Beaver Dim Headlight Fix
“Brighter Headlights for Your Beaver”
Document of Roy Mueller / Bill Sprague You Tube Video
INTRODUCTION:
“Many Beavers (approximately model years 1997-2005) were wired so that the 12volt current
passed directly through the headlight switch, through the dimmer switch and on to the headlights.
Somewhere in the two switches is enough resistance to cause a voltage drop that results in dim
headlights.”
“Roy Mueller developed a modification using two inexpensive relays, a few feet of wire and
several connectors. The existing Beaver circuits and switches are used to activate the relays
instead of providing current directly to the headlights. Roy adds additional wire to send current
from the existing headlight circuit breaker, through the new relays and then to the headlights. The
result is that the voltage drop is eliminated and the headlights become normally bright.”
Note: This fix will not work if your Beaver is multiplexed.
YOU TUBE VIDEO:
The You Tube Video (2 parts) showing the step by step procedure is located at:
“Brighter Headlights for Your Beaver”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmYyoILEhMY
WRITTEN INSTUCTIONS
Check to see if the fix will help:
1. Open the Electrical Bay Access Bay door, located in front of the driver’s side wheel.
2. Locate CB-25 (Headlights) on the “Ignition” circuit breaker (CB) bar. It is the 5 th circuit
breaker from the top.
3. Locate terminals 4 (Low Beam) & 5 (High Beam) on TB1. TB1 is just to the right of the
Ignition circuit breaker bar.
4. Turn your headlights on High Beam.
5. Using a jumper wire, connect CB-25 (Headlights) on the Ignition CB bar to terminal 5
(High Beam) on TB1.
6. If your headlights get brighter, the fix will be effective on your motorhome.
7. Remove the jumper and turn your headlights off.
TOOLS NEEDED:
1. Jumper Wire
2. Wire Cutter
3. 3/8” Nut Driver
4. Terminal Crimping Tool
5. Standard Screwdriver
PARTS LIST
1. (2) Relay: 12v, 30/40 amp or 40/60 amp; Beuler BU5084M-000 or equivalent
2. (6) Insulated Push On Female Terminals (Blue) 14 AWG
3. (2) Insulated Push On Female Terminals (Yellow) 12 AWG
4. (3) Insulated Ring Connectors (Blue) 14 AWG
5. 15 ft of 12 AWG stranded insulated wire.
6. (10) Plastic tie wraps
7. (2) 1” wood or dry-wall screws.
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PROCEDURE:
1. Clip the plastic wire ties on wire bundle between Ignition CB bar and TB1.
2. Remove the 2 wires on TB1 terminal 5 (High Beam).
3. Attach one end of the jumper wire to the Battery CB bar, (located just to the left of the
Ignition CB bar).
4. Touching the other end of the jumper to one of the wires you removed from terminal 5 will
cause the headlights to come on. Re-attach this wire to terminal 5.
5. Pull the other wire from the loom and temporarily mark it “Hi Beam”.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 with the 2 wires on TB1, terminal 4 (Low Beam). Temporarily mark the
wire that did not turn on the headlights “Lo Beam”. Reattach the other wire to terminal 4.
You should now have one wire each on TB1 terminals 4 & 5, and 2 wires pulled from the
wire loom, temporarily marked Hi and Lo beam respectively. Beaver should have
stamped high and low beam on the wires also.
7. Clip off the ring terminals on the wires you marked Hi and Lo Beam. Attach a Female
Push On Terminal (Blue) to each. Be sure the crimp is tight by pulling/wiggling the
connector after crimping (do this after all future crimps).
8. Attach each wire to the coil connection on each of the Relays. This is normally pin 86 on
the relay. Be sure that the relay terminal is captured by the push on terminal and that it
does not just slide up beside the push on. You should now have a wire attached to each
relay.
9. Decide on a location for the relays. This will help determine proper wire lengths. They can
be located on the white panel or on the carpeted wall of the bay as shown in the video.
10. Now we need to supply 12 volts to the relays. Cut a piece of 12 AWG wire about 3” long.
Strip the insulation on both ends to accept crimp on terminals. Crimp a Blue Push On
Terminal on one end.
11. Strip one end of the remaining 12AWG wire. Crimp it and the remaining end of the 3” wire
in a Yellow Push On Terminal. You should now have a wire assembly with a Blue
terminal on one end, a wire leading from it to a Yellow terminal and another wire from the
Yellow terminal.
12. Attach the Blue and Yellow push on terminals to terminal 30 on each relay.
13. Run the unattached wire from the Yellow terminal to CB-25 (Headlights) on the “Ignition”
circuit breaker (CB) bar. It is the 5th circuit breaker from the top.
14. Cut the unattached wire to the proper length, allowing it to route to the CB terminal along
the existing wire looms. Strip the wire and crimp on a Blue 14 AWG Ring Connector.
15. Remove the nut from CB 25, add the ring connector you just installed and reattach the
nut. You have now supplied 12v to the relays to power your headlights.
16. Crimp a Push On Crimp Terminal (Blue) to the remaining 12 AWG wire and attach it to
terminal 87 of the High Beam relay. Following the wire looms, run the wire to TB1
terminal 5 (High Beam). Cut the wire to length, strip it and crimp a Blue Ring Terminal on
2
it. Remove the nut and attach the ring terminal, then replace and tighten the nut on
terminal 5.
17. Repeat the same procedure for the Low Beam circuit. Crimp a Push On Crimp Terminal
(Blue) to the remaining 12 AWG wire and attach it to terminal 87 of the Low Beam relay.
Following the wire looms, run the wire to TB1 terminal 4 (Low Beam). Cut the wire to
length, strip it and crimp a Blue Ring Terminal on it. Remove the nut and attach the ring
terminal, then replace and tighten the nut on terminal 4.
18. Using 3 of the Plastic Tie Wraps, dress and secure the wire loom between the Ignition CB
bar and TB1.
19. The last connection is to supply ground to the relays. Cut a piece of 12 AWG wire about
3” long. Strip the insulation on both ends to accept crimp on terminals. Crimp a Blue Push
On Terminal on one end.
20. Strip one end of the remaining 12AWG wire. Crimp it and the remaining end of the 3” wire
in a Yellow Push On Terminal. You should now have a wire assembly with a Blue
terminal on one end, a wire leading from it to a Yellow terminal and another wire from the
Yellow terminal.
21. Attach the Blue and Yellow push on terminals to the coil ground terminal on each relay.
This is normally pin 85 on the relay.
22. Run the unattached wire from the Yellow terminal to one of the Ground bus bars.
23. Cut the unattached wire to the proper length, allowing it to route to the bus bar along the
existing wire looms. Strip the wire, loosen the screw on the bus bar connection you’ve
chosen, insert the stripped end of the wire and retighten the screw, making sure all wires
in the connection are securely captured by the screw. You have now supplied Ground to
the relays.
24. Mount the relays in your preselected location using screws.
25. Redress the remaining opened wire looms, securing them with Plastic Tie Wraps.
26. Your installation is complete. Check that the headlights work properly.
Note: You may want to label the relays “High Beam” and Low Beam” respectively so they
can be easily identified in the future.
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Schematic of New Circuit
Low Beam Signal
(Was on TB1-4)
TB1-4
(Low Beam)
86
85
87
30
High Beam Signal
(Was on TB1-5)
TB1-5
(High Beam)
86
85
87
30
CB 25
(HdLt Volt.)
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