I've been thinking about putting in a good set (Hella, KC, etc) of aftermarket driving lights put have a few questions on how to wire them up.
I would like to have it setup where they could be on, off, or on with high beams. How would I go about doign such an install? I know I will half to tap into the high beam wire but can't figure out all the details.
Also, does anyone remember how to mod the stock fog lights to come on with the high beams on a 97 without the Autolamp feature. I do not care about the part where you mod the switch so they will come on in any position, just on with high beams. I'm thinking you just connected two wires but I could be wrong and don't remeber the colors.

 

I'll give a shot at this..let me know if I am off base.

What I read, you want to turn on the high beams, and have the driving lights come on as well..if I got that right read on..else post back with RTFP <g> If I get too basic, please forgive me I am trying for a one hit wonder here

What you should get in the driving kit is a relay, that is used to power the lights.

The mfgr install of the relay is power from fused connection to the battery is passed to the lead going to the lights.
This is controled by a low amp draw coil in the other half of the relay, that has 12+ to ground to operate the coil.

The mfgr of the lights would have you put a switch on the +12 v side of the relay that controls the high amp driving lights.

Using the relay directions, where it says to put the switch lead, instead take a tap connector to the high beam wire and put this to the relay on the coil +12v side.
That's good enough to get a low amp control line off the high beam, to operate the relay for the driving lights.

As for wire color, what my 2001 wiring diagram shows is :
Left / drivers side : Light Green w/ Black stripe colored wire.
Right / pass side : Dark Green / Orange stripe colored wire.

The easy place I mounted my PIAA relays is behind the pass side headlight in the engine compartment.
There is open sheet metal there that will allow for a nice place to bolt the relay into an existing hole, and the battery is not that far away from here, so the wire can be nice and close to the relay.

I have a 01 SCrew, so this might not be the case for you, or you may want to mount in a different place, so I gave you the wire colors for both sides.

Let me know if this reads like crap, if I got too basic, or did not explain it enough, and I'll try again.

As for the stock fog lights question, no clue on that, I don't have any. I thought I read that the mod is the same in the autolight position with the work on the bad of the switch, but I could be all wet about that. Try a search on fogliht in the L forum, I think this is where I read that at...but again I'm not 100% sure

Good luck.

 

SSCULLY
Your a heck of a man, I don't care what they say about you. Your post helped me a great deal to clear out the clutter in my mind on how to do this.

The only thing you didn't catch on my post is I would like to have basically three options on the aftermarket lights ON, OFF, or ON (kinda like a auto mode) with the high beams but where they would go off when you switch to the low beams. That way I wouldn't blind oncoming drivers with my low beams the factory fog lights and the driving lights but still have the choice to leave them on all the time if need be. I guess what I would have to do is place the switch in between the realy on/off and the high beam wire? Trouble is in the regular ON postion and low beams lit up the high beam wire may not have current flowing and hence wouldn't close the circuit on the relay. I guess now in this scenario what I need to find out is if the high beam wire is always hot.

I alss found some info for the factory foglight mod. Thanks for trying.

 

KYFordFreak,

Yes I now RTFP, and see that again, sorry about that.
Thanks for not kicking my teeth in for getting too basic

This is slightly more, but not a lot, I don't think it is.
A SPDT toggle switch w/ a center off position, like RadioShack 275-325. An auto parts store might have a better rocker switch then RS.

On the SPDT w/ center off switch, you would wire it so the single common post ( SP ) is the control lead to the relay activate point, and the other 2 sides of the DT are the power sources of ON ( +12 v run position of the key ) and the high beam lead from under the hood.

Usually a SPDT switch is for something like power in select between 2 devices, but wiring it "backwards" gives the function of putting the power from the high beam or run position +12 v to the common pin. It is functionally calling it a DTSP switch, but it is still a SPDT switch ( switching wise, the 2 are the same).

Take a look at RS for that switch, or a auto store for a better looking version of a SPDT w/ center off switch ( the RS is kind of ugly ).

So adding the switch, and running the high beam lead into the cab, and finding an Run position on the key.
I think the run position is a 12 AWG wire under the dash from the steering column. It is a Red with a light green strip is the color code. You should see this under the dash going to a block connector, for the key. Again without the year of your truck ( have sigs turned off on my options ), you would want to check these color codes ).

Let me know if I got it all this time, and if that makes sense.
Sorry for not reading closer the first time.

 

SPDT? is that Single pole,dual terminal. I know the type of switch your talking about just didn't know it was called a SPDT. I just always called those a dual position of dual circuit switch. HUh, now I know the proper name.

Other than that I follow you. Use the single post (usually center) to activate relay and then my two power sorces ( hot and hot with high beams). My truck is a 97 and I have Haynes and Chilton both, so between the two I can figure the wires out.

Thanks for all your help. It's now time to clip this post and add it to my collection of info because by the time I get the lights all of this will be long gone in my head.

 

Single Pole Double Throw. or in your case it is a Double Pole, single throw

Gald I got to the answer this time, I should know better then to try to answer a question in one post

Good luck in getting it all together, the key is to find the SPDT with the center off for the ON - OFF - ON w/ high beam, else is would be a SPDT wired as above, with a SPST inline to the relay to shut it OFF by killing the lead to the relay.
Kind of goofy to have 2 switches to operate the driving lights...so looking around or going with the RS SPDT center off.

Stay away from a lighted switch, as these may not work with using the switch backwards...it depends on the switch mfgr if you can apply the power for the indicator lamp anywhere. Just another 2 cents on it.

Good luck in getting it all together, ask again if anything else come up. Glad to be of help

 

Thanks, I'll be looking around for different types of switchs. I'm going to try and find a heavy duty lighted one or better yet a HD toggle with the tip that is lighted. If not I might be able to use a HD toggle and use a small LED indicator type lamp.
At least I know it's possiable and I'm sure the wiring knowledge will be very handy to me in the future.

 

KYFORD,

I basically have the setup that you are talking about. I have a set of blazer driving lights on my brush guard. My lights just had a switch but no relay with them. I can turn them on with the switch and use them like DRL's or have them come on with my high beams. Basically all I did was get a 30 amp relay mounted it right beside the battery. One wire from the relay to ground, one wire to the battery for power, one wire I tied into the high beams with, I tied into the passenger side headlight, and finally the other wire I tied into the wire coming from my switch inside to the lights. With this setup my toggle switch for the driving lights actually lights up when my highbeams and driving lights are on at the same time. I like this feature, lets me know when the driving lights are on. Hope this helps.