i know old thread, but did anyone ever answer the original question? Tap into red and white stripe, or red and yellow? Which is hot?
Off Road/driving lights wiring question
- Thread starter TEXLEX450
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Not to take away from the time and energy put in to creating the various wiring harnesses available, but
post #17. The best way to preserve factory circuit load and the harness thereof, imo.
Also provides total control of the circuit and enables circuit isolation for troubleshooting in the event of a failure (failure of it, or something else).
Murphys Mod'd Vehicle law states that all troubleshooting must occur in the middle of nowhere, when time is of essence, and when it's least convenient to do so. lol
So I 'KISS' mods in that knowledge hoping it pays off in the long term.
post #17. The best way to preserve factory circuit load and the harness thereof, imo.
Also provides total control of the circuit and enables circuit isolation for troubleshooting in the event of a failure (failure of it, or something else).
Murphys Mod'd Vehicle law states that all troubleshooting must occur in the middle of nowhere, when time is of essence, and when it's least convenient to do so. lol
So I 'KISS' mods in that knowledge hoping it pays off in the long term.
The complete electrical wiring diagram is available for you to download in the resources section. Lots of good information there for you. Free fer nothin.
I have a, to me, more complicated question. I have an 80 series. I just bought knockoff Baja Design 7inch rounds. I plan on wiring 6 amber and 2 white on the front of my Rig.
90w x 8 front facing lights
6 amber (540watts)
2 white (180 watts) for a total of 720 watts.
I want to trigger this 720 watt system off of my high beam switch in my truck. However, here’s where it gets confusing for me.
I also have an 8 gang switch pro knock off similar to the AuxBeam kit sold on Amazon. Wired up to it I have my:
1) amber front (6 Baja style 7 inch rounds)
2) white front (2 Baja style 7 inch rounds)
3) ditch light pods
4) light bar (28 inch)
5) side shooters left (4 inch bar)
6) side shooters right (4 inch bar)
7) rear shooters (potentially to become double switched for reverse trigger???
8) auxiliary fan.
Here is my question:
1) how do I use my 8 gang selector panel for the front facing lights off of the auxbeam switch panel.
More complicated layer… how would I use sed panel as a selector switch ONLY for those forward lights and not the remaining lights or aux fan? the goal here being triggering aux lights off of high beam switch without burning up my harness or starting a fire.
please be nice, I’m incredibly clueless about wiring. So diagrams and parts would be helpful for me and I’m sure many others.
90w x 8 front facing lights
6 amber (540watts)
2 white (180 watts) for a total of 720 watts.
I want to trigger this 720 watt system off of my high beam switch in my truck. However, here’s where it gets confusing for me.
I also have an 8 gang switch pro knock off similar to the AuxBeam kit sold on Amazon. Wired up to it I have my:
1) amber front (6 Baja style 7 inch rounds)
2) white front (2 Baja style 7 inch rounds)
3) ditch light pods
4) light bar (28 inch)
5) side shooters left (4 inch bar)
6) side shooters right (4 inch bar)
7) rear shooters (potentially to become double switched for reverse trigger???
8) auxiliary fan.
Here is my question:
1) how do I use my 8 gang selector panel for the front facing lights off of the auxbeam switch panel.
More complicated layer… how would I use sed panel as a selector switch ONLY for those forward lights and not the remaining lights or aux fan? the goal here being triggering aux lights off of high beam switch without burning up my harness or starting a fire.
please be nice, I’m incredibly clueless about wiring. So diagrams and parts would be helpful for me and I’m sure many others.
You need 8 relays. Each will be enabled (turned on) by either a signal from the switch panel, or from one of the high-beam circuits. Play with a relay, one light and the switch panel on your bench so you know how they work before you try to install them. It's not so complicated, but best if you know 100% how it all works before trying to wire them up.
To answer the original question, it does not matter which side, L or R, of the high beams. They both connect to the same circuit and the relay draws negligible additional power from that circuit.
To answer the original question, it does not matter which side, L or R, of the high beams. They both connect to the same circuit and the relay draws negligible additional power from that circuit.
