[Bozy97]

Hey guys,
Need help here.
I have a 1996 SJ80 Coily.
And a set of Hella Rallye 4000 spot lights. I wired them all up and they worked well, that was for about 2 mimutes then they cut out and the relay kept clicking.
Can you guys help me out please.
Wondering why the relay won't stay on...
Thanks Guys

[atari4x4]

headlights are negatively switched on most japanese made cars, you sure it's wired up correctly?

[Bozy97]

Well it was wired up the same as the previous spotties. So it shouldn't change should it

[fordem]

Grab a meter or test light and start probing - blown fuse? broken wire? burned relay?

[Bozy97]

Could it be not enough power also though?
Because they are massive lights

[Blkfxx]

What size relay and what wattage bulbs?

[Bozy97]

It's a 30amp relay and I'm not 100% sure the wattage, it's either 130 or 75 I think

[christover1]

Could be relay past its best. Loose or broken wires can cause relay to click in and out

[fordem]

Bozy97 wrote:

Could it be not enough power also though?
Because they are massive lights

Massive is the size, the wattage is what matters and if you install lamps that draw more power than the circuit can handle, the fuse blows to protect the wiring - Rallye 4000 are a 100w globe standard, a pair of them will pull roughly 16A, if you had a 15A fuse, it might hold for a minute or two before it clears.

So - now - you need to determine if the wiring can handle the current.

[Bozy97]

fordem wrote:

Bozy97 wrote:

Could it be not enough power also though?
Because they are massive lights

Massive is the size, the wattage is what matters and if you install lamps that draw more power than the circuit can handle, the fuse blows to protect the wiring - Rallye 4000 are a 100w globe standard, a pair of them will pull roughly 16A, if you had a 15A fuse, it might hold for a minute or two before it clears.

So - now - you need to determine if the wiring can handle the current.

So what your saying mate is that the battery and alternator should handle the lights? I probably just have to install higher amperege wires?
If so what size wires?

Sorry I'm new to the electrics part.

[droverdave]

Perhaps try disconnect 1 of the lights, and see if the other one works fine on its own.

[Bozy97]

Ill give that another go dave.

[Bozy97]

Its sorted out guys, the engine has tp be running for around 10mins first.
Thanks

[fordem]

Nah - you haven't found it yet - you probably have a defective battery though.

[Bozy97]

Really...

[Gwagensteve]

My guess You have low voltage on the signal side of the relay.

Do you have a multimeter? You can't do electrical work without one.

Steve

[Bozy97]

Mate I don't even know what a multimeter is...
For the hella rallye 4000 is a 30amp relay big enough?

[suzukiboy]

Multimeter is something everyone has in there toolbox.

[Bozy97]

except me...

[fordem]

Bozy97 wrote:

For the hella rallye 4000 is a 30amp relay big enough?

Like I said before - what really matters is the wattage of the globes - the Rallye 4000 ships with 100W globes - 2 x 100W will pull a nominal 16A, so a 30A replay is more than adequate.

And I don't mean to put your down, but if you don't know what a multimeter is, or how to use it - you're not going to be depending on luck & chance trying to solve this problem yourself - throwing parts at a problem can get real expensive, real quick.

If the lamps consistently will not turn on unless the engine has been running (and charging the battery) for 10 minutes, your problem sounds like the battery voltage is too low to pull in the relay - but - you mention the relay clicks, so it is pulling in. You might have a bad relay - it's pulling in but the contacts are burned - but then why would that change after 10 minutes?

A multimeter would let you see what's happening, if there's voltage where there should be, and if it's lower than it should be.

And when the problem is located and resolved, you still need to consider ...

a) Is the wiring large enough for the globes fitted?
b) Is the alternator large enough for the globes fitted?

[Zook_Fan]

Are you running your standard alternator? Do you have any other electrical devices that you have installed in the car? Eg. stereo, UHF, etc.

More than likely your alternator is not up to the task of keeping those lights going. If they pull 16A as mentioned above and you're running a standard alternator it doesn't have much left to run the car when it only puts out a peak of 35amp.

[fordem]

Zook_Fan wrote:

More than likely your alternator is not up to the task of keeping those lights going. If they pull 16A as mentioned above and you're running a standard alternator it doesn't have much left to run the car when it only puts out a peak of 35amp.

If this were the cause the lamps would light and then go out as the battery discharged, possibly getting gradually dimmer before going out which is the reverse of what we're told is happening.

[Matthew]

This thread sounds like its leading to "why did my car catch on fire?"

[droverdave]

fordem wrote:

Zook_Fan wrote:

More than likely your alternator is not up to the task of keeping those lights going. If they pull 16A as mentioned above and you're running a standard alternator it doesn't have much left to run the car when it only puts out a peak of 35amp.

If this were the cause the lamps would light and then go out as the battery discharged, possibly getting gradually dimmer before going out which is the reverse of what we're told is happening.

Agreed,

The battery is probably 250amp hour or something, so they will work for at least a while before you even notice them dimming from draining the battery.

The op's original post said "the relay kept clicking". This to me almost sounds like a loose wire or poor connection somewhere on the relay trigger side.

[Bozy97]

Thansk for all your responses guys, I'll get myself a multimeter, but in th mean time I might go for a drive to the local auto electrician. whom im told is really good.
That will sort my problem out quick!
Thanks again guys, I'll let you know he outcome

[Blakey]

Gwagensteve wrote:

My guess You have low voltage on the signal side of the relay.

Do you have a multimeter? You can't do electrical work without one.

Steve

Lies you can, just cant diagnose very well.

[fordem]

droverdave wrote:

The battery is probably 250amp hour or something, so they will work for at least a while before you even notice them dimming from draining the battery.

More like 45 - the only place you could fit a 250aH battery in a Sierra would be down in the back - for a 250aH, 12V battery you'd be looking at something in the region of 500mm x 260mm x 200mm and 70+ kg.

[Zook_Fan]

fordem wrote:

Zook_Fan wrote:

More than likely your alternator is not up to the task of keeping those lights going. If they pull 16A as mentioned above and you're running a standard alternator it doesn't have much left to run the car when it only puts out a peak of 35amp.

If this were the cause the lamps would light and then go out as the battery discharged, possibly getting gradually dimmer before going out which is the reverse of what we're told is happening.

My car had this issue in the way he is describing. After starting the car the battery was discharged enough from the starter motor that the lights wouldn't start. After driving for a few minutes without the spotlights it was enough to turn them on but they would dim out and turn off after a while too. I believe there was other issues with my system at the time but after changing the alternator out to a swift unit (55amp) it fixed it.

However that doesn't account for the relay clicking in and out, so you're right it's probably not his issue.

[fordem]

Lights wouldn't start.

This actually raises an interesting point. Are you referring to halogen lights or HID? If there is insufficient voltage an HID ballast may not generate sufficient high voltage for the lamp to "strike", but this is not an issue with halogens - a halogen lamp will glow as long as there is sufficient current through the filament to heat it hot enough.

Hella does make an HID Rallye 4000, but the thread starter has not yet told us what he has.

[droverdave]

fordem wrote:

droverdave wrote:

The battery is probably 250amp hour or something, so they will work for at least a while before you even notice them dimming from draining the battery.

More like 45 - the only place you could fit a 250aH battery in a Sierra would be down in the back - for a 250aH, 12V battery you'd be looking at something in the region of 500mm x 260mm x 200mm and 70+ kg.

sorry i meant CCA's not amp hours.