Fog light wiring question...
#1
03-19-2006, 02:48 AM
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Fog light wiring question...
I have an '05 SCREW XLT, and will be installing after market fog lights (i don't have the factory fogs)....since i always leave my headlight switch in the auto position i never turn my headlights on or off.....when i install my new lights i'm wondering if it would be safe to splice into each headlight power wire and have a fuse from the foglight to the headlight....is this safe??...will i be blowing fuses??...does this make sense??...thanks for the help....
#2
03-19-2006, 12:16 PM
I hope I misunderstood you.
You are looking at powering the fog lamps from the head lamps directly ?
Don't do that, the low beams are power directly via the MFS in the steering coulmn, and I don't think the MFS would have a sense of humor about doubling the load ( let alone the wiring to the MFS from the CJB and from the MFS to the headlamps ).
If you want the fog lamps on anytime the parking lamps are on, wire up the fog lamps with the relay that was ( should have been ) supplied with the kit.
The relay coil, should have a pin 85 ( or similar ) on it, that is used for the switch to turn energize the relay coil, which in turn pulls in the N.O. Contacts on the relay for power the fog lamps.
Here is an example of what the directions with your kit.
Just use the Parking lamp circuit to power the relay coil ( add in a 3 amp fuse inline just for safety sake ), without the switch. Wire the remainder of the fog lamps per the instructions to the relay contacts, and powered off the battery ( fused connection ).
This will work much better in the long term, and remove any chance of causing you grief down the road with your MFS or headlamps.
Good Luck
You are looking at powering the fog lamps from the head lamps directly ?
Don't do that, the low beams are power directly via the MFS in the steering coulmn, and I don't think the MFS would have a sense of humor about doubling the load ( let alone the wiring to the MFS from the CJB and from the MFS to the headlamps ).
If you want the fog lamps on anytime the parking lamps are on, wire up the fog lamps with the relay that was ( should have been ) supplied with the kit.
The relay coil, should have a pin 85 ( or similar ) on it, that is used for the switch to turn energize the relay coil, which in turn pulls in the N.O. Contacts on the relay for power the fog lamps.
Here is an example of what the directions with your kit.
Just use the Parking lamp circuit to power the relay coil ( add in a 3 amp fuse inline just for safety sake ), without the switch. Wire the remainder of the fog lamps per the instructions to the relay contacts, and powered off the battery ( fused connection ).
This will work much better in the long term, and remove any chance of causing you grief down the road with your MFS or headlamps.
Good Luck
#3
03-19-2006, 12:25 PM
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#4
03-19-2006, 06:30 PM
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#5
03-20-2006, 01:52 AM
Sorry let me try again.
The low beams anbd high beams are controlled by the Multi Function Switch ( MFS ), which is the does it all turn signal stalk.
The Low beams have a fused connection that the MFS directly feeds. i.e. with the head lamp switch in position 3 ( head lamps on ) the power that is fed to the low beams is directly fed through the MFS, no relay. The MFS carries the whole load of the circuit.
The high beams are also controlled by the MFS, but they are on a high beam relay, external to the MFS ( the load is not caried by the MFS, only the high beam relay coil power load ).
What I think you were talking about doing :
Please do not be this guy. You are going to put too much load on the MFS, and depending on the wattage of the bulb, are always going to be blowing the low beam fuses. All these problems, and we have not gotten to is the wire large enough to carry the additional load ( I would say not, myself ).
If you want a quick way to wire in the fog lamps so they are always on with the parking lamps, this is the way to do it :
The relay and the wiring harness should have been included with the fog lamps, if not get to Napa or AutoZone and buy a Fog lamp relay and harness kit. They are like 20.00 at AutoZone.
instead of using the switch in the cab ( unless you want to go that route, seemed like you did not ), just put the power side of the coil ( where the switch shown above ) would have gone, to the Parking lamp power wire. I think this is brown in the connector, use a test light or meter to confirm prior to tapping on to it.
Install the remainder of the fog lamp harness as instructed, with the power feed to the N.O. ( Normally Open ) contacts to the battery via the fused connection. This is a safe quick way to install the fog lamps, so they are on at all times with the parking lamps. If you want to instal them with the switch, you can use the diagram above, and look for the brown wire by the head lamp switch in the cab, and install the switch in there.
Hope this helps more then the last post.
Good luck, let us know if you need any thing else.
The low beams anbd high beams are controlled by the Multi Function Switch ( MFS ), which is the does it all turn signal stalk.
The Low beams have a fused connection that the MFS directly feeds. i.e. with the head lamp switch in position 3 ( head lamps on ) the power that is fed to the low beams is directly fed through the MFS, no relay. The MFS carries the whole load of the circuit.
The high beams are also controlled by the MFS, but they are on a high beam relay, external to the MFS ( the load is not caried by the MFS, only the high beam relay coil power load ).
What I think you were talking about doing :
Please do not be this guy. You are going to put too much load on the MFS, and depending on the wattage of the bulb, are always going to be blowing the low beam fuses. All these problems, and we have not gotten to is the wire large enough to carry the additional load ( I would say not, myself ).
If you want a quick way to wire in the fog lamps so they are always on with the parking lamps, this is the way to do it :
The relay and the wiring harness should have been included with the fog lamps, if not get to Napa or AutoZone and buy a Fog lamp relay and harness kit. They are like 20.00 at AutoZone.
instead of using the switch in the cab ( unless you want to go that route, seemed like you did not ), just put the power side of the coil ( where the switch shown above ) would have gone, to the Parking lamp power wire. I think this is brown in the connector, use a test light or meter to confirm prior to tapping on to it.
Install the remainder of the fog lamp harness as instructed, with the power feed to the N.O. ( Normally Open ) contacts to the battery via the fused connection. This is a safe quick way to install the fog lamps, so they are on at all times with the parking lamps. If you want to instal them with the switch, you can use the diagram above, and look for the brown wire by the head lamp switch in the cab, and install the switch in there.
Hope this helps more then the last post.
Good luck, let us know if you need any thing else.
#6
03-20-2006, 12:32 PM
Do the seperate relay control for the new lights.
The circuit and wire size is not adiquite for the extra load.
Doing so will only bring you greif and be right back here asking how to fix the resulting problems.
On switching the relay from a cab switch, if you decide to do it this way, power the relay from the engine bay and only run a single lead to the switch in the cab as a ground switch. That way the lead is not hot to the point of causing a short and power problems if the lead gets grounded.
I alway ground switch my circuits. That way if there is a problem the fuse can be removed or there is never burnt wires if a short happens risking fire and greater damage.
Always fuse with a size just larger than what the circuit consumes.
Always use large enough wire for the load.
Always use hi quality crimp connectors and it's tool or solder the connections and insulate.
The circuit and wire size is not adiquite for the extra load.
Doing so will only bring you greif and be right back here asking how to fix the resulting problems.
On switching the relay from a cab switch, if you decide to do it this way, power the relay from the engine bay and only run a single lead to the switch in the cab as a ground switch. That way the lead is not hot to the point of causing a short and power problems if the lead gets grounded.
I alway ground switch my circuits. That way if there is a problem the fuse can be removed or there is never burnt wires if a short happens risking fire and greater damage.
Always fuse with a size just larger than what the circuit consumes.
Always use large enough wire for the load.
Always use hi quality crimp connectors and it's tool or solder the connections and insulate.