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PIAA 520 install question

Paraphoe

Go big or go home
Elite Explorer
Joined
July 26, 2004
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City, State
Willow Grove, PA
Year, Model & Trim Level
'97 XLT
I installed my 520 SMRs over the weekend, and I currently have it set up so that the switch is under the hood and always on. They're hooked up to my brights, so its not as if I can't turn them off. I just want to know how you guys have run the wiring with the switch into the truck through the firewall. Is there an easy way to do it, or is there going to be drilling involved?

And BTW, I love the lights. Thanks again to those who helped me out with the buy.
 



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There's a big rubber grommit driver-side behind the e-brake. Most people use that.
 






Thanks, I'll check that out. If anyone else has done it any other way, feel free to add.
 






thats the best way
 






I concur
 






Bump. I'm re-wiring my PIAAs tommorrow, and I want to make sure I'm doing this right. I've got it hooked to the battery, and the 'switch' wire I had spliced into my high beam wire, so they come on with my high beams. I would like to change this, so they're just independant lights, have power to them, and can be turned on and off at will (with the on/off button switch moved into the cabin). So, once I remove the wire that was spliced into the high beam wire, where exactly do I connect it? To the battery, or just to any other 12v powered wire, correct?

Thanks.
 






most PIAA light kits come with a pre wired harness for the switch.. what color was the wire you cut? and where was it coming from on them?
 






Oh man, I have NO clue. I last fiddled with this last October. :confused:
 






well just wire it up to a switch, not that hard
 






I don't know how many amps your light pulls maybe 30? In your wiring kit the power wiring probably goes to a relay fiist so not to burn up the switch and then to the switch. Take the power wire going to relay that was to high beams and wire to the battery. You dont want run to any 12 wire that is hot, it might not be large enough to handle the amps. If you have an accesory relay wire to that.
 






There is a couple of ways to do what you want. Useing a test light, find which wire that runs to the windshield wiper motor (motor is on the firewall drivers side) is hot when you turn the key on. Splice into that wire with the wire you had spliced into the high beams.
Or use an "add-a-circut" gizzmo that plugs into the interior fuse box. Find a fuse that is hot when you turn the key on, plug in the gizzmo and splice the wire(the one you had goingto the H/L) into the "add-a-circut" gizzmo. (autozone/pepboys have the gizzmo)
Sounds like you have it hooked up fine right now and you only need to move the wire, going to the headlights, that activates the switch.
Let us know how it comes out. Pics would be good also.
Did you find the gromet under the dash to pass the wires into the interior?
 






Thanks a bunch for the help. I'll try to splice into the windshield wiper wire. And yes, I have found the gromet. I'm gonna try to get all this done this morning. Pictures of the lights are up on my cardomain (link in siggy), but I'll try to take some pics of the wiring and get them up here. :thumbsup:
 






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