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Basic lighting wiring question

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Old Dec 15, 2011 | 05:31 PM
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ebg18t's Avatar
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Rock Crawling
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From: Northern Vermont
Default Basic lighting wiring question

Please pardon the basic question. I am looking to add 2 sets of piaa lights. My plan is to wire them into a seperate 1 oem switch on the dash.

I was looking at adding a blusea weather resistant fuse block at the battery for these and a Seperate relay. I am confused on how to properly wire everything.

If I run the battery to the seperate fuse block. The run the wiring from the light to the relay. From the relay to the switch and the relay to fuse block?

I am asking as I want the install lean and safe. I have never done this but want to learn the right way.

Thanks
 
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Old Dec 15, 2011 | 07:47 PM
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From: Central Illinois
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The key is to know the contacts on the relay. Run one wire from the battery to the relay and from the relay to the lights (put the fuse between battery and relay). Then you need to run another wire from a fused source, Like the actual fuse box, choose the source considering if you want the lights to be able to turn on only with ignition on, or accesories, or always available, that wire goes to the switch and then to the relay. If you use a wire from the low bean maain lights to feed the switch, then your extra lights will only come on while the low bean is on.
Ask again if you need more details.
 

Last edited by leadfoot; Dec 15, 2011 at 07:54 PM.
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Old Dec 16, 2011 | 05:43 AM
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Rock Crawling
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Thank you for the diagram. If I want the lights to only operate when the truck is on, where would be the best place to tap for that? I don't really want then tied to low/high beam usage.
 
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Old Dec 17, 2011 | 09:55 PM
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Keep in mind that the switch is only getting a signal, very low current. The actual load is handled by the relay dierectly from the battery. With that said, then look in the fuse box for the fuse to anything that only works when ignition on, then connect to that wire. For example, the windows energy line. You want to tap into any wire that is energized when ignition on.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2011 | 05:06 PM
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From: Northern Vermont
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Originally Posted by leadfoot
Keep in mind that the switch is only getting a signal, very low current. The actual load is handled by the relay dierectly from the battery. With that said, then look in the fuse box for the fuse to anything that only works when ignition on, then connect to that wire. For example, the windows energy line. You want to tap into any wire that is energized when ignition on.
Oh. That makes sense and makes it easier than I thought it would be. Thanks again.
 
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