Everything that is build and sold is made using minimum standards,take for instance the electrical system in your house the electrical code (NEC)rules, they are minimum standard,you can always improve it but that costs money.And that is the bottom line,Chrysler could used thicker wires and better materials,but that would cut into their profit margin.The water you drink is treated using minimum standards set by the EPA.
I used to work at FELPRO we did test all the materials that were used on gaskets,guest which one we used.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2C...it?usp=sharing
This is how I did my relays,Electric Fan,Lights and Fog lights.There is room under the hood.You did a good job installing your lights,but did a hack job with the relay.A good set of screw extractors won't help you with that screw,just drill it out.

 

I just replaced my header/grille that came with some halogens from the JY and though I haven't driven it at night yet,I could immediately tell the difference in illumination...

I will clean and grease all components for now, I know a lot of people are upgrading their harness but after further thought I'm not sure how just how much of an upgrade this truly is as you're still using all the old wiring with a relay...

 

See my post on the previous page. Only enough current goes through the stock wiring to trigger the relay. This is 300-500 mA compared to 5000-10000 mA.

Read this if you want more convincing. At this point in any XJ's life running power through the stock harness should be considered a safety risk. https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/hea...-worth-112584/

 

By using the harness you are improving the the wires to the lights with a thicker gauge,and using the oem wiring to energized the relay.

 

understood but you're still using the same old wiring that has been heated and was substandard in the first place... just sayin

 

I understand what you are saying,But like Salad said the current on the oem wiring is minimal.

 

Substandard for running a full load. Continued heat cycling leads to failure. A relay is nowhere near enough to break it lol

 

The load was to big for the car,same thing with the OEM wires to big a load and they will fail.

 

that twine appears to be substandard but sure does hold up well

 

Salad,
It might be my lack of basic electrical knowledge, but I am still missing something as to how the 2 circuits are truly separate. The headlight switch circuit still powers the old headlight socket, which powers the new headlight sockets/harness. So, aren't they still connected? Whatever maximum amount of current that used to go through the headlight switch and crappy old wires still does, no? B/c we have not changed the old wiring at all. All we've done is to piggyback off the old wiring. So, if all the current is provided from the old wiring to the new wiring, doesn't the same amount of current still go through the old wiring and the headlight switch? I don't see how LESS current is going through the headlight switch, b/c all we've done is add something to the existing wiring. We have not modified the old wiring in any way. We've just "spliced" a new wiring harness directly onto the old one, via the headlight socket. Whatever was powering the old wiring is still powering the old wiring in the same way when the headlight switch is now closed.

 

prcherokee, nice work, but my engine bay is not like this. In that spot, I have a horn device, and additional wiring that was getting in the way. I will take another detailed photo so you can see.

 

The switch is no longer connected to the headlights, it's connected to the relay. The relay supplies the electricity to your headlights when you tell it to by pulling the headlight switch.

 

I see now you got the cruise control servo,you may have room in from of it or behind the battery.

 

This will explain it better than I can http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/relay1.htm

 

to reiterate a little more clearly from my earlier post, albeit an upgrade no doubt its just adding a relay and extending the run.. same and or better would be to add a relay in a shorter run to switch eliminating (most) of the old wire with a heavier gauge and longer run to headlights..

just a relay and heavier gauge from radio shack.. Then again someone (like myself) could/would easily start replacing wire everywhere once that far thru the loom.. just because you're already there, turning the project into complete overhaul mode