Toruki

Hey All,

I was sitting on my hands too long while BD was going OOB and I never bought the upgraded headlight harness. So I figured I'd build my own and was digging around for H4 connectors. But then I found this harness on Amazon, from the photos it looks like the BD version

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XXOC9Z4

No detail on the wire gauge so if it's just ridiculous then I'll cut it up for the connectors and use thicker stuff. Anyway, my goal is to save the combo switch rather than illuminate distant planets. And I'll just be using my stock sealed beams until one of those burns out.

Once I get it, I'll report back on quality/fit etc etc. Anybody ever try one of these?

Speaking of BD, anyone score any awesome deals in the last days?

GSLSEforme

You know the old adage"you get what you pay for",looks cheaply made,price reflects that . Look up Putco P23000HW headlight harness,best price found 38.73 Jet.com. Pretty much plug &play, replace the fusible links on end of harness with fuses..i do a lot of headlight upgrades & use a lot of their products,some in use 15+ years. Best value for the money, you will notice your stock headlights will be brighter,along with taking the load off your combo switch.

KansasCityREPU

iTrader: (9)

I like this one. Looks a like like the BD one.

https://www.amazon.com/Putco-230004H.../dp/B001P29X4G

tim.

iTrader: (1)

I bought that one from amazon and the wires were tiny and pulled out of the crimp connectors. I ended up buying good quality connectors and wires and building my own,only using the relays from the cheap kit. If you don't want to build your own I would pay the money for a good one from painless wiring. http://www.painlessperformance.com/webcat/30815

GSLSEforme

Are you referring to the Putco harness or the one the op listed as for sale on amazon?

tim.

iTrader: (1)

I bought the one from the first post.
it was cheap, but i wouldn't recommend it.

GSLSEforme

The one i recommended is a good value for the money,i have used 100/80 watt bulbs with it and no problems. Only mod is to ditch the fuse links it comes with and install a couple inline fuseholders. If your intention is to use 140/100 or higher watt bulbs,you'd want to step up to a more premium harness or make a custom one for your application. OP states this is not his goal,so this should more than fit the bill.

Toruki

Thanks GSLSEforme, KC. I've ordered the Putco version (which I should have done in the first place amirite?).

GSLSEforme

Yes,lol...

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

I bought the BD one because I decided I didn't want to wire it all up myself and it looked like a
well done implementation plus I wanted to go to H4 as well. That said, I have done this kind of
relayed headlight wiring on other projects myself and its not hard to do. Just get some good
12 or 14 gauge wire in various colors, a couple of relays and connectors and start laying it out
and crimping it together. Theres lots of examples of how to do the wiring.

Of course if the Putco stuff is good then at that price its a no brainer.

Toruki

Ha! Same here, although I added the dimension of being unduly cheap...and now I've got a $16 harness on the way that will need to be returned.

I always get into that Amazon bubble when looking at stuff. I know the well built version is worth the $40 but then I see one for $16 and my Price Acceptance Factor gets improperly recalibrated.

GSLSEforme

About 5 yrs.ago i put in a BD one for a friend in his RX. His wife gave it to him for Xmas,he's not mechanically gifted & asked if i'd install it. I helped him,or he helped me,we were done in about 45 mins. Never saw the package it came in,but handled enough of Putco harnesses to recognize their product,same relays, connectors+ plug in fuse links with copper eyelets to attach to battery. TG,in some pics you posted some time back of your install of 2nd gen ig. coil, i noticed the yellow heat shrink they use on their headlight harness+ noticed the fuse link wires around battery box/fenderwell. As mentioned before,i always cut this harness right behind the fuse link plug & solder/heat shrink an inline weatherproof ATO fuseholder for each circuit & ring terminals soldered/heatshrink on the other end. Reason: If you ever get into an accident,hit an animal(this happened to me) and the headlights are involved in the damage, there's a fair chance when the bulb in the headlight is damaged/explodes,it can short the low/hi beam and ground circuits together long enough to melt the fusible link. If you are lucky enough to drive the car away,you won't have any headlights to do so...With the fused setup,you can disconnect the damaged lamp,replace the fuse(s) and have a functioning lo/hi beam on opposite side of car to drive home? In my cars,i run european lamps with replaceable lamp capsules. I tape a couple fuses inside the lid on spare bulb box i carry in glove compartment for a just in case. In all the years iv'e done this,only had one failure & that was in my other half's CRV i had done a headlight conversion on three years previously. We were on vacation,driving in the mountains when the lo beams just went out,startled,flipped to high beams and drove til could pull over. Fuse had melted,looked everything over,put in new fuse,everything good,that was two years ago,same fuse still in car. Diagnosis: just defective fuse,it happens...

