mx5cartalk.com

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2006 3:06 pm**

Hey, thought I would take some photos and stick them on here for anyone interested. To do this mod I did not splice the white/red wire that runs into the headlight motor fuse, i only used the four wires that go to the headlight and hazard switches (Basically I bought the car with these switches relocated down the bottom as shown - I dont know why he did this, but I used a single-pole/single-throw and a single throw/double pole switch in tandem so that I wouldnt need to cut and run wires to and from the engine bay....

Note that the switch on the left isnt connected and does nothing .. heh.. the double pole is the one in the middle... Switch in the "Up" position is normal operation - Down however cuts the power to the motor... So basically I raise the headlights with the stalk. Lock them there (i.e. flick the middle switch down). Turn the headlights off from the stalk (Lights wont go down!) and then engage the motor for a split second to bring them down to req'd height (i.e. up down really fast)

Works for me, anyways..

Note that you can stop the headlights whereever you want.. might take two or three tries to get it in the right spot though - Perhaps a single throw double pole, but w/ momentary on the last pole would have been better? Open for improvement!

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:28 pm**

Sorry i'm really bad with the custoim electronics side of things but
what about putting in a pentiometer (i think)??
Basically an adjustible, variably timed, momentarily on --off switch?
Or in other words a cheapo pivot controller.

Just so you dont have to flick the switches untill you get it right, but turn the nob and flick it once and its done kind of thing.
Any way that would be possible?

Dave

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:36 pm**

I'm sure there would be, if someone with enough background knowledge of the wiring in the Mazda's could think up a wiring diagram or something.. It's beyond me though...

I will re-do my set up if someone does, until then, mine works fine

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:39 pm**

Yeah, thats right, a pot - but I think these are more like a variable resistor with pre-determined settings i.e. 6 or 7 different resistance settings...

The Pivot must act as a timer - resistance does nothing in this case - It is either +12V or +0V I.e. motor on or motor off.. It's the time that +12V is applied that matters (i.e. 0.1s, 0.2s 0.3s or something similar..)

Comments?

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:49 pm**

What are the three swtches for?

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:54 pm**

Left one does nothing

Middle one "locks" the lights, i.e. switches off the power to the motors

Right one is hazards

Advantage of my way is that the "headlight up/down" light in the dash in on only when the headlights are actually going up or down.. instead of staying on all the time