Aux light wiring question Hella 500s

[Sloan]

I picked up a set of these the other day and the combination of crappy wiring digrams and my lack of experience with wiring isn't going well. Here is my question, from the relay they have 1 red wire coming from the battery, 1 split black wire going to the lights, 1 blue wire as the ground from the relay, and one yellow wire going to the dash for the switch. Now from the switch they show wire going into the factory wiring for the high beams which I am not going to do. The question is this leaves only 1 wire going from the relay to the switch, does this make a circuit? Also on the switch there are 2 other blades one of which is marked for a ground, should I make a ground from the switch to the body even though the instructions don't show it? Hope that wasn't to confusing, any input is greatlly appreciated. BTW I got the 500s because that was the largest light I could put on the bull bar with an 8274 winch without the getting in the way of the headlights.

[Doc]

For the switch in the cab you'll want one wire going to the relay, one going to ground, and one going to a power source. What power source is up to you. If you want to be able to trun the lights on with the motor turned off (not a great idea in my opinion) run that wire to a constant power source. If you want to have the lights available only when the car is running, run the power wire to a 'switched' power source. You'll need to buy a circuit tester to find one in the fuse box.

[Waggoner5]

On most relays there are 4 posts. Some have 5 with the 5th being right in the middle.
Here a pinout:

85 gnd
86 12from switched source
87 12 main power in from battery
30 to lights

87A is the pin in the middle if you have one. It is the normally closed posistion on the relay and will have 12 power coming out when pin 87 has 12v, and no power is present at pin 86.
It will turn off when power is applied to pin 86. There are many ways to wire a relay to do many different things, but this is a standard pinout to activate high power devices, lights, etc., from a low power source.

[Mike S]

One wirw will make a circuit if the ground is through the chassis. I installed my Hella 500's using the high beam activation, but there is a wiring diagram showing set up for switch activation only. I took power from the battery directly.

For the switch, I just drilled out a blank switch filler plate, mounted the Hella mii rocker on the plate, and mounted it in the empty spot next to the dash light ajustment knob. There is a grommet on the driver side firewall - high up, and I routed through that.

Mike S

[Benji]

Just went through the same truble with the Hella 500s and their crap diagram.

This is what I did and I like the set up a lot. Granted I had a little help from a local shop.

Switch: wire to relay and find a ground source. I opted to put the power sorce for the switch into the parking light lead under the steering column. This way I can have the lights turned on with the parking lights or low or high beams on (greater versitiliy). This configuration does not allow the switch to get power unless the key is on and your able to access your parking lights.

Relay: (this is were th shop came in handy cause chit was not working. The black split goes to the lights and the relay. Connect the relay to the battery (red). The shop suggested splitting the blue ground into the power (red). It worked, don't really know why or if it's the best configuration, but hey, the lights work.

BTW, if I have not already mention, I think the switch configuration really gives me total control over when I want to use my driving lights.

Good luck.

If you need pictures, I can get them to you tomorrow (fri).

[lovetoski]

I set up my driving lights just like Benji did with the switched wire spliced into the parking lights. Very versatile, the only way to go IMHO.

[fj40crusher]

I did the same thing with my Hella's (which I don't really like, just not bright enough).

Their diagram did suck. My problem was the switch, didn't know what was on or off when I wired it up. Took me a while trouble shooting when they didn't work. Checked everything but the switch. Turns out the switch was wired in upside down

Wiring to the highbeams is nice for on the road driving since you can turn everything down with the flip of a switch. I didn't do it but I can see the advantages.

[Sloan]

Should I wire the ground from the light into the light's mounting bolt or run it back and attach it to the frame/bull bar mounting bolts? Also which one is the parking lights lead?Also what do you mean by split the ground and ran it back into the red wire or power lead?

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by fj40crusher

I did the same thing with my Hella's (which I don't really like, just not bright enough)...

I replaced the stock bulbs with 130 watt bulbs. Big improvement. 'Course, I'll have to shut them off when I make a water crossing... Cost about $4 IIRC.

Mike S

[Benji]

Originally Posted by Sloan

Should I wire the ground from the light into the light's mounting bolt or run it back and attach it to the frame/bull bar mounting bolts? Also which one is the parking lights lead?Also what do you mean by split the ground and ran it back into the red wire or power lead?

I grounded my lights on some screws inside the engine compartment, forgot exactly what. I had the shop find my parking light lead. It is under the steering column. I could look at it tonigh and try and describe it with a pic. And the ground wire is literally split into the red power wire. It works so what the hell. I'll try and get pics tonigh. Hang tight till then.

ben

[Charlie]

Key thing to remember about your Toyota wiring. It's negative switched. Your wiring diagram for your Hella's is for positive switching. You have to reverse your way of thinking. Nice thing about negative switching is if your wiring goes to ground your device just comes on, Positive switching......hey what's that smell????? smoke .........or blown fuses.
If you lose your ground connection, the device won't work (Easier to troubleshoot)

Here's a little secret about those Hella, a 130watt bulb will fit in them if you file off the tab. Did it about five years ago on my TJ and never had a problem . Watch out for those black and whites if you tye to your high beams to the Hellas, they get grouchy about bright lights

Also, I have the Hella headlight upgrades, but I went to a 85 watt Blue Bulb (Sylvania) and it's great

good luck and light them up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike S]

[quote=Charlie]
Here's a little secret about those Hella, a 130watt bulb will fit in them if you file off the tab. Did it about five years ago on my TJ and never had a problem . Watch out for those black and whites if you tye to your high beams to the Hellas, they get grouchy about bright lights
[quote]

The H3 130W bulbs that I used slipped right into the Hella 500's without alteration.

The way I did the wiring, they are switched from a dedicated (lighted) switch on the dash, but only come on if the high beams are on. This makes mounting the relay near the battery with a dedicated direct power connection (#10 wire) from the battery, through the relay, to the lights easy. They can then be controlled from the high beam lever - on or off. Grounded the lights on the frame, inside the engine compartment.

Like the Hella headlights, also, which I run in stock configuration so that I am within the law.

MIKE S

[Nepalm]

I'm wiring my Hellas this week and would love to see a photo of the parking light lead. Any help would be much appreciated.

[lovetoski]

Originally Posted by Nepalm

I'm wiring my Hellas this week and would love to see a photo of the parking light lead. Any help would be much appreciated.

I don't have time to do the photo...but it's easy to describe. There is a two-wire leg off the front headlight harness that goes to the parking lights. One of these two wires is hot when the parking lights are on (don't remember which one - either consult a wiring diagram, or just use a simple electrical testor - the kind where a light glows when you touch a current). Connect your switched wire the the hot side of the parking light circut - voila!

[Nepalm]

Great, thanks. So I don't have to mess with any wires under the steering column?

[SwampYankee88]

Nope!

I just put the same Hella 500's on my 62 - it was actually quite easy, even with the crappy directions and my lack of electrical skills (to say the least). The only thing I did under/near the steering column was to bring the wiring through the firewall and mount the on/off switch on my dash (I found a hole used by some other wires and pulled them through). You don't have to connect to any of the wires under the steering column or in the fuse box area.

Good luck!

[FJKai]

Sorry for the hi-jack, but you guys that upgraded to the 130w bulbs, did you change anything in the wiring for them? I just tried the 130w's and they burnt out a cheesy in line 15a fuse (i think it was from the hella wiring kit). Anyway, any advice on how to run them would be appreciated (hella 500's, relay & switch). Oh yeah, got a set of hella fogs too, can I also run 130w's in those (separate relay & switch)? Thanks