7aull

iTrader: (2)

I tried to find the P23000HW headlight harness on the Putco site - NO listing! Likewise Jet.com. Nada.
Then went to Painless to look at their Harness...$200!!! PainLESS?? on the contrary....krikey.

so any one have a solid LINK to the P23000HW headlight harness OR another alternative? I don't mind dropping $50 on a good one, but...
??

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

Toruki

Is this not the model you are searching for? Your model # was slightly different, but I don't see one that matches. Here's the link from Amazon, just in case you missed it.

https://www.amazon.com/Putco-230004H.../dp/B001P29X4G

Glazedham42

iTrader: (4)

If you want a SUPER top quality no expense spared kit the Painless one is really nice. I bought it for my 1985 GS. Is it expensive for what it is? Yes, definitely. However, the quality is absolutely there. You won't be disappointed. Heavy gauge wiring, heavy duty relays, weather tight water proof connectors, really nice stuff. I'm going to be upgrading to H4 E-code housings (probably Hella) and wanted to make sure I would never had a problem with my wiring again. I actually cut out the fuse holder that came with the harness and rerouted the wiring over to a fusible link on my B2000 fuse block. Really nice looking factory installation, although it definitely wasn't cheap.



https://www.summitracing.com/parts/prf-30815

7aull

iTrader: (2)

Ah! see it now and will check it out, thanks!

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

Toruki

Quick bit of information, the Putco harness is nice enough with decent wire gauge but not "beefy". It's not indicated on the insulation but it looks like it's 16 gauge, definitely not 14. It seems well built with decent connectors with solid crimps and plenty of length.

I also received the $16 PartsSquare version and it looks like 16 gauge wire too, also not marked. I did not install it so I cannot comment on length for the SA/FB. Otherwise it seems well constructed with decent relays and solid crimps. The big difference is that this harness uses a single 12V and a single ground lead for both headlights (and it busses them at the relays). This means it feeds all of the headlight current through those single leads.

So the Putco is superior with dedicated feeds and circuits for each headlamp... so it's 65W max (for stock headlamps) across the 16 gauge wire. The cheaper PartsSquare version puts the whole 130W max across the supply lines and then splits it at the relays.

- I used dielectric grease on all of the connectors for some moisture sealing but the setup is no more waterproof than the stock setup.

- There is no "middle ground" harness that costs a wee bit more and upgrades the gauge. As folks have noted, 14 gauge would be good. If you want fatter wire but don't need the super performance/waterproof Painless version, then I guess you would just build your own.

As always, excellent discussions here, thanks!

GSLSEforme

Have you installed? That harness will carry current demand of 100/80 watt lamps with ease,have several 12+ running around on vehicles i regularly service,some for over 15 yrs with no problems. As stated previously if there was a plan to run higher watt lamps something beefier would be needed. As far as weatherproofing,i liberally coat all connectors/terminals & ground connections with dielectric grease & is more than enough protection as years and miles on these installs will attest to. One thing i will add is to make sure the relays are oriented correctly when mounted(opening where harness plugs in) is facing downward so water can not run down harness and collect in relay cavities. I am certain this harness will more than satisfy your intended needs & will last as long as the car will. I have transferred these harnesses to several cars over time and performance has never diminished. GL.

Toruki

Thanks GSLSEforme. I did indeed install the Putco, for all of the reasons you suggest and also thanks for the relay orientation pro tip, I saw this when you mentioned it beforehand and followed that.

I hope my comments didn't come across as critical toward the Putco version, it works great and has a really nice build quality.

GSLSEforme

Not at all,certain you'll be happy with it. In the capacity you're using it,it's loafing. I'm sure first time you drive it at night you will notice the headlights put out more usable light,and though it wasn't your original intent,you now have a solid foundation for upgrading your headlamps. If you don't have halogen bulbs in the car now this is another step up in light power.A european spec headlamp will put out even more usable light using no more power than a replacement halogen sealed beam due to the better designed lens/reflector. Compare prices of replacement halogen sealed beams,and euro spec lamps are not that much more and a better value as you don't dispose of the whole lamp when the bulb burns out,just replace bulb.