I'm having too much trouble with a pair of foglights I have installed on my truck. First off, when they were 4 months old the relay corroded and they stopped working. I could tell by the nice greenish blue stains on it, hehe. Anyway, here's part two of the trouble. The power for the relay is tapped into the parking lights, with the actual power taken directly off the battery. This causes them to flash with the alarm during disarm and arming. This evening, after a twenty minute drive I parked, turned off the truck and headlights, and the fogs stayed on. I searched around to see what the trouble was, and found the side of the relay melted. I pulled the power wire so the battery would not run down on me, but I'm wondering what caused this. The relay was rated the same as the original, so what gives? Was it the flashing that caused it to melt down? I was running my 100 watt behind the grill foglights shortly before this happened, but I don't see how this would affect them at all, unless they were drawing too much current and overloading the relay??? I'm ready to rip them out, since they've been trouble since day one anyway. Any possible fixes before I trash them? Thanks in advance for any help,,,,98

 

I would buy a new 30 amp relay and install it, but change the relay activation source from the parking lights to a switched 12v source (that is only on when the ignition is on). From this source, install a fuse and switch in series. Mount the switch in or on the dash. You should not have any more problems.

 

Hey 98, Are your 100 watt lights also run through that relay? If they are not that should have nothing to do with the relay melting. If they are it probably did. You state you used the factory rated relay for the problem lights, and if you are running two sets of lights through that relay it can draw too much currant and cause it to fail. Or you may just have a crappy relay, replace it with a good quality relay rated for both sets of lights, if thats how you have it set up, and fuse both power feeds separatly.
Jeff

 

Nope, they're wired independent of each other. Of course I woke up this morning to rain and thunder, sigh. Maybe tomorrow I can rewire the lights,,,,98

 

OUCH!..........I would use a Bosch relay or a Potter Brumfield relay, Never seen this happen (yet). I have done the same thing 100 times when I have done alarms for customers.

Also, by using your foglights/driving lights with the alarm, keep in mind, your will dramatically shorten the life of your halogens by flashing them.

Also I would use 12 ga. wire this may help as well, other than that your connections sound fine. I'm sure you did, but make sure you use a FUSE.

Good luck.

 

Screamer-

I'd recommend getting a new 30 amp relay and two fuse holders. Put one fuse holders between the battery and relay. And a small fuse holder (about 1-2 amps) for the power activation source.