Called "Hella" b/c they're from HELL

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PKP80

PKP80

Joined
Nov 15, 2004
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336
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Location
Los Angeles, CA
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www.phipsi.net
I've had these 550 fog lights mounted in the rear of the truck for a while now and finally got around to doing a proper install in attempting to get them to work. followed the diagram below perfectly and the switch lights up, the lights just don't :frown: . Any ideas? you guys are good with the trouble shooting.

I have checked my grounds, pulled out one of the bulbs and took a look at it didn't look or sound like it needed to be replaced (can you tell by just looking and shaking like a normal light bulb?)

THanks in advance:grinpimp:
hella install.gif
 
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I'd start by making sure that individual components work. Remove a light, walk to the front of the truck, and (using jumpers or similar) connect it to the battery. If it works, the light is good. Do this for both.

Then use a test light on the switch and the relay. Confirm that juice is flowing when it's supposed to. It's easy to get the relay wrong. Might just check the relay first now that I think of it.

HTH
 
try a multimeter?
 
How'd you mount them? I'm thinking about something like this for my next project. The goal would be to provide some good quality area lighting, including lighting that would be nice for a tailgate/BBQ/campsite.

Pix?
 
Sam, I'm for shiat reading electrical diagrams. Do you have them hooked up 'legally' thru the light harness or direct to a power source? If the former, stupid question, but I'll ask - are your lights on?
 
:idea:
Brentbba said:
Sam, I'm for shiat reading electrical diagrams. Do you have them hooked up 'legally' thru the light harness or direct to a power source? If the former, stupid question, but I'll ask - are your lights on?
Click to expand...

tapped into the parking light so that I can use them w/out the lights on....b/c they are more for camp site side and rear use.... but yes they were on otherwise the switch light wouldn't have come on.


tech.Dog here's a pic....one on each side. they can be rotated 180deg. left to right and 90deg up and down. Useless if they don't work though. Till tomorrow.


Have a multi meter, but do not know how to use it yet....any good sites with instructions on how to check the stuff with the multi meter?:idea:
PICT0796 zoomed edit.webp
 
One other possibility - make sure you are tapped into the switched wire to your parking lights.
 
lovetoski said:
One other possibility - make sure you are tapped into the switched wire to your parking lights.
Click to expand...


Tapped into the Green wire of two on the PS parking light... assuming it is correct b/c the switch is lighting up on the dash....am I incorrect with that assumption?
 
Why wire that rediculous circuit that slaves the lights to other lights? Just hook the damn things up through a relay. My guess is you might have something wrong at the relay. Hook some jumpers directly from your battery to the lights-after removing them from the circuit- to test them individually.

-Spike
 
PKP80 said:
:idea:

Have a multi meter, but do not know how to use it yet....any good sites with instructions on how to check the stuff with the multi meter?:idea:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pix. You're going for the same results I'm thinking about.

On the multi-meter, there will be a dial where you can select the DC setting with various voltages. Choose the smallest DC setting that's greater than 12 volts, very likely 20 volts DC.

You can then go up and down your circuit and will either see 12.8 or so, or zero. That will tell you how far your positive feed is getting. If you get 12.8 or so at the light itself, then you know it's the ground.

To get the reading, hold the black lead of the meter on some raw metal on the chasis, and the red lead on the connection point you're testing.

Good luck,

T.
 
How are they grounded? If they are attached to the roof rack, and the ground is tied to the mount of the light bracket, I don't know how well of a ground you'd have through the plastic/rubber feet with just the mounting screws of the stock roof rack.
In your application, you should be running seperate ground wires to the negative terminal or a bolt on the body, that would be the best option for where you have the lights mounted.

What amp relay are you using and wattage of bulbs? And I assume you have checked the 15amp fuse?
 
-Spike- said:
Why wire that rediculous circuit that slaves the lights to other lights? Just hook the damn things up through a relay. My guess is you might have something wrong at the relay. Hook some jumpers directly from your battery to the lights-after removing them from the circuit- to test them individually.

-Spike
Click to expand...

They are hooked up through the hella relay....switched to the parking light turn on as a safety precaution in case a light is flipped on by accident in the day or something. Is there a way to over ride the relay? going to wire the lights directly to the battery tomorrow.

gbell210 said:
How are they grounded? If they are attached to the roof rack, and the ground is tied to the mount of the light bracket, I don't know how well of a ground you'd have through the plastic/rubber feet with just the mounting screws of the stock roof rack.
In your application, you should be running seperate ground wires to the negative terminal or a bolt on the body, that would be the best option for where you have the lights mounted.

What amp relay are you using and wattage of bulbs? And I assume you have checked the 15amp fuse?
Click to expand...


they were to the roof rack, but I did ground to the frame to check the ground, relay is the blue hella relay it came with, yes checked the 15amp fuse.
 
Yes, there are ways to bypass the slave mode. Run 12v from a fuse instead of the wire from the driving lights. The relay requires 12v to switch, it's getting the 12v from your driving light circuit. It's a very low-current load, so any 12v source will do. Source it from your lighter or radio power supply if you like, then the lights will only work if the key is turned on. I personally wouldn't want to be forced to have my driving lights on (or any lights) to use my off-road lights.

-Spike
 
I'll be checking in tomorrow having done all of the above.

hopefully
 
try dis...

If your putting on the back of the truck, no need to even use the relay or splice into the headlights... the relay & headlight splice is only needed when using with hi/low beam set upts... i.e. ligts kick off when hi beams are engaged...anywho... ditch the relay & wire direct to battery with a fuse & a switch.... therfore you dont need the key on to use...hence not wasting more battery life, etc... just mho...
 
You don't even need a MM for this.

When the switch lights up, the relay doesn't click, does it? If not, you have a bad ground on the relay, a bad relay, or (most likely) you have the yellow and ground reversed on the switch. With that circuit, you can actually be grounding the switch no - relay clicky, but yes- switch light. Hella relays activated, you can hear and feel them turn 'on'.

Me, I'd disconnect your existing wire to Relay pin 86, take a temp wire from pin 30 (12v + battery feed is now on pin 30 and 86 of relay) and jump to pin 86 (12v + relay feed). Lights? Dyslexia on yellow and ground at switch = Double grounding relay - no clicky.

Scott Justusson
 
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For high amp devices like halogen lights you REALLY need to have a large gage ground wire for each light, going to a good body ground. 12 AWG or larger is best. The OEM roof rack is very inadequate for electrical grounding. Check with a meter to be absolutely sure there is nearly zero resistance in these circuits.

Get that fixed before pursuing anything else.

The cheap Hellas suck IMHO. I went through many sets of 550s before I gave up on them. I have a compact Hella 35 watt back-up floodlight that is pretty good though. I think it would be a more suitable choice for your type of application for general campside illumination.

At least the lenses will be fairly safe from rocks up there. Just don't go under any low branches - the lights look extremely vulnerable where you have them located! The glass is crystal and it breaks VERY easily. Maybe some clear urethane headlight protector film would be a smart move while they are still in good shape. And those plastic covers won't stay on forever mounted sideways and down - expect to replace them often.

John Davies
Spokane WA
 
protection for the lights is there, and they are tucked very easily. been through many a trail with no real trouble thank god. I'm going to try the different recommendations above once I get home from work and let you all know how it turns out, keep them coming though...

S
 
when i bought my 500's the relay was s*** on it and did not work. hope bypassing the relay works for you
 
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