
switch is on, +12V is applied to both relay coils - and the relay drops out,
preventing the use of the fog lights with the high beams. It makes sense -
unless you are replacing the fogs with driving lights. The other side of the
coil gets +12V through the fog lamp switch, #36. Note that the +12V source for
the fog lamp switch comes from the headlight switch, and only when it is halfway
or fully out. You cannot turn on the fog lamps unless the switch is on. We'll
need to change this if we want to be able to turn the lights on w/o the
headlights being on.
Conversion
Two relays are required. The
first relay routes the ground from the stalk, depending on if the lights are on
or off. If the lights are on, the relay connects the stalk wire
(yellow/red) to the combo relay (#27), just like the OEM wiring. When the
lights are off, the stalk wire to the coil of a second relay. A second relay is
required because the control signal for the fog lamp relay (#53) is +12V, not
ground. The second relay "inverts" the signal and supplies +12V to the
fog lamp relay. The other functions are realized by rewiring the combo relay and
fog lamp relay.
- Disconnect the positive terminal on the battery - do not reconnect the
terminal until the job is done and all of the connections have been double
checked for continuity and accuracy!!!
- Remove the two screws from the fuse panel and let it hang down.
- Remove the headlight switch knob and aluminum trim ring. There should be
enough slack in the wires to let the HL switch hang down. Work slowly and
deliberately - do not yank any wires or pull hard, or you will be looking at
a complex repair.
- Check your headlight switch
wiring against the wiring diagrams at the Pelican Parts site - there may be
some differences. The switch on my 1970 has no connection at all to
accessory power (terminal 15 wire over to the ignition switch). Instead,
terminal 30 is jumpered to terminal 15 - this is the OEM wiring, verified
with other 1970 owners.
- Locate terminal 58b - there should be a black/blue wire and a gray wire
attached. The black/blue wire is the +12V source to the fog lamp switch. Cut
the wire at the connector and pull it back - extend the wire with 14 gauge
copper wire using a insulated butt connector. Attach a insulated push-on
connector to the end of the wire and connect it to the fused side of fuse #8
using a piggyback connector.
- If you have a 1970 and you want "late model" headlight door
operation, check how many gray wires you have on terminal K. If there are 3
wires, your headlights are wired to pop up when the light switch is pulled
from fully in to halfway out. If you want the lights to stay down in the
parking position, you need to ID which gray wire is the door control wire
and clip it. One of the gray wires is simple to ID, it goes over to terminal
58b. The other wire should have a number on the wire housing. This wire goes
over to the fuse box, to fuse 7. You should see the same number on the wire
just above fuse 7. The remaining wire is the one you clip. Attach a push-on
connector, and piggyback the wire onto terminal 56. Insulate the piggyback
with 1/4" shrinkwrap. Your lights will now stay down when the switch is
pulled out to the parking position - BUT - after you turn on the headlights,
and they lights pop up, when you go back to halfway, they will still stay
up. This is because the "lower" command line (green/purple wire on
terminal 30b) is only actuated when you push the switch fully in. If you try
to defeat this function, perhaps by moving the "lower"
control line to terminal 57, it may work - I left mine alone.
- Look at your fuse panel. On the 1970's, there is an unused relay
socket plug hole in the lower RH corner, one of your new relays will go
here. I put my other relay on the underside of the front firewall, just to
the left of the floor heat vent. It may just have been my car, but there was a hole
already there exactly the size needed for the relay socket prong! If
not, drill a hole
here to put the relay in later (don't insert the relays yet, there's more
wiring to do).
- Drill a 1/4" hole just above the LH fuse box mount on the panel for
the micro toggle switch.
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