My ZX Estate

[Huskyxantia]

Found something strange behind the front bumper .
No not the neighbors cat ..

It plugs into the loom and is like a long plunger thing

[white exec]

Image won't open...

Plugs into the loom? Could it be a shuttle, part of a warp drive system?

[Huskyxantia]

To infinity and beyond.

I'm having trouble uploading my photos ,it my mobile being a pain .

[Huskyxantia]

Its called a Dim-dip system
Resistor and there's a relay in line as well, my one is smashed and rotten ...
Wonder where they can be purchased

The dim dip relay is supplied with current from the side light circuit and energised from the ignition being switched on, it allows battery voltage to pass through the resistor to the headlight dipped beam circuits.

It lights the head lights one sixth of there normal power so the car can't be driven using side lights Alone.

OK, so that's why my side lights work on there own because my part is broken and rotten !!

This was law a while back ... How things change

[myglaren]

You can legally bypass it now.

[Huskyxantia]

You can legally bypass it now.

My side lights work
Headlamps and main beam.
Its not plugged in as I pulled it out the socket .

How do you bypass it

[Huskyxantia]

I did read Vauxhall bridged the plug wires as they were catching fire , that was a while back.

[white exec]

Dim-dip is a bit historic nowadays, but made sense, particularly in daylight-limited territories. A predecessor to daylight running lights.
Running high-wattage devices through a resistance (eg cooling fans, blowers, headlights) isn't very clever, as the dropper resistor needs to dissipate lots of power (heat).
Much better IMO is to run two devices in series-parallel. This is now standard practice for twin cooling fans, and can also be done for dip-beam headlights. All that's needed is 3 relays, and there is no wasted heat generation,

[Huskyxantia]

Checked the lights last night after putting front wings back on , all working I'll have to tape up the socket which the resistor used to be plugged into just to keep water out.

[Huskyxantia]

Any body following this chap he's doing a pretty good job

[Huskyxantia]

My ole girl still going strong