headlight grounding

[klicker]

I was installing my new halogen bulbs (from little british car co.) and discovered newer wires soldered to lamp socket and sorta jury-rigged to a questionable ground. (one just had the strands wrapped around a screw) All the other wiring is original cloth-covered wires. Where/how should the lamp sockets be grounded?

Thanks in advance, Roger

[Old Henry]

What year of car?

[Pete]

It doesn't matter what year or make it is, if it is old like the stuff we work on you are going to have rust, corrosion and scale problems when trying to ground appliances.(lights, fuel pumps, wiper motors etc etc)
Originally the body and frame was used for the return ground on most electrical appliances on a car.
You have about 2 choices. Clean the local ground to zero ohms and wire it original or run a seperate ground for each appliance.
If you have a car that is not a show type and you want space ship reliability, use a seperate ground wire. Bring them all back to a central terminal strip near the battery ground and tied to the battery.

[ford38v8]

Roger, unless you have a 12 volt system, you'll need a relay up near the radiator, served by the original wiring to control 10 AWG power from the solenoid. Then get an alternator to keep your battery up, and then finally, get mad at yourself 'cause you didn't listen when guys told you your lights wouldn't really be any brighter with halogens.

[flat-v8]

I wired mine using 12v halogen lamps, from the light switch to (2) separate relays on firewall, hi & lo beam, wire from relays is 3 conductor, 2 switch legs 1 ground, also in the bucket was a spot welded ground wire, tied all grounds together, other 2 wires are hi & lo beams, these are super bright!

[Vic Piano]

On our '39 CS after the new paint job (and still with 6 volts pos. ground) I ran a ground wire from the headlight buckets to the bumper brackets and secured them between the bumper brackets and the frame.

[klicker]

Prof. Henry: 39, my avatar.

Pete: So you are saying the socket grounds through the reflector through the clips to the bucket through the fender to the frame? No wonder it needs a seperate ground wire.... thanks!

Alan: that helps... I suppose I will learn the hard way. But if I listened to my buddies, I'd lower it about a foot, sell the flathead and screw it all up! Meanwhile, I've been checking and cleaning connections back to battery. There are a couple original wires that look a little frayed...


Thanks again, Roger

[George/Maine]

If your old lights worked ok,and just changing the lights the socket maybe wired wrong.If you test the blub on battery and check witch terminal is ground.