BTW, an 80 series probably has a 90a alternator stock with a max draw of about 55a. 720w is 60a, so you probably want to upgrade your alternator if you're really going to use those lights with any regularity.
wow, that's a s***load of lights. have you figured out how you are going to run all those wires from the engine bay to the roof? the auxbeam does make it easier as you won't need to pass so many wires into the cabin. i can't decipher exactly which aux lights you want to be high beam switched...all 8? ditch lights? light bar?
as far as i can tell, you have all the relays you need for a basic on/off setup in your auxbeam. hook light pos wire to proper wire on auxbeam relay box. neg wire to wherever it tells you to (back to relay box or ground close to light both are options).
if you want the lights to be high beam switched, or reverse light switched, you have more work to do and additional relays to add. the factory wiring you'll tap into to use as high beam or reverse triggers will only be used as signal wires, so if you do it right there is nothing to worry about regarding burning up the wires as they won't see the current. you'll get to learn all about pos vs neg grounds and pos vs neg switches. i have this all diagrammed out somewhere, but i can't find it at the moment.
this is quite a project for someone clueless about wiring. i found all the info i needed on here; either threads or wiring diagrams. i suggest you print out copies of the headlight page, and then sketch out on paper how you want to wire up you aux lights using similar concepts. i look back at wiring jobs i did when i was new to this and shudder. too many s***ty crimps, electrical tape, and bad grounds.
as far as i can tell, you have all the relays you need for a basic on/off setup in your auxbeam. hook light pos wire to proper wire on auxbeam relay box. neg wire to wherever it tells you to (back to relay box or ground close to light both are options).
if you want the lights to be high beam switched, or reverse light switched, you have more work to do and additional relays to add. the factory wiring you'll tap into to use as high beam or reverse triggers will only be used as signal wires, so if you do it right there is nothing to worry about regarding burning up the wires as they won't see the current. you'll get to learn all about pos vs neg grounds and pos vs neg switches. i have this all diagrammed out somewhere, but i can't find it at the moment.
this is quite a project for someone clueless about wiring. i found all the info i needed on here; either threads or wiring diagrams. i suggest you print out copies of the headlight page, and then sketch out on paper how you want to wire up you aux lights using similar concepts. i look back at wiring jobs i did when i was new to this and shudder. too many s***ty crimps, electrical tape, and bad grounds.
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Thank you guys for the useful info!! Do you have a suggestion as to which relays should be used given this specific application?
What’s the technique for signal wiring as it pertains to this application? Am I daisy Chaining these solenoids and separating out the primary hot leads from fused battery connections? Individually? Or one large one? Haha you can tell I have limited understanding. So I’m sorry if I’m asking too much in way of specifics.
What’s the technique for signal wiring as it pertains to this application? Am I daisy Chaining these solenoids and separating out the primary hot leads from fused battery connections? Individually? Or one large one? Haha you can tell I have limited understanding. So I’m sorry if I’m asking too much in way of specifics.
any standard automotive 12V relay is fine. you run the load or light through terminals marked 30 and 87, and the switch activates/excites the coil through terminals 86 and 85.
i don't believe the auxbeam has a provision for signal wires, as the SwitchPros does. that one comes ready to accept either high (+12v) or low (-gnd) triggers, so you can tap those wires direct to the high beam or reverse circuits and job is done. With the auxbeam you'll need to add relays in-line on the +12v wires in the engine bay to interrupt power.
For the reverse lights, you tap into the wire after the stock reverse light switch and connect it to terminal 86. 85 connect a ground. 12v from the aux beam connects to 87, and 30 goes to your light. light you ground locally (or run back to auxbeam box if you desire). If you did it right, the aux reverse lights will only turn on once two conditions are met: trans in R AND auxbeam switch on.
High beams are more tricky as the stock high beams are always hot. So you'll add a relay with terminal 87 from the auxbeam and 30 to your aux lights. Terminal 86 you'll connect a high beam wire and 85 to anything +12v, ideally the backside of the tail relay. This now requires three conditions: high beam switch on or flash, headlight switch in park or on, and auxbeam switch on.
double check my work, as my memory on the high beam side is very rusty
i don't believe the auxbeam has a provision for signal wires, as the SwitchPros does. that one comes ready to accept either high (+12v) or low (-gnd) triggers, so you can tap those wires direct to the high beam or reverse circuits and job is done. With the auxbeam you'll need to add relays in-line on the +12v wires in the engine bay to interrupt power.
For the reverse lights, you tap into the wire after the stock reverse light switch and connect it to terminal 86. 85 connect a ground. 12v from the aux beam connects to 87, and 30 goes to your light. light you ground locally (or run back to auxbeam box if you desire). If you did it right, the aux reverse lights will only turn on once two conditions are met: trans in R AND auxbeam switch on.
High beams are more tricky as the stock high beams are always hot. So you'll add a relay with terminal 87 from the auxbeam and 30 to your aux lights. Terminal 86 you'll connect a high beam wire and 85 to anything +12v, ideally the backside of the tail relay. This now requires three conditions: high beam switch on or flash, headlight switch in park or on, and auxbeam switch on.
double check my work, as my memory on the high beam side is very rusty