Couple of wiring and headlamp questions

[gs.davies]

I finally received a front loom from Autosparks (after going round in circles with Adam from Wiring Harness Company…) and I took the standard loom instead of the modifications I’d spec’d with the other firm.

Loom is now largely fitted up and connected to what’s present in the engine bay, and the switch panel is done.

My car when it last ran was fitted with sealed beams, and as a stop gap until I can start improving it, I’ve got a generic set of H4 Halogen headlamps. Am I right in thinking the H4 and the sealed beams are the same power rating, which in theory overloads the switch? I don’t want to chop the loom up, nor do I really want to start making up auxiliary looms to accommodate relays for main/dipped beam.

Will the switch be ok if the ratings of the new H4 lights are the same as sealed beams? If not, I think maybe LED bulbs are the way to go. If so, has anyone got any recommendations and experience of using LED H4 bulbs in standard headlamp bowls with standard H4 headlamps?

Also, I’ve got a pair of wires terminating in bullet connectors which are coloured coded for the horn; they’re quite heavy gauge, and I presume I’ve got to make up a pigtail to join the horn to this point. Is that right? Should the gauge be the same?

I’m missing the block connectors which join front and rear looms by the wiper and join the column wiring - are these both five way isolated sleeve type?

Where does the earth loop from the centre clock area locate? Is it secured to one of the binnacle screws with a nut? Does the washer tubing run down through the parcel shelf grommet?

Finally, in the boot, is there a joint for the number plate lamp by the tank? The loom ive got just has a very long lead that is currently not terminated and needs bullets on, no joint? Should it be joined?

Thanks
Gary.

[timmy201]

You can get premade H4 relay kits that simply plug into the existing plugs for the switch feed, the bulbs and then you add a ground and power

Eg
https://hsautoparts.com.au/h4-negative- ... -plug-kit/

On my mini the ground near the the speedo goes onto a stud on the back of the speedo casing

[gs.davies]

On my mini the ground near the the speedo goes onto a stud on the back of the speedo casing

Ah yes! Of course it does, that wire must then go elsewhere to ground to the body and provide a ground for the warning and panel bulbs, Thanks!

[EMOKID]

Hello
What year is your Mini? . Assume you have the wiring diagram - if not check out Mini Mania web site for wiring looms - connectors shown

Not aware of block connector on main to rear loom on mark 1 and mark 2 Minis. Normal connection with bullets on the looms and the single (2 wire connector) / double (4 wire connector) black bullet connectors - you can find connectors on Mini Spares web site . I think block connector at steering was introduced in mark 2 Mini. Spade connectors on loom steering and main loom can be fitted to respective blocks- ensure each colour lines up both sides. Spades can be removed with a small fine screw driver. Before connecting block it was the bullets and bullet connectors.

Bulbs will dictate the power rating on halogen - use similar wattage bulbs to sealed beams and switch / wiring will be ok. Make sure you have a good earth on all lights.

Number plate light normally connected with a double bullet connector in boot just behind tank on passenger side to side lamp loom - red wire. Connection to drivers side lamp also taken from here and runs across boot behind hinge panel.

Loom for horn (purple /black and purple ) normally finished in spade connectors to allow connection on to horn. If you need to add a pigtail make sure connections on horn are insulated and not left bear. Use same wiring gauge.

Earth wire can be added to binnacle screw fixing binnacle to body. Washer tubes run through wiring loom large central grommet

Hope this helps

[gs.davies]

Hello
What year is your Mini? . Assume you have the wiring diagram - if not check out Mini Mania web site for wiring looms - connectors shown

Not aware of block connector on main to rear loom on mark 1 and mark 2 Minis. Normal connection with bullets on the looms and the single (2 wire connector) / double (4 wire connector) black bullet connectors - you can find connectors on Mini Spares web site . I think block connector at steering was introduced in mark 2 Mini. Spade connectors on loom steering and main loom can be fitted to respective blocks- ensure each colour lines up both sides. Spades can be removed with a small fine screw driver. Before connecting block it was the bullets and bullet connectors.

Bulbs will dictate the power rating on halogen - use similar wattage bulbs to sealed beams and switch / wiring will be ok. Make sure you have a good earth on all lights.

Number plate light normally connected with a double bullet connector in boot just behind tank on passenger side to side lamp loom - red wire. Connection to drivers side lamp also taken from here and runs across boot behind hinge panel.

Loom for horn (purple /black and purple ) normally finished in spade connectors to allow connection on to horn. If you need to add a pigtail make sure connections on horn are insulated and not left bear. Use same wiring gauge.

Earth wire can be added to binnacle screw fixing binnacle to body. Washer tubes run through wiring loom large central grommet

Hope this helps

1961 Deluxe, yes I have the wiring diagram and I've just found (yet another) diagram which shows the horn with a connector from the main loom in the right colours (Brown/Green and Brown/Black)

I think 'connector block' isn't necessarily the right term - there's a bunch of wires with bullets on so the connector is a 'bullet to bullet' connector with multiple bullets in one. So, it's knowing if they're supposed to four/five/six way..

The rear loom isn't from the same source, so maybe I need to modify to get it to suit the application as far as the joint by the fuel tank goes.

With the bulbs, I'm mainly concerned as I think the sealed beams were an 'upgrade' over the originals which would have been changed some time before I got the car in the 90's.

[EMOKID]

The wiring diagram will show the correct bullet connector - 2 wire or 4 wire for the front to rear loom join with the wire colour and number of connections on each side.
4 way connector on rear passenger side lamp red wire will allow connections from rear loom, 2 x rear side lamps and number plate lamp