Want to put some lights on the roof rack
Any suggestions how the wire it the best way
Basically I want cool ideas that some of you may be proud of
Thanks

 

Let me clearify
I can wire the lights the usual way
I want to know if there is a way to use the discos wiring keeping in mind that I have fog light on my brush guard operated with the discos fog light switch and wiring

 

I do not have a heated windshield but the wiring is there is there something that can be done with that for the lights
Thanks again

 

I used the stock fog light wiring for my hella 3000's on my front bumper and used the heated windshield wiring for the lights on my roof rack. you can splice into the fog light wiring and power your lights with no problem. OR you can cut the connectors off your windshield wiring, splice in your wires for the roof rack lights and run the wires under the black plastic piece that runs up the side of your windshield. I did this and it works, I dropped an inline fuse in and forgot about it. I have four hella 700's on my roof rack, two wired to the left side windshield wiring and two wired to the right side windshield wiring. I hit the windshield heater button and they turn on. The lights turn off after 5 minutes because the windshield heater is timed. I have read that you can change that but I have forgotten how exactly, may require a trip to the dealer and $150.

Many on this forum said my truck would burn to the ground doing this. it hasn't and won't. If you do this save yourself the frustration and don't announce it here.

 

Just because your truck hasn't burned to the ground doesn't mean one wont. It highly depends on the length of wire required as well as the lights used. That wiring is a very small gauge and I'm surprised you haven't had any issues. I tried to run 4 roof lights off of doubled up 12 gauge and it melted through.

The ONLY way I run aftermarket lights now is by hooking them up through a relay. I've got a single line of 8 gauge wire run all the way from my battery to my roof for when I decide to install lights again, if I do.

Yes, there is a chance you could be fin in using the wiring that is there. That said, it is not worth the risk considering you can pick up a relay and all the wiring you need for under $30 on Amazon. Also, if your truck does burn down because you used factory wiring that couldn't carry enough current, you'll be up sh*t creek because your insurance won't cover sh*t.

 

Ha, that was quick and predicted. Even got some expletives in that reply. For some reason this subject really gets under people's skin. No idea why. Thanks for chiming in Alex.

 

Admittedly, I use explicatives more than I should. Curse like a sailor. None the less, the reason it gets under peoples skin is because its dangerous. Nit only for the people in the automobile, but also for other motorists. Car fires lead to gasoline fires which lead to explosions. There's no sense in literally risking lives when you could simply spend an extra $30 and 30 minutes to know you're safe and that you're keeping the people around you safe.

I can't tell you all what to do at the end of the day, but with this being an open forum I can share with you all what I know and hope everyone makes their own informed decision. Hopefully the safe one.

 

"Nit only for the people in the automobile, but also for other motorists. Car fires lead to gasoline fires which lead to explosions. "

Now it's not just going to burn to the ground, but explode. Turning other vehicles and thier occupants into charcoal.


Again, thanks for chiming in Alex. Really.

 

Any time

 

Boys, boys, boys. Let's try to introduce some facts into this discussion.

First, according to the DII Electrical Library the heated front screen operates on two circuits (left and right), each with a 40A fuse (F7 and F8 in the engine compartment fuse box). Seems to me that step number one is to find out how many amps the roof rack lights will draw. If it's under 40A seems like you're good depending on what gauge wire you run from the cowl connectors to the roof rack. If they're over 40A perhaps you can split the setup and run 40A to each side.

Next up, however, is whether or not the heated front screen switch is present and operative. If you have the HFS switch that should mean you have the HFS installed. If not you'd need a momentary contact switch to install in the space where the HFS switch would otherwise be installed. There are some secondary lighting switches for the DII that might do the trick pretty neatly but it's probably unlikely it'd be plug and play. But splicing into the wiring is probably doable.

Next up you'd need to enable the HFS circuit in the BCU which can be done with an appropriate diagnostic device (probably a Nanocom or Hawkeye but I don't know for certain). And once that's done the DII Electrical Library goes on to say that "The momentary operation of the non-latching HFS switch, signals internal switches in the BCU to close. Electronics within the BCU holds the switches closed for a pre-determined period or until the HFS switch is pushed a second time." Who know's what the "pre-determined length of time is?

As tempting as it is to use the HFS wiring that is already right there is seems to me the better choice is to go with a separately-wired system that includes a dedicated relay and avoids the BCU. But that's just my two cents. Frank's no rookie here.