I want a foot mounted dimmer switch

[dpantazis]

call me old fasioned but i want a foot mounted dimmer switch. you know the clicky on clicky off ones mounted to the drivers side floor... old school i know.

napa part number ECH DS112.

does anyone know how these are wired? it has 3 poles. i am thinking that i will leave the factory high low on the stalk and use the foot switch to trigger the hi&low beams...

dennis

 

[martyfowler]

heres a thread that may help. sorry its from "the other site" but its some good info.


http://forums.thedieselstop.com/ubb...mber=2671999&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

 

[smokyred]

Maybe someone could get that put in the WIKI. Any volunteers?

Dave

 

[JOAT]

I've been toying with the idea of doing the foot dimmer mod myself. I only miss it on road trips, not much use for high beams in commuter traffic. If I get around to it soon I'll post instructions for the '95. Don't have a SuperDuty EVTM, so not sure how much different it would be.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

I had heard that Detroit is moving the dimmer switch back to the floor within the next few years anyhow for safety reasons.

It seems too many blondes were getting their foot stuck in the steering wheel.

 

[whatabudro]

Thats funny.

 

[JOAT]

napa part number ECH DS112.

does anyone know how these are wired? it has 3 poles. i am thinking that i will leave the factory high low on the stalk and use the foot switch to trigger the hi&low beams...

dennis

Great, now you've got me started on another mod

The center post is power in. Click and it is connected to one side only, click again and it connects to the other side only. And back and forth she goes.

Have the EVTM out. After I get thru my wifes list of "honey-do's", I'll look and see if how TimMiller wired his is how I'd do it. I'm thinking leave everything stock, but use the foot switch for additional high beam. In other words, the MF switch still switches between high and low beam, but click the foot switch with MF switch on low beam, and both high and low are on, kinda like a bright box. I'll post whatever options make sense to me.

 

[JOAT]

Ok, TimMiller's write-up decoded. Looks very straight forward.

With his setup, the stock MF (Multi-Function) switch pretty much behaves as normal. When it is on low, you can use the foot switch to change back and forth. When MF is on high, the foot switch has no effect.

Potential annoyance of this setup. If you have the MF switch on high, but try to turn it off at the foot, high stays on. Then you go
and turn it off at the MF switch, but now the foot switch has been changed to high, so it stays on high till you hit the foot switch again.
Even more of a problem is you've cut the low beam wire, so if the foot switch fails, no low beams!!!

Problem with doing it the additional high beam way like I am thinking is on foot High beam, both low and high are on, so double the current. That would mean you'd want a relay supplying the actual power from the foot switch to high beam, or current thru the MF switch would be high. I'll cover this better when I do mine, and write up both methods with some pics. The advantage, other than brighter brights, is the low and high circuits aren't cut, so more reliable.

Back to TimMiller's setup. I'll break his wiring instructions down to make it easier to follow. Colors may be different on the newer trucks, so confirm before cutting any wires. Use the wires by the column, as if you splice in by the headlights you are affecting several other circuits like DRL.

-Cut the low beam wire coming from the MF switch, Red with Black Stripe on 94-97.
--The end from the MF switch goes to the center connector of the foot switch
--The other end goes to one of the side connectors of the foot switch

-Splice a wire (don't cut!) into the high beam wire coming from the MF switch, Light Green with Black stripe on 94-97.
--This wire connects to the other side of the foot switch.

-Mount the switch, done

Below is the 95 schematic of the headlight wiring. The two wires are shown below the biggest box in the center (MF Switch).
Does anyone have a Super Duty schematic they can link?
-------------------------------------------------------------
attachment
View attachment 696

 

[powerboatr]

I had heard that Detroit is moving the dimmer switch back to the floor within the next few years anyhow for safety reasons.

It seems too many blondes were getting their foot stuck in the steering wheel.

my sides are a splitting

 

[JOAT]

Problem with doing it the additional high beam way like I am thinking is on foot High beam, both low and high are on, so double the current. That would mean you'd want a relay supplying the actual power from the foot switch to high beam, or current thru the MF switch would be high. I'll cover this better when I do mine, and write up both methods with some pics. The advantage, other than brighter brights, is the low and high circuits aren't cut, so more reliable.

I was reminded about the bright box mod causing melted headlamp connectors due to increased heat. Upgrading the headlight wires adds cost, but I may go that route anyway. I'm going to try and work out some other ideas to avoid cutting and rerouting the existing headlight circuit.