H4 Low on with High Beams?

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Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=50265
Printed Date: July 12, 2025 at 12:57 PM

Topic: H4 Low on with High Beams?

Posted By: 2000 JEEP CHERO
Subject: H4 Low on with High Beams?
Date Posted: February 16, 2005 at 6:24 PM

H4 Low ON WITH High Beams?

OK … I'm sure I'm not the first to ask this question. How do I KEEP my low beam on WHILE I use the "Flash To Pass" OR the High Beam on switch?

I recently converted to HID and kept the H4 socket connection directly to the ballast using the 9006 female to make my harness. I'm providing the 12V + and ground directly from the existing (upgraded/fused/relayed)

H4 wiring harness. I would like to be able to use my existing PIAA driving lights as my high beams using the existing steering column mounted switch and have the Lows - HID's - remain ON as well.

How exactly can I do that? Now, with NOTHING connected to the High Beam wire of the H4, and my Low Beams on (HID) - "flash-to-pass OR High Beams on TURN OFF the HID's. I tested all H4 connections before installing the HID's and it seemed as if the Low beam side was still hot when I switched to the High. A little confusing to me.

I know the easy way out would be to use another switch - but I really want to retain the existing one. And, if someone else is driving my Jeep, I don't want them to look for the High Beams and damage the HID Ballast by repeatedly trying it without results.

Any easy ideas from you pro's out there? I would love as much detail and diagramming as possible. Thanks in advance!

Replies:

Posted By: geepherder
Date Posted: February 16, 2005 at 9:10 PM

the best thing to do is jumper it at the headlight switch itself. Some people use the parking light wires, but you can usually find a terminal/solder point at the switch that has power with both lows and highs on, yet no power with only parking lights.

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My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.

Posted By: 2000 JEEP CHERO
Date Posted: February 16, 2005 at 9:15 PM

Here's what I thought I just posted - perhaps I only previewed it ...

Brock, You ARE the man!

Your last post got me thinking about my EXISTING oem light switch. (stay with me here) Okay, It's a two position switch. Position 1 is my parking lights and position 2 is my parking lights WITH my low beam headlights! Why can't I come off of that position 1 that's going to my parking lights, hit a relay and then the ballast of my HID x2? That way, position 1 would be my parking lights AND my low beams. And, my existing PIAA driving lights COULD go to the High Beam leg of my H4 connector. Then, the "flash to pass" and high beam would be INDEPENDENT of the Low Beams/Parking Lights, RIGHT ???

Am I crazy - or is this a great idea? It looks like the only thing I would lose is my ability to use JUST my parking lights WITHOUT my low beams. Big deal. I never drive with ONLY my parking/running lights!

What do you think ???

Posted By: geepherder
Date Posted: February 17, 2005 at 7:03 AM

Yes, if you can't find a solder joint or something independent of the parking lights, then this will work. Remember you can always add another switch, so you can have them off with just the parking lights on.

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My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.

Posted By: 2000 JEEP CHERO
Date Posted: February 17, 2005 at 7:19 AM

Yep, anothr good idea. I don't really need to do it since I rarely (if ever) want/need to use JUST my parking lights. Thanks! Rick. I'm just wondering now if I'm "OK" with putting 55 watt halogen bulbs in my existing H3 PIAA's that come standard with 35 Watt. I don't want to trash the plastic housing - but that's not a huge increase either. I would go higher if I thought it would be ok and NOT melt anything. What do you think?

Thanks.