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  1. #1
    Registered User bung's Avatar
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    Depo install issue with high/low beams ('03)

    Hey I'm just curious if anyone else has come across this issue and/or has any suggestions... I'm attempting to install the new depo's on my '03, and when I turn the high beams on, the low's don't stay on. I have no idea if this is normal because when I watch the SpecDTuning install video on youtube, both high and low beams stay on when high is engaged. Here's some pics:





    For the '03 I have to use the wiring harness that comes with the depos, and I've plugged everything in and it looks good. This happens on both sides of the car, and I'll also note that high/low worked fine with my old yellow OEMs :)

    Thanks for any help,
    bung
    Last edited by bung; 10-28-2012 at 11:41 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered User theMan_ny's Avatar
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    Because you have a 02-03. Remember that your OE headlights were one bulb for both hi/lo. I don't think there's a way around it.
    Last edited by ReD Line; 06-06-2009 at 11:16 PM.

  3. #3
    Registered User bung's Avatar
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    That makes sense, like I said I have no idea what's *supposed* to happen... is this sort of thing ok from a safety/lighting perspective?

  4. #4
    GDM Lights Installed Draw7Seven's Avatar
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    You can absolutely fix this. Are you running HID's or just halogen lows?
    -Matt-
    2005 MR RSX-S
    Quote Originally Posted by hyu View Post
    If I wanted power I would have kept my neon

  5. #5
    GDM Lights Installed Draw7Seven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by theMan_ny View Post
    Because you have a 02-03. Remember that your OE headlights were one bulb for both hi/lo. I don't think there's a way around it.
    You're right about the first part. However there are multiple ways around it depending on your setup.
    -Matt-
    2005 MR RSX-S
    Quote Originally Posted by hyu View Post
    If I wanted power I would have kept my neon

  6. #6
    Registered User bung's Avatar
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    Right now I just have what came with the Depos, according to Moonsi's thread: "(Low beam: H1, High beam: 9005)"

    EDIT Unfortunately my "car/garage" afternoon is running short, so I'm going to finish getting the bumper back on so I have a car this week if I need it. But If you can let me know what stuff I might need I can acquire it over the week. Any 02'03 members just running like this anyway? Again I'm not really sure if it matters or not =/

  7. #7
    GDM Lights Installed Draw7Seven's Avatar
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    If the people who sold you the lights also sold you a conversion kit used to make them work, you're either using that kit incorrectly (unlikely) or they improperly wired the conversion harness. Essentially this is what's going on:

    1) The H4 socket on your harness is made to tell the single bulb either low or high instead of low and high at the same time.
    2) You can use relays to solve this issue by sending a constant signal to the low beams and a high-beam switch gated signal to the high beams. These relay-based harnesses are most often used for HID application but there's no reason I can think of why they won't work for you. However it requires a good bit of DIY'ing and about 20-30 dollars in wires, relays, electrical tape, connectors, etc. I've made two of these harnesses before using the below layout and each of them functioned flawlessly.

    The real issue here is that they sold you something that wouldn't require you do all this (and without seeing one and taking it apart I can't off the top of my head say how to do it WITHOUT relays). I'd try to get the vendor to make it right. Worst case scenario you can make one of these harnesses and then down the road you'll be ready for HID's should you decide to go that route.

    -Matt-
    2005 MR RSX-S
    Quote Originally Posted by hyu View Post
    If I wanted power I would have kept my neon

  8. #8
    Registered User bung's Avatar
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    Sorry, I appreciate the detailed reply, but I don't believe I have HID's or any "Kit" involved. I may have mentioned a "wiring harness" but thats just a cable splitter for 1-plug (02/03) to 2-plug (04-05) that seperates high/low, which is visible in the 2nd image on the thread i linked to here http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthr...low-Fog-lights
    Last edited by bung; 10-28-2012 at 02:04 PM.

  9. #9
    GDM Lights Installed Draw7Seven's Avatar
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    Just don't use your high beams and try not to end up in a situation where you need them.

    Here's what I would do: the problem with this harness is that it uses the "switched ground" that the stock H4 harness on the 02/03 has. Every time you turn on the high beams, the low beams are still getting power but they're losing their ground so they turn off. If you take the yellow wire that's attached to the low bulb and you ground it out with a constant ground (just tack it to the bare chassis metal on a nearby grounding point or frame bolt) that should solve the issue. The low beam will only get power when the headlights are on, but will have a ground even when you turn on the high beams.

    I'm 85% positive this will solve the issue. Ground out the yellow wire and let me know what happens.

