Discovery I Talk about the Land Rover Discovery Series I within.

Hella 500FF question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #21  
Old 09-20-2011, 11:48 AM
fishEH's Avatar
Camel Trophy
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lake Villa, IL
Posts: 4,079
Received 226 Likes on 195 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by turf63
No. I didn't/dont think there would be a time I'd want one and not the other on. At any rate I'm going to the wrecker soon for some new wheels. When I get there I'll also get a real fog switch, wire the lights right, and solder them.
I follow everyone's advice on here on the hardware, why wouldn't infor the electrical, especially since I know less about electrical. ::SIGH:: so for a real switch done the right way I need power coming into the switch to light it. PLUS power from the battery or just a ground? The power to light it I need to pull from somewhere where power is only on when the headlights are on. Fish, you've wired a ton of fog lights. Where do I pull that accessory power from?

I would strongly urge you to reconsider having your front lights tied into your rear fogs. The only time you really want your rear fogs on are in fog, dusty road being followed by someone, or maybe when backing as added light. I use my front lights about 10 times more often than my rear fogs. Not to mention tying them together actually complicates things, not simplifies them. But I digress.

For a stock switch you will use 4 of 5 pins. I already outlined them previously.
For the backlight you will want to tap into a parking lamp wire, or even into the backlight power for a neighboring switch. You want your backlight to come on when your parking lamps are on as well as your headlights.

When wiring switches, especially more than one, some 4 flat trailing wire is your friend. Keeps everything nice and tight.
 
  #22  
Old 09-20-2011, 12:00 PM
turf63's Avatar
Recovery Vehicle
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Boston
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 0
Received 23 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

Ugh, so much to deal with. I dont have 4 flat trailing wire. I also dont even have the fittings to shrink wrap anything. (btw can you do that with a lighter or do you need a heat gun), also, if i do shrink wrap my connections, do i still have to solder them? And how come it's ok to tap into the power supply from a neighboring switch for accessory light but i can't tap into the rear fogs for control? Damn you and "doing it the right way", but i guess i gotta learn. Maybe ignorance isnt bliss
 
  #23  
Old 09-20-2011, 03:02 PM
fishEH's Avatar
Camel Trophy
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lake Villa, IL
Posts: 4,079
Received 226 Likes on 195 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by turf63
Ugh, so much to deal with. I dont have 4 flat trailing wire. I also dont even have the fittings to shrink wrap anything. (btw can you do that with a lighter or do you need a heat gun), also, if i do shrink wrap my connections, do i still have to solder them? And how come it's ok to tap into the power supply from a neighboring switch for accessory light but i can't tap into the rear fogs for control? Damn you and "doing it the right way", but i guess i gotta learn. Maybe ignorance isnt bliss
You don't NEED four flat trailer wire, it was just a tip. However, you don't want to use the stranded wire for your house either. Any hardware or auto parts store will have automotive wire. Stop by a Harbor Freight and pick up a $10 heat gun and some cheap heat shrink tubing. A butane lighter will work well in place of a heat gun. I like to have control over my lights. That means wiring them into pairs of two and pulling power straight from the battery via an aftermarket fuse box. I can turn on any one of my three pairs of lights independently of eachother. I can also turn them on with the truck off and no key in the ignition. Again, the control factor.
There's a reason these trucks came with one switch for the front Fogs and another for the rear.
The backlight is just a backlight. It's doesn't draw a lot. Plus you want it to light up when you turn your parking lamps on so you'll have to tap into something that is hooked to the parking lamps.
You CAN tap into whatever power you want for the main supply for your lights. I just wouldn't do it. Wiring your truck accessories and lights well will require a bit of time and money. You'll be thankful down the road when you don't have a birdnest of wires.
 
  #24  
Old 09-20-2011, 10:22 PM
ValveCoverGasket's Avatar
Winching
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: northwest
Posts: 600
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by turf63
also, if i do shrink wrap my connections, do i still have to solder them?
yes!

or use one of these (like i mentioned earlier) and skip the solder/shrink tubing altogether - as it seems youre sort of in a rush to get this done ha

 
  #25  
Old 09-21-2011, 08:43 AM
turf63's Avatar
Recovery Vehicle
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Boston
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 0
Received 23 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

are those vampire clips? im not in a rush, theyre wired, but i will do it right
 
  #26  
Old 09-21-2011, 11:45 AM
ValveCoverGasket's Avatar
Winching
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: northwest
Posts: 600
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by turf63
are those vampire clips? im not in a rush, theyre wired, but i will do it right
yes they are
theyre still ghetto, but much less so than what you were trying to do earlier
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Paul Grant
Retired - Private For Sale/Trade Classifieds
1
09-30-2011 12:30 PM
ColoDisco
Discovery I
2
03-08-2011 10:45 PM
catchthebig1
Retired - Private 'Wanted' Classifieds
0
10-12-2010 11:46 PM
catchthebig1
Discovery II
3
10-11-2010 06:18 AM
03discoman
Discovery II
1
07-09-2010 04:48 AM



Quick Reply: Hella 500FF question



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:56 AM.