Help. High beam not working

Bigmerce · November 7, 2014

Need some help. I'm in the process of installing a led bar on a sierra sle. We found the voltage on the white wire on the drivers side light changed when we flicked the high beam. I used a t tap to connect the trigger wire to the white wire. The bar never came on. I looked everything over and all seemed to be correct.

I figured it must"ve been the wrong wire so I removed the t tap. now there is no voltage change on the drivers side high beam and it doesn't switch to high beam. Is it possible I cut the wire inside the sheathing? I guess I'll have to strip back the wire to see. If i"m going at that I may as well solder the trigger wire on.

Anyone added a light to an sle? is it the white wire?

Mike1220 · November 7, 2014

Need some help. I'm in the process of installing a led bar on a sierra sle. We found the voltage on the white wire on the drivers side light changed when we flicked the high beam. I used a t tap to connect the trigger wire to the white wire. The bar never came on. I looked everything over and all seemed to be correct.

I figured it must"ve been the wrong wire so I removed the t tap. now there is no voltage change on the drivers side high beam and it doesn't switch to high beam. Is it possible I cut the wire inside the sheathing? I guess I'll have to strip back the wire to see. If i"m going at that I may as well solder the trigger wire on.

Anyone added a light to an sle? is it the white wire?

This may be a silly question but did you use a wire harness? Hooking the harness's trigger wire to the high beam wire?

Also do your lights still work? If so, did you check the high beam fuse?

Bigmerce · November 7, 2014

Didn't use a harness but still used a relay. (no switch)

30 went to the positive battery post

87 went to the light

85 wire i used for high beam trigger

86 went to ground.

The 85 wire I used the T tap on the white wire on the factory lights. Drivers side

Bigmerce · November 7, 2014

Should also mention I used a diode in parallel with 85 and 86

Spurshot · November 7, 2014

I would hope you had a relay circuit and were just using the high beam wire to trigger a relay...yes?

As Mike said: check the high beam fuse. Dont hook up any lights directly to that circuit. Use a relay.

Bigmerce · November 7, 2014

The high beams work on the passenger side

Mike1220 · November 7, 2014

The high beams work on the passenger side

So you T tapped the driver side and now it won't work? Just trying to picture the whole situation in my head

If one works and not the other. It could be possible that you cut the wire. How large/small of a T tap did you use? The wire should be clearly severed if you did cut the copper inside since a T tap cuts through the insulation around almost the entire wire

Bigmerce · November 7, 2014

This tap came with the relay when I bought it at the auto parts store. It has metal sides but a spike that drives into the wire.

I'm guessing that is what happened? The insulation isn't cut so maybe the spike drove up through and cut the wires on the inside.

Mike1220 · November 7, 2014

This tap came with the relay when I bought it at the auto parts store. It has metal sides but a spike that drives into the wire.

I'm guessing that is what happened? The insulation isn't cut so maybe the spike drove up through and cut the wires on the inside.

Very possible. Mind sharing a pic of the tap? Sounds different than any tap I've seen or used. All I use is the ones that have the metal sides to go around the wire and hit the sides of it

Bigmerce · November 7, 2014

Yeah I have them in the garage too. Figured the spike might make a better connection.... I'll have to grab a picture.

So what are my options now. strip back where the spike went through to see if it cut the wire I guess.

Mike1220 · November 7, 2014

Yeah I have them in the garage too. Figured the spike might make a better connection.... I'll have to grab a picture.

So what are my options now. strip back where the spike went through to see if it cut the wire I guess.

That's what I would do! Just to make sure it's still connected

Bigmerce · November 8, 2014

So got another chance to look at the light. Appears the relay I bought had the diagram printed wrong. The switchedside was actually the coil. This meant that the line ran to the battery actually had triggered the relay and when iI flicked the high beam it tried to power the light. Have to go buy a better quality relay and 3 pin fuse.