Photocell for Headlights?

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
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Abletobecain
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD DLX, 1986 4WD SR5, 1985 4WD SR5, 1983 4WD SR5
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Photocell for Headlights?

Post by Abletobecain »

Has anyone wired up a photocell to their headlights?

This whole remembering to turn on and off my lights with a switch thing is quite new for me, haha.

I was thinking it might be possible to either wire a photocell that would turn your lights on when it got dark and would turn them off with the ignition...or perhaps there's a way to just leave them on and run them to the ignition somehow so they're always on and off with the car itself?

Last idea would be to wire the light switch to the key/door buzzer so I at least remember to turn them off.

Anyone done anything like this or have any idea how it could work?
1977 BMW R100S 1WD ("Brunhilda"/Summer Fun)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
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ARCHINSTL
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My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: Photocell for Headlights?

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Well - when headlights have been needed in any of my vehicles during the daytime (rain/fog/etc.), for decades I've simply used a card stating "Headlights on!" that I place over the instrument cluster.
I learned that many decades ago with my first car, a '46 Ford V8 'vert (after forgetting it once with a date and having to call her dad for a jump start in "Lovers' Lane"! Talk about :oops: embarrassing :oops: ...).
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Abletobecain
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD DLX, 1986 4WD SR5, 1985 4WD SR5, 1983 4WD SR5
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Re: Photocell for Headlights?

Post by Abletobecain »

Simple...effective...I like it!! :) Think I'm going to explore the "high-tech" options a bit more though. :)

Calling the gf's dad to lover's lane definitely sounds embarrassing! haha!
1977 BMW R100S 1WD ("Brunhilda"/Summer Fun)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Photocell for Headlights?

Post by Petros »

I just made it a habit to flick my light switch every time I turn off the engine.

too many foggy mornings here left me with a dead battery at the end of the day when I parked it not realizing I left on the lights. and as a double check, I intentionally look at my marker or tails lights as I walk away. not fool proof, easy to be distracted when you are arriving late somewhere, but not such a big deal once you make a habit of it.

They say it takes 20 repetitions to establish it as a habit, easy way to do that is put a Post-it note on your dash and tick off each time you do it. After 20 or more light check at shut off, you do not even have to think about it any more. Best auto shut off ever invented.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
oldfaithful
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My tercel:: 1984 Tercel 4WD

Re: Photocell for Headlights?

Post by oldfaithful »

I took a key alarm out of one I’d junked and hooked it up so when I open any of the doors and the tailgate if the lights are on it alarms. I haven’t left my lights on since, because as you know those key alarms in our cars are quite annoying sounding.
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Petros
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Re: Photocell for Headlights?

Post by Petros »

oldfaithful wrote: Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:31 am I...because as you know those key alarms in our cars are quite annoying sounding.
yes, I know. so annoying I disabled mine.

often when I am working on and around the car I leave the key in the ignition usually with the radio playing. and everytime I opened the door I wanted to shoot the darn buzzer alarm.

I have a hide-a-key in a strategic location for the very few rare times I locked my keys in it, but again mostly I developed a practice of only locking the door when I have the key in my hand. IOW, when I go to lock the door, I reach in my pocket to feel for my key, than lock it after I know it is in my pocket, or in my hand. when you have too many buzzers and warnings always going off, you start to ignore them, so my key-in-hand habit is actually more reliable. Just like the Check engine light on newer cars has trained people to ignore any idiot light that comes on. even the "oil" light! Good for those that sell cars, not good for those that own them.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Abletobecain
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Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:18 am
My tercel:: 1983 4WD DLX, 1986 4WD SR5, 1985 4WD SR5, 1983 4WD SR5
Location: Kitsap County
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Re: Photocell for Headlights?

Post by Abletobecain »

oldfaithful wrote: Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:31 am I took a key alarm out of one I’d junked and hooked it up so when I open any of the doors and the tailgate if the lights are on it alarms. I haven’t left my lights on since, because as you know those key alarms in our cars are quite annoying sounding.
I think this is going to be the easiest option for me...besides the low-tech Petros "remembering/habit" method. :)

oldfaithful...How did you wire the buzzer into your lights?
1977 BMW R100S 1WD ("Brunhilda"/Summer Fun)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
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