wiring fog lamps

[kbauer110]

bought some cheap fog lights from autozone and I dont know where the best place to run the hot wire to the switch is and do i need a relay even thought i am just using the switch provided to turn them on and off?

 

[yavapaires]

I took the lower trim panel (under the steering wheel) off and found a wire hot with the key on. I spliced into the wire, and through a fuse, ran to the fog light switch. I mounted my switch in the front (removable) part of the center console. I used the lighted rocker switch that came with the lights. Here it is convenient, easy to reach, and the lighted switch does not create too much glare.

 

[BigRondo]

I would highly recommend using a relay! Improper wiring can have catastrophic results. Click here for an example.

I have my lights wired so that they can only come on with the parking lights and I have a switch also so I can shut them off when the parking lights are on. I picked up the relay and the switch at Radio Shack. Click here for the relay. Click here for the switch.

This is the diagram I used for wiring my lights. The relay is triggered by the parking lights, turning on my aux lights, and the switch allows me to turn off the lights:

Have you checked out this sticky?: How to: Auxilary/offroad lites

Hope this helps out!! :biggthump

 

[kbauer110]

well i was just gonna wire them straight from the switch to the lights and not worry about wiring into the parking lights. is that gonna cause problems? Thats the way the instructions that came with the lights told me to do it.

 

[BigRondo]

Like I said, I recommend the use of a relay. When using a relay, something has to trigger the relay. I chose the parking lights. This ensures that I don't leave the fog lights on because when the parking lights are turned off, the relay is no longer triggered and the fog lights shut off.

 

[kbauer110]

Ok but what if I want the headlights on and the fog lights. Because my parking lights arent on when the headlights are on. And where would I put my relay and how would I wire all this to the relay?

 

[BigRondo]

In that case, terminal 86 on the relay would go to the headlights. Check diagram above.

Check out this sticky: How to: Auxilary/offroad lites

 

[kbauer110]

Or could I wire it to where if the ignition switch is on the lights can be on but if the ignition switch is off then the lights cant be turned on?

 

[Bill Kemp]

Cheap lights dont include relays, Why? Because they are cheap lights.
Without a relay they will look like cheap lights as they will be much dimmer/wimpy.
If hooked to the parking light circut they will NOT go off when you turn your headlights on. Bright or dim. On all cars the parking lights are on all the time any lights are on.
Big Rondo has given you the best way to hook them up......

 

[BigRondo]

Bump................for an update?

 

[mr cribb]

Well I can tell you DO NOT use the parking light as the trigger to power on the fog lights... I burned up my headlight switch, so bad that the plastic connector had melted, granted this took 8 months of continuous use to do so. I wound up pulling a headlight switch and as much of the wiring as I could from a junkyard and re-spliced my headlight switch.... what a PITA!!!

I was attempting to make it look and operate like the limited models, however every Limited model I look at in the junkyard DOES NOT have a relay for the fog lights.... so how on earth are they wired up and not causing problems?

My truck has NO relays whatsoever in the under hood fuse block.... this is kinda puzzling.

 

[ncranchero]

My fogs have been triggered by the parking circuit for over 3 years now, no problems. A relay won't even draw an amp, usually less than .5 amp, to power the internal coil. If a relay burned up your headlight switch you must have used a mutha of a relay. Common 15A-25A relays won't do that.

 

[mr cribb]

My fogs have been triggered by the parking circuit for over 3 years now, no problems. A relay won't even draw an amp, usually less than .5 amp, to power the internal coil. If a relay burned up your headlight switch you must have used a mutha of a relay. Common 15A-25A relays won't do that.

*** I DID NOT use a relay, I hard wired the fogs, to draw power from the parking light via 20a inline fuse.

 

[Bill Kemp]

*** I DID NOT use a relay, I hard wired the fogs, to draw power from the parking light via 20a inline fuse.

And thats why your switch burned out.

 

[mr cribb]

And thats why your switch burned out.

yes sir, I admitted that in post number 11.... ugh I'm such a D***A**!!!

 

[ncranchero]

yes sir, I admitted that in post number 11.... ugh I'm such a D***A**!!!

and we all live and learn ..............hopefully!

I misunderstood your post above.

 

[Bill Kemp]

My truck has NO relays whatsoever in the under hood fuse block.... this is kinda puzzling.

You have a number of relays in your X. Easy way to find them is have a helper turn things on while you listen under the hood for the relay clicking on & off.

I've burned up a toggle swith or two before I discovered the need for a relay.

 

[mr cribb]

You have a number of relays in your X. Easy way to find them is have a helper turn things on while you listen under the hood for the relay clicking on & off.

I've burned up a toggle swith or two before I discovered the need for a relay.

I will look later today, it's kinda chilly this morning.

I'd swear that there was only blade style fuses in my underhood fuseblock.

 

[BigRondo]

Jeremy, check your PM.

 

[kidd666]

so if you were to wire them up with a relay do you need a toggle switch too or could you just have them turn on with your parking lights?