I'm try to connect my sierra column switches via a sierra fusebox to my escort loom, as I have not stripped the sierra, i cant figure out what the purpose of the dim/dip relays are & what the dimmer switch did, I understand all the dip & main beam relays but it would be helpfull if I could understand the dimming function & why its there

thanks all

is it the dimmer for the dashboard illumination that comes on with the headlights?

thanks
so does it dim the instruments when you go to main beam or is it when you go to headlights from side lights, do you use it on yours

thanks

The instrument illumination should come on when you turn the sidelights on and stay on with headlights and main beam. The dimmer, if that's what it is, is usually a wheel or slider that you use to adjust the brightness of the instruments.

I used a different wiring loom so don't have the same set-up.

Nick

its not!

the dim dip relay is part of the shmia that switchs the dips off on full beam. been a while since i did my lights, and i never truely understood what it was all about. i ditched the full whack, and just used the switches. Sierra lighting switches have a neat way of using two different earth routes so that the full beam can be flashed at any time but only be left on if the lights are on too.

that makes more sense!

I wired my lights using the sierra stalks, vikki green loom and relays. Much simpler and easier to understand IMHO!

Nick

AFAIK Dim Dip connects the dip filaments in series.
I've used the Sierra loom and chopped out the bits I didn't want or need, including dim/dip, so I didn't look too far into how it works.
The panel lights come off the sidelight supply via the dimmer rheostat.

I'm probably going to change the way the main & dip relays work because the original switches work on the ground side whereas it all becomes a lot easier to switch everything on the 'live' side of the relays.

Dim dip puts a lower voltage through the dip filaments to use them as sidelights when the engine is running. It was a euro regulation thing and isn't necessary here so junk it and make the job simpler. The Sierra column switchs may not last long switching the live side, they are not very heavy contacts.

the sierra switches eath everything so that all the large currents are only delt with in the fuse box & to the lights, all that goes to the switches are tiny cables that earth out the relay coils, anyway back to dim dip, thanks for your help, I'll go back to the wiring diagrams & see if I can now understand them

thanks again

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Originally posted by Peteff
Dim dip puts a lower voltage through the dip filaments to use them as sidelights when the engine is running. It was a euro regulation thing and isn't necessary here so junk it and make the job simpler. The Sierra column switchs may not last long switching the live side, they are not very heavy contacts.

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Just to clarify my otherwise irrelevant story, I'm keeping the relays but switching the low current on their live sides rather than the original switching to ground....'cos I'm not using the Sierra stalk....'cos I broke it.

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As Pete says it is the Euro thingy which is now ditched

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So that's why the Mini Cooper S was disqualified from the Monte Carlo rally for not having proper sidelights. I see now and stand corrected. Are you French Ferrino?

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Originally posted by PeteffAre you French Ferrino?

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