New to Wiring/Trucks... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

New to Wiring/Trucks...

Ok, so Im REALLY new to all this, and Ive spent about a week staring at every offroading lights thread I could find, and I just need someone to correct my thoughts, and tell me if they are right and if they arent, then how to correct them, thanks everyone! Oh and I have a 99 Mercury Mountaineer by the way :D

So Im wanting a simple setup to begin with, and cheap, just In case I mess up :D This is what Im wanting, and how I THINK I should wire it up, once again, I dont know anything about this, so PLEASE correct me on ANYTHING that is wrong!

2 55w lights on front bumper wired together to one switch
4 55w lights on stock roof rack wired together to one switch

ok, so let me get this straight:

Bumper Lights
Step 1: Mount lights on bumper
Step 2: Run wires to inside engine bay through grill
Step 3: Connect the two wires to relays
Step 4: Splice the wires from the 2 lights together
Step 5: Wire in an in-line fuse
Step 6: Run a wire from inline fuse to the switch
Step 7: Mount Switch
Step 8: Eat lunch ;)

Roof Lights
Step 1: Mount lights on roof rail
Step 2: Run wires through weather striping around door to engine bay
Step 3: Connect the 4 wires to relays
Step 4: Splice the wires from the 4 lights together
Step 5: Wire in an in-line fuse
Step 6: Run a wire from the inline fuse to the switch
Step 7: Mount switch
Step 8: Eat dinner ;)

So that is my plan! Any and ALL advise whould be GREATLY appreciated. If this plan sucks, please tell me, and add why lol! Im very new to this so I really need as much help as I can get. I havent dont the math yet, so once i get this approved that I know where everything goes then Ill need someone to help me with the numbers(What guage wire, what inline fuse, etc...)

Thank you for the help everyone!!!
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.

















I have a question. Are you runing the Main power from the Battery (the Fused one) to the switch or to the Relay?

uhh shoot, I dont even have it going to the battery :( uhhh I dont know lol, thanks for the reply, reminded me I have to have to connecting to the battery at some point :( but I think the battery would goa fter splice? IM really not sure :(


Well Ive read it over and over and I dont understand it :(
 












You Basically have it right......Sort of.

The Relay is a Way of keeping the High voltage out of the Cab. bascially you are switching a Small Plunger in side of the Relay that then completes the Cirucit for the lights.

So you attach the wire from the battery (Fused) to the Relay (Pole 30 in the Illistration in Tbars Thread).

Then Find a Wire inside the Cab. Doesn't have to be alot of Voltage. Make sure it's not goign to hurt anything if you tap into it. Use that for the switch. I used the wire from the Powerpoint on the side of the Middle counsle. Hook that up to the switch and then run a wire from that to the Relay in the Engine Compartment. Some people put it through the Gromet that the tranny Cable goes through. I just drilled a hole. That way you don't have anything Pinching the wire. Then Hook up the wire to the relay (Pole 85)

The next step is to hook up the lights. There are two ways to hook up the (-) negitive wire of the lights. You could Attach it to a Bolt down by the lights, or run a wire up to the Battery. I suggest running it up to the battery. This way, You'll have a Solid Ground no matter what. Alot of the time a bolt can get rusty and then you loose ground and the lights won't work.

Then Hook up the (+) Postive Wire for the Lights to the Relay (Pole 87).

Then all that is left is to hook the Ground for the relay to either the battery or a Bolt in the Engine Compartment. (Pole 86).

Hope this helps a bit. The Illistration in Tbars Thread is Amazingly helpful. I used the "Pole" Numbers from his thread.. I thought I'd take the time to Explain it. I'm kinda bored. good Luck.
 






The diagram below shows how to wire in 2 sets of lights controlled by 2 separate switches. The blue "driving light" can be connected to any 12v wire, but by tapping into the driving light wire you will have the benefit of the the lights on warning chime and not accidentally leave the lights on and kill your battery (since when you turn off the driving lights it will automatically cut power to the switch).

