[moorlockx]

The wiring that comes with the lights is not the same as the US speced light wiring diagram. I ran into a problem with the BC-1 connection. In the wiring diagram I found for these things it says to connect to PIN-41 in the white plug of the BC-1. In the US kit instructions you need to connect to PIN-15 in the green plug. Has anyone out there successfully installed the Mini-spares kit on a US model car? and if so, where did you connect the relay wire to the BC-1?? Any light you can shed on the subject would be appreciated!!


God, whoever thought of putting the BC-1 where it's located at, without a proper access panel, ought to be shot!! Frelling idiots!!

[sugster]

Can't really help you with the US wiring I'm afraid. If PIN 41 is free on the white plug you could try plugging the connector in. Could be quite amusing if PIN 41 controls something else in the US. Maybe everytime you put your indicators on your lights would flash

Have you tried ringing up your dealer and asking them which PIN activates the full beams? They should have wiring diagram somewhere in the workshop.

I know what you mean about the BC1. You want to try having an accelerator, brake and clutch pedal in the way too. That makes for some interesting finger injuries.

Out of interest what made you buy the Minispares lights and not US spec ones?

[sugster]

Just noticed that you've got some Cibie lights installed, how are they connected up? Can't you piggy back the Mini Spares set?

[moorlockx]

Quote:

Originally posted by sugster
Can't really help you with the US wiring I'm afraid. If PIN 41 is free on the white plug you could try plugging the connector in. Could be quite amusing if PIN 41 controls something else in the US. Maybe everytime you put your indicators on your lights would flash

Have you tried ringing up your dealer and asking them which PIN activates the full beams? They should have wiring diagram somewhere in the workshop.

I know what you mean about the BC1. You want to try having an accelerator, brake and clutch pedal in the way too. That makes for some interesting finger injuries.

Out of interest what made you buy the Minispares lights and not US spec ones?

I tried the PIN41...it doesn't seem to do anything, at least as far as the lights are concerned. I tried the PIN15 (as per US install). It has the lights working all of the time...even with the key off There must be a difference in the relay.
The dealer is only familiar with the standard US wiring.

I would have cried if I had to work around all the pedals, too!!

I got the Mini-spares kit off another guy who had gotten them in and decided not to mount them. I took the harness to use on my car and sold off the lights and mounts because, as you mentioned, I already had the Cibie's. As Mini-spares list the kit as a factory item, I thought there wouldn't be a problem. Little did I know, at the time, that there are the 2 kits for these things. Go figure!

I just had a thought.. I've read some posts where people mention having the have the lights activated by the dealer. Is this true in Europe? If it is, that may be the missing piece of the puzzle with this system. I just can't believe I'm the only one who's run into this problem.

[moorlockx]

Oh yeah, the Cibie's are mounted, but I was waiting to get the wiring to get them working.

[sugster]

Here in the UK we have to go and get the lights activated at the dealers. When I installed mine they didn't work at all until the dealer did whatever they do to activate them.

The other difference between UK and US lights I believe is that US lights have a dedicated on/off switch. I also thought that they had two connectors into the BC1. Have you compared the UK and US wiring diagrams?

[moorlockx]

Here in the UK we have to go and get the lights activated at the dealers. When I installed mine they didn't work at all until the dealer did whatever they do to activate them.

Thanks for verifying that. I guess next time I hit the dealer I'll have it done (they're 100 miles away)

The other difference between UK and US lights I believe is that US lights have a dedicated on/off switch.

There is a switch, but the lights are still controlled by the high beams. The switch just allows you to turn the lights off if you don't want them on when you turn your highs on. It's kind of a handy system if you run covers on your lights and don't want to stop to take them off just to turn your high beams on.

I also thought that they had two connectors into the BC1. Have you compared the UK and US wiring diagrams?

I have both diagrams. There's only one connector to the BC1 module in each system. They just go to different pins. There also seems to be a difference in the relay used and the Euro system doesn't have the power lead coming off the radio as does the US one. I'd kind of like to know, on such a simple thing as this, why these differences are there.

Thanks for your replies. The info's been a help.

[lugnutz]

The reason I got the Mini Spares kit was it was 1/2 the price from the US dealer! $200 vs $400!!!

[moorlockx]

>>The reason I got the Mini Spares kit was it was 1/2 the price from the US dealer! $200 vs $400!!!<<

Did you have to get the dealer to activate your lights, too?

[wmd]

You don't need the dealer to activate the driving lights in the US version of the kit.

The activation is only required for the Diagnostic & Load sensing features of the BC1. If a bulb burns out on the driving lights you'll only know by looking. The difference between the early UK install procedure and the later US procedure, is in the UK, the lights come on with the Main Beams with no separate shut-off switch. And the Main Beam lights are GND activated vs the PWR activation of the relay for the US driving lights.

The first thing I would recommend is that you determine if you have the wiring harness/relay for the GND switching UK kit or the harness/relay for the PWR switching US kit. Just compare the wire colors at the relay socket to each instruction version to determine which one you have, then follow that instruction to install.

[wmd]

If you're a bit adventurous, you could rewire your relay socket so it would work off the pin 15(+12V) trigger wire. You would need to swap the GND and +12V coil wires at the relay, remove the existing +12V jumper at the relay, and stick the switch on the PWR side of the circuit instead of the GND side.

[moorlockx]

>>If you're a bit adventurous, you could rewire your relay socket so it would work off the pin 15(+12V) trigger wire.<<

I'm adventurous, but I'm trying to avoid any complications with a warranty problem. That was one of the reasons I went with a factory wiring system. I don't want the hassle of some snotty dealer not honoring the warranty because I have "non-authorized" wiring on the car. I could have had this done faster and cheaper if I had just jumped into the high beam circuit and added a switch.
Thanks for the imput, though. It's an innovative way around the problem.