Tips for Fitting LED Headlights.

Most led headlights come with an H4 High/Low connector. For vehicles where they have 2x inner lights, and 2x outer lights, you will generally get your auto electrician to hook up the outer lights on low beam only, and then when you hit the high beam, all 4x lights have the Low + High beam activated.

When you buy any led headlights, they are generally “actively switched”. This means that even though they have a normal H4 H/L connector on them, it does not mean the vehicle is “actively” switched. Old Toyota Hilux and Landcruisers are famous for having earth-switched systems.

Earth switched means instead of your cars h4 connector having an earth (ground) terminal, active (positive) low beam terminal, and active high beam terminal, earth switched h4 connector has a common positive, and earth for low, and earth for high.

With H4 halogen globes, it does not matter as they work on earth-switched circuits or actively switched circuits. LED headlights fitted to earth-switched vehicles will need a set of polarity converters. Ask your auto electrician to check. *Tip: Sometimes you can tell by simply looking at the H4 plugs wires, usually actively switched vehicles wires have a solid colour, earth switched h4 wires have a coloured stripe on them.

Commonly Asked Questions:

Q.     Why don’t my new led headlights work on my Hilux or Landcruiser?

A.      It is probably earth switched and you will need polarity converters.

Q.     Why have my spotlights stopped working after fitting LED Headlights?

A.      You have probably fitted polarity converters to your headlights and changed the polarity for your spotlights, your auto electrician will have to re-relay it.

Q.     How do I check if my headlights are earth switched or actively switched?

A.      Best answer, ask your auto electrician. Some you can get an idea by seeing if the h4 plug on the car’s wires have a stripe of not, if you see a different colour stripe on the h4 wires it’s probably earth switched.

Q.     Where do I get polarity converters?

A.      Click the link below, make sure you add 2x pieces to the cart, not one.

https://www.pro-vision-lighting.com/polarity-converter

 

Q.     Where do I buy led headlights?

A.      Click the link below, make sure you add 2x pieces to the cart, unless it is a motorcycle, or you want 1x piece to test, or as a replacement, or a project for a quad bike etc..  😉

https://www.pro-vision-lighting.com/led/led-headlights

 

Q.     Do I need load resistors?

A.      Some do, some do not, there are literally millions of different vehicles on the road. You will have to fit the lights up first and see. Load resistors are needed if the high beam light stays on all the time, or if it needs more load to activate the light, I have seen them bridged out across high and low beam wires or inline on the earth wire. Again… Save yourself a headache, get a professional to work it out.

Q. Why does my high beam light stay on after I have fitted led headlights?

A. LED lights use less power and produce more light, the resistance on some circuits needs to be the value of the filament in the halogen globe to work correctly on some applications. You will need to boost the Ohms on some circuits for the electrical system to work properly.

We advise that you get a qualified and competent automotive electrician to fit any of our lights, (technically this is required by law). We also advise that before buying any of our products you make sure you know that they will fit. Check the depth measurements in your bucket and the buckets taper and compare it to the led headlights measurements. Call us for advice first before purchasing or ask an auto electrician for advice before purchasing.

Also ask the auto electrician if you need to purchase any extras or if there will be any modifications needed. Such as re-wiring spotlights because they have been wired to suit earth switched vehicles' high beam trigger, or if it will be needing load resistors so that high beam light does not stay on all the time when you are on low beam, or if you need polarity converters for earth switched vehicles.

My best tip is to get a professional to fit your lights, they are qualified, you are not 😉