    EDIT FOR CLARITY: The yellow wire on your included conversion harness, not the one in my picture.
    -Matt-
    2005 MR RSX-S
    Quote Originally Posted by hyu View Post
    If I wanted power I would have kept my neon

  10. #10
    Registered User bung's Avatar
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    Thanks again for the response. Fortunately my old man is an electrical/lighting engineer and he's going to come by on Tuesday. I've mentioned the grounding suggestions to him, and he's also going to figure out what voltage is going through, and he might consider installing some diodes somehow. Honestly I don't know too much about this stuff, so my eyes kinda glaze over reading your post, but I will post back and let you know our solution.

  11. #11
    Registered User eccramer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Draw7Seven View Post
    Ground out the yellow wire and let me know what happens.
    Will the hot-wire (the blue wire coming from #3 on the H4 plug in the diagram) be able to handle the current draw from both the low and high beam being on at the same time? It sounds to me like the 02-03 EP3's headlight harness is kind of low gauge. I would worry about burning something out. Might wanna go more than just grounding out the low beam to the chassis and throw some relays in there.

  12. #12
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    I had the same issue when I started.

    I ordered a custom harness that came with only 1 relay. I ordered a second similar relay and rewired according to the diagram and it solved the problem. You NEED a separate low and high beam relay.

    That diagram is golden for converting from 02/03 to 04/05 headlight setup, HIDs or halogen.

    Quote Originally Posted by Draw7Seven View Post


  13. #13
    GDM Lights Installed Draw7Seven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by eccramer View Post
    Will the hot-wire (the blue wire coming from #3 on the H4 plug in the diagram) be able to handle the current draw from both the low and high beam being on at the same time? It sounds to me like the 02-03 EP3's headlight harness is kind of low gauge. I would worry about burning something out. Might wanna go more than just grounding out the low beam to the chassis and throw some relays in there.
    Honestly it probably won't be enough. You really shouldn't convert from one bulb to two without relays, HIDs or no. I highly recommend that the OP use his connects with dad to follow the layout of Ocelaris' harness. However Talon once posted an alternative involving connecting the high and low grounds using a diode, if I remember correctly, so he may be on to something there.

    Quote Originally Posted by Karma View Post
    I had the same issue when I started.

    I ordered a custom harness that came with only 1 relay. I ordered a second similar relay and rewired according to the diagram and it solved the problem. You NEED a separate low and high beam relay.

    That diagram is golden for converting from 02/03 to 04/05 headlight setup, HIDs or halogen.
    Yeah I think the relays are the best route and again I'm kind of shocked that they sell this wire splitter as if it's a proper conversion harness.

    Quote Originally Posted by bung View Post
    Thanks again for the response. Fortunately my old man is an electrical/lighting engineer and he's going to come by on Tuesday. I've mentioned the grounding suggestions to him, and he's also going to figure out what voltage is going through, and he might consider installing some diodes somehow. Honestly I don't know too much about this stuff, so my eyes kinda glaze over reading your post, but I will post back and let you know our solution.
    Believe me when I say your dad will know WAY more than I do. Following the posted diagram is really the only wiring experience I've ever had (I put TSX projectors into Depos), but I think that speaks to just how simple this is once you have the basic idea of it.
    -Matt-
    2005 MR RSX-S
    Quote Originally Posted by hyu View Post
    If I wanted power I would have kept my neon

  14. #14
    Registered User theMan_ny's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bung View Post
    Right now I just have what came with the Depos, according to Moonsi's thread: "(Low beam: H1, High beam: 9005)"

    EDIT Unfortunately my "car/garage" afternoon is running short, so I'm going to finish getting the bumper back on so I have a car this week if I need it. But If you can let me know what stuff I might need I can acquire it over the week. Any 02'03 members just running like this anyway? Again I'm not really sure if it matters or not =/
    That's how I have it set up. My low beams turn off as soon as my hi beams go on. Although I should add that I switched out my combination switch with other one and it sort of has a glitch that if I pull/push only slightly (its stiff), both hi/lo stay on, but if I pull/push the switch all the way my low beams turn off.. I dont really mind. It's not like I drive with my hi beams on all the time, and they are pretty bright just by themselves.

  15. #15
    Registered User bung's Avatar
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    Cool thanks for the input as well. torquetc also mentioned he's running the same thing, lows shut off, and that's what moonsi says is expected. I wasn't really looking for more output, just wasn't sure of the norm. I'll probly also check my province's regs, but I may let my lighting-guru father decide when he has a look :)

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