06-09-2007, 08:04 AM
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Flash-to-pass lights?
The Flash control in my 1971 Spider operates the headlights LOW beam circuit, instead of the High beam. Is this an inadvertent mod by previous owners or was it designed this way by Luigi, the electrical spark chaser at Arese in the late '60's?
Just curious, but would like to convert to High beam operation, if possible....
Val in FL
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06-09-2007, 10:23 AM
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The much heard saying 'they all do that' is in this case true. Your 71 Spider was designed to flash the lowbeams. To flash the highbeams, I'd think that either an internal headlight switch modification would be required or swapping the lowbeam and highbeam input wires at the fusebox. The latter however would mean that the lowbeams would now have the headlight stalk in the low position and the highbeams in the upper postion. Quite logical if not factory correct.
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Jim
Series 1 Euro 1750 GTV
Series 2 USA 1750 GTV
Series 3 Spider Veloce
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06-09-2007, 01:29 PM
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by papajam
The much heard saying 'they all do that' is in this case true. Your 71 Spider was designed to flash the lowbeams. To flash the highbeams, I'd think that either an internal headlight switch modification would be required or swapping the lowbeam and highbeam input wires at the fusebox. The latter however would mean that the lowbeams would now have the headlight stalk in the low position and the highbeams in the upper postion. Quite logical if not factory correct.
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Just as I suspected, Papajam. I also have a 1984 Moto Guzzi 1000 SP motorcycle, and it is set up the same way; so, I see that it is a typical Italian electrical design. In the bikes' case, the rationale behind this is that, if you are traveling on dark Italian country roads with your High beams only, you can flash the Low beams when you approach a curve so that you can momentarily have both beams on at the same time for extra illumination.
Of course, the flip side of the coin is that flashing the High beams is most useful during the daytime, especially when on the Interstate.
But, I think I will try swapping the wires on the fuse box and see how practical it is. My only concern is that the light lever in the low position will foul my knee.
Val in FL
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06-09-2007, 01:43 PM
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To make the wiring change, take the green wire from the hot side (top) of fuses 7/8 and swap it with the gray wire at the top of fuses 9/10. In addition, the green/black stripe wire for the dashboard highbeam indicator needs to be moved from the cold side (bottom) of fuse #8 to the cold side of either fuse 9 or 10. If you'd like a wiring diagram, please PM me your email address and I'll send it to you.
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Jim
Series 1 Euro 1750 GTV
Series 2 USA 1750 GTV
Series 3 Spider Veloce
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06-10-2007, 05:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papajam
To make the wiring change, take the green wire from the hot side (top) of fuses 7/8 and swap it with the gray wire at the top of fuses 9/10. In addition, the green/black stripe wire for the dashboard highbeam indicator needs to be moved from the cold side (bottom) of fuse #8 to the cold side of either fuse 9 or 10. If you'd like a wiring diagram, please PM me your email address and I'll send it to you.
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Thank you Jim! My address is : valeriobarone@hotmail.com
To your knowledge, has anyone ever bothered to do this, or is it just an excercise in futility?
The previous owner(s) installed a set of Aux (driving) lights (trough a dedicated relay) that are now ON when the parking lights are ON.
Legally, I believe they should come on with the High beams, so that when you flash-to-pass, both High beams and Aux lights come on together momentarily, making them more effective during the daytime. This is really the main reason for me to do this mod.
The Alfa electric circuit system is definitely different than most cars, since everything is operable without the ignition being in ON; however, this makes it a little easier to troubleshoot.
Also, is there any way to make the turn signals work only with the ignition switch ON and have the 4-way hazard operable with the key in OFF?
I don't think so, because the power would have to be available to the flasher unit at all times for the hazards to work. Do you concur?
Thanks again,
Val
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06-10-2007, 08:26 AM
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Diagram is on the way.
I personally don't know of any cars with this mod but of course, that doesn't mean that it hasn't been done.
At the time your Spider was built, EPA/DOT regs mandated that foglights could NOT be used with highbeams. Both the Berlina and GTV, vehicles with foglights as standard, have the fogs wired through a relay so that they turn off automatically when the highbeams are selected.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sp949
Also, is there any way to make the turn signals work only with the ignition switch ON and have the 4-way hazard operable with the key in OFF?
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Jim
Series 1 Euro 1750 GTV
Series 2 USA 1750 GTV
Series 3 Spider Veloce
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06-10-2007, 11:17 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papajam
The much heard saying 'they all do that' is in this case true. Your 71 Spider was designed to flash the lowbeams. To flash the highbeams, I'd think that either an internal headlight switch modification would be required or swapping the lowbeam and highbeam input wires at the fusebox. The latter however would mean that the lowbeams would now have the headlight stalk in the low position and the highbeams in the upper postion. Quite logical if not factory correct.
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Not sure on this and I am not a wiring expert by any means, but shouldn't you be able to switch things around at the junction box under the dash and maintain the functionality of the switch as is but with highbeams being flashed?
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06-12-2007, 03:42 PM
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The issue is that the outputs of the push to flash switch and the output of the lowbeam switch connect power to the same output wire. In other words, the two switches are wired in parallel so each switch by itself can provide power to the same output wire. This output wire is the lowbeam feed to the fusebox.
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Jim
Series 1 Euro 1750 GTV
Series 2 USA 1750 GTV
Series 3 Spider Veloce
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