Offroad_light_wiring_4_2.jpg
 






oh ok, I think Im starting to understand it more, now Im kinda understanding DeRochas great diagrams and everyones great explanatiopns :D ty guys :D
 






Well, my plans for this are on hold, I thinmk Im just gunna put 2 100's on my bumper, Ive got prom tickets, Shackles, maybe AAL, and 3 inch BL to buy lol... Plus alignment costs :(
 






Everyone has a method so here is mine...

This can be used for any number of lights, keep the sets in pairs, one relay per pair a nom not a must. One switch can operate more than one relay.

To do the first job you will want three Relays, one per pair of lights, two reasons, one you shouldn't over load the circuit this way and reason two you will have better control.
The four lights on the roof, you can use one relay for these, if you don't want to run an additional wire up there, instead of two, your call.
If just two lights on the bumper then it shortens the process to just one relay but the steps are the same.
Remember roof rack, bumpers and similar parts do not have great grounding systems so it would be a good idea to run a ground wire to the Roof Rack or Bumper Lighting from the battery.

1) Mount the lights where you want them and the relay(s); relays should be close to the battery. Mount Dash Switches also, where you want them.
2) Hook the power to actuate the relays - find a power source from the main circuit panel. Choose between "On all of the time" and "on with the ignition" and find that type of power in the circuit panel.
3) Run a wire from the circuit panel to one side of the Dash Switch. (Some switches have indicator lights so you may need to ground the switch, follow the schematics for the switch).
4) From the load side of the switch run a wire to pin 85 on the relay.
5) From Pin 86 on the relay run a wire to ground. (Some relays ground through the mounting tab, watch the schematic diagram on the package or the relay itself and get to bare metal).

TEST Point - You should be able to flip the dash switch and hear the relay(s) click, if so go on to step 6 but if not find out why, retrace the wires. Also, if you have an indicator light it should be on when the switch is flipped to the on position.

So the first half of the circuit is completed, the next step is wiring the main power to the relays and on to the lights. I suggest using a heavier than required wire here, why because your lights will run better, brighter and last longer with large gauge wire, less resistance too but there are limits. The limits are where you are running the wire and how big of a hole you want in the roof.
There is one other reason for running larger gauge wire, you will in the future want larger wattage lighting (happens to everyone) and the larger gauge wire will handle this change without rewiring, time saved. If you think you will be happy with the four 55W lights then a smaller gauge wire will work here.
2, 55 watt lights require less than 10 amps, this will operate on 16 gauge wire, 14 or even12 gauge will be better, also for the ground wires each feed wire (+) requires a ground wire (-) of equal size so the circuit can flow the current (amperage) as easily as possible.
The four lights on the roof can be run on one wire, a 12 gauge wire but a 10 gauge wire or two 12 gauge wire will work better, your call.

OK on to the wiring again.
6) Run a FUSED wire, gauged to the current draw of each circuit, from the battery to pin 30 on each relay.
7) From Pin 87 (not 87a) run a wire to each set of lights.
8) Run a ground wire from each set of lights back to the battery. This point is always questionable but it does, almost, eliminate the grounding problems found in these circuits.

TEST Point - Here you should be able to turn on the switch and if the relays tested OK, the lights should go on.

I know this has been said in one way or another but I like to type and thought I would say it again.
The big things here are to get the relays working before proceeding to wiring the lights themselves, this way you only need to trouble shoot one section of the circuit if there is a problem.
The oversized wire is a plus; really, helps the lights and IF you go to larger lighting it will help you too.
The GROUNDS - grounds are always getting in the way of a circuit working at its best; some don't say it but grounds are the main problems in a circuit not working as it should. Always, when adding a new circuit to an existing vehicle, run a ground wire from the load point to the battery area; all added ground wires can be run to a common grounding point, a stud, a terminal strip or what ever you use but the grounding point should end up being connected to the battery negative terminal.
NOTE: Some vehicles do have a positive ground (very few - older thing) but make sure what you are doing and where you are running the wire; with today's computer operated systems it is a must to do it right.

Wow - I have gone too far again, sorry if this is annoying.
Do the job step by step; it helps in the long run.

Get it done !
__________________
SandyB,
N1MAU/W1IO
NnF000@gmail.com

Do It Right The First Time !
 






Back
Top