Stock Fog Light Toggle Switch

I am in the process of replacing my front bumper with an off-road bumper that I am fabbing up. I am deleting the stock fog lights that are in the bumper. However, I was wondering what I should with the switch in the dashboard. Should I use it as a toggle switch for something else? Would it be possible to run a pair of 55W off road lights off of the stock toggle and relay...Or would that be too much of a hassle? Just looking for some input because I would hate to waste the chance to add some more lights...especially if it was as simple as hooking up the new 55W to the existing wires.

-Rob

 

[Nixthebomb]

I would use the existing switches and wiring except, use the power to the lights for a relay, should work but never done such a thing, maybe someone else will chime in

 

[97sprt4x4]

i would do exactly what was suggested above. I would use the power from that to pop a new relay for your aftermarket lights. that way there is no way of things catching on fire.

justin

 

[slaughterrt]

So all I would have to do is run a relay between the existing fog light wire disconnect and the new fog lights?

 

[97sprt4x4]

yes you'd need to take the power from the stock relay to activate a new relay and the new lights would turn on.

Justin

 

[KPSquared]

Is the stock relay not big enough to handle 55 watt lights?

 

[97sprt4x4]

i'm not sure, i'm i think the stock ones are only 35 watts so i'm not sure.. but you could up the wire from the stock relay to the lights that would be an alternative

 

[slaughterrt]

So basically all I would have to do is find the stock relay (I know its posted on the board somewhere) and run higher gauge wire from the stock relay to the new relay? Then just wire in the 55 watters to the new relay?

 

[Bill Kemp]

So basically all I would have to do is find the stock relay (I know its posted on the board somewhere) and run higher gauge wire from the stock relay to the new relay? Then just wire in the 55 watters to the new relay?

No.
In this diagram of a wiring harness is a position on the relay that is for the switch. You would hook your fog light wire to that position on the relay(86). Therefore your fog button would activate the relay and turn on whatever lights you hooked up.
By wiring it this way 1. you get all the light available from the lamps because the power is comming direct from the battery and the new wires are probably bigger than the factory OEM. And 2. you are not stressing the OEM wires, that were marginal for 35 watt bulbs, by putting 55watt bulbs in the system.
For me it's mostly the brightness of the lights. Hook up 55 watt lights to the OEM system and you will get no more than about 42watts of light. Lots of power(volts) loss in OEM wiring.
I have been mentioning 55watt but this harness system will do 130+watts if you want. Just check the wire size info in the Wiring FAQs

 

[slaughterrt]

Thank you Bill. That diagram was extremely informative. One question...the wire hooking to 86 on the relay (the one to the source of switched 12V continuous control)...is that hooking up to the positive wires that were going to the stock lights (coming from the stock relay)...or is there more involved to it...say, going to the stock relay, or the switch itself?

 

[Bill Kemp]

Easy...just extend the + wire from one of the fog lights to the 86 terminal.

 

[slaughterrt]

Thanks again Bill. I am almost done with my offroad bumper...so I will be powering some 100W daylighters (instead of the 55watters) off the stock switch. I look forward to putting the daylighters on the bumper and hopefully it will go through without a hitch, thanks to you guys.

-rob