Switch Panel / Switchpros Install Underhood Tap Points (1 Viewer)

[TeCKis300]

Lots of people have installed these but I couldn't find a good reference as to where to tap for various things underhood. Here's my attempt to document some of the more common taps and triggers. Including a much wanted stock fog light override function.

I'm using a 1/4" gland fitting to route wires into the fuse box. Working well in the location nearest to where I've mounted the Switchpros vertically on the inner fender behind this box.

I only used a few of the following tap points, and I'm happy to help consolidate points others may have used as a reference.

1) Ignition switched +12V trigger
2) Parking light switched +12V trigger
3) Fog stalk switch, active on Gnd
4) Power Fog lights directly +12V

Additional tap references
5) Backup light trigger, here, and here

 

[TeCKis300]

Notes on stock fog light control with the SwitchPros. Which is also discussed in more depth here

Stock logic for fogs
- Comes on only with headlights
- Does not stay on with high-beams

I don't like either limitation and want to override that logic.

Using a SwitchPros switch, I can have the fogs work independently. Yet still have fogs controllable by the OEM stalk switch with stock behavior. This style of integration further allows SwitchPros to always know the state of the fogs. It has full authority to turn on, but also off. Refer to same picture in first post above for wire tap locations.
1) Take out stock FR FOG relay
2) Tap FR Fog #3 with desired switch power wire
3) Tap FR Fog #1 with Switchpros pink trigger wire
4) Setup trigger active on ground, to turn on switch in #2

A simplier way if one doesn't want the switchpros to know state and have override turn-off functions... leave stock relay in place and just drive FR Fog #3 with whatever channel to power on at will. No need for the pink trigger wire allowing it to be used for other triggers.

 

[TeCKis300]

@CharlieS I think you said you're triggering off reverse, probably to turn on rear auxillary lighting?

Got any hints on where you're tapping for that trigger? I'm still installing other circuits and may want to do the same.

 

[CharlieS]

@CharlieS I think you said you're triggering off reverse, probably to turn on rear auxillary lighting?

Got any hints on where you're tapping for that trigger? I'm still installing other circuits and may want to do the same.

Yes, you are correct. I'm tapping into the wire that comes out of the trailer harness reverse relay behind the glovebox. I tapped into the blue wire coming out of pin 13

 

[TeCKis300]

^That's easier than I thought. Thanks for that.

 

[tincan45]

Genius fog relay! This is going on the to-do list. I just wish this knowledge existed when I was wiring my dc/dc power under the hood I would have run a few extra wires back up front (SP is in the back).

 

[TeCKis300]

I should have gotten the SwtichPros long before. Expensive for what feels like fancy power buttons, but it does much more for a comprehensive solution. Low voltage disconnect, fused power, internal relay logic, Bluetooth control, voltage monitoring, to name a few.

If it helps anyone planning, here's how I mapped out the buttons on my SwitchPros. It was a pain with the instructions to correlate between button position, switch circuit #, wire color, and this map helped tremendously as a single point of reference. Also added detail to know if I needed a wire routed to the underhood fuse box.

 

[CharlieS]

Is your rear power running through a relay triggered by the switchpros?

 

[TeCKis300]

Is your rear power running through a relay triggered by the switchpros?

Yeah, reconfigured the cargo power ports to run from the SwitchPros. I used to have it running from a Victron Battery Protect. Power panel had a manual power switch. SwitchPros has both functions so it was nice to be able to consolidate.

 

[TeCKis300]

Added rear fogs by putting a bulb in the factory rear fog housing. I did this to my 4Runner over a decade ago and it was the same process. The fog fixture/housing is fully baked with internal chromed reflectors, vents, etc., but just without the socket and bulb fitted. Or stalk switch and wiring.

This can be done multiple ways.

1) Fog only. Use 7440 socket and bulb
2) Combined fog/parking/brake, pick 2. Use 7443 socket and bulb. 7443 bulbs have two lighting elements/filaments. Socket has 3 wires to drive the two lights.

One can drive the bulbs via splicing into the wires on the tow receiver if just looking for parking parking and brake lights.

To have an independent fog circuit, need a switch (SwithPros or Toyota blank OEM switch), and run a wire to the rear to drive the bulbs. Or do it the expensive way and retrofit a rest of world stalk with rear fogs.

 

[CharlieS]

Aren't rear fogs only supposed to be on one side? Seems like it is us driver side for European vehicles I've owned.

 

[Moby]

Notes on stock fog light control with the SwitchPros. Which is also discussed in more depth here

Stock logic for fogs
- Comes on only with headlights
- Does not stay on with high-beams

I don't like either limitation and want to override that logic.

This is great, I love approaches like this and will definitely copy. On my GX460 I had my light bar wired through the stock high beam switch (with relay of course). If the switch for the light bar was on, the stock high beam stock would turn the bar on and off with the high beams. If the switch was off the high beam stock would only turn on the high beams. Great for my late night drives between Seattle and Bend where I need a lot of light but also need to quickly switch to low beams to not blind the occasional traffic. Always wanted to include the fog lights in this single switch/all lights design but never got around to it.

 

[TeCKis300]

Aren't rear fogs only supposed to be on one side? Seems like it is us driver side for European vehicles I've owned.

This is true. That's how my German cars work.

I'm not holding myself to any European laws. I just want a more visibility from the rear in fog and snow conditions which I visit often. These rear fogs can get pretty bright with the LED bulbs I have in there, enough that they can be misinterpreted as brake lights. Good thing the SwitchPros has a dimming function so I can set it at the brightness I'm looking for.

As scene lighting, they'll work well for that purpose. Better than having to install another wart light fixture, at least to my relatively stock looking car.

 

[radman]

I've mounted the Switchpros vertically on the inner fender behind this box.

I see that the recommended mounting method is now vertical to minimize condensation buildup. Did you mount directly to the fender? Also, did you use a bus bars or tap the SP wires directly?

 

[TeCKis300]

Yes, mounted vertically directly on fender in the space behind the stock fuse box. The SwitchPros is provided with a mounting plate. Cut to fit the width of the space, minor cut to height to clear lower wiring harness clips, drill a few more holes to match existing bolts holes on the fender side and it works nice as a mounting adapter. Make sure to mount it as low enough on fender to clear hood supports. It's a great central location for routing to the stock underhood fuse box, interior, battery, roof, etc. Also has a nice fender ground located there.

I do not recommend bus bars similar to the instructions. I get that people like to make things look "expo", but it's not the preferred way where things are exposed to the elements. It takes up space and complexity where there doesn't need to be. Use heat shrink butt splices. That will keep things solidly connected and sealed from the elements. Changing things up is a quick cut without giving up much of any wires, and re-butt splice. I do have water-proof connectors and a crimp and used those on a few circuits that I wanted better serviceability.

 

[radman]

Not sure I fully understand how the wiring works. The SP 9100 is a "smart switch" that has multiple relays built in, right? So I can run a wire directly to this light bar at ( 240 watts / 12v = 20amp). But the SP uses 14 awg wire in its harness. 14awg is only rated at 6-15 amp (depending on the interweb googles). Even if i run proper wire to the light, the 14 awg seems like a bottleneck. Or am I missing something?

Rigidhorse 42"

 

[CharlieS]

There are several higher amp (30A) circuits on the 9100.

 

[radman]

There are several higher amp (30A) circuits on the 9100.

Right, but it looks like all wires coming out of the accessory harness are 14 awg


edit: I found this diagram, so it looks like you double up two 14awg for the bigger circuits; however, 20a through a single 14 awg seems high

 

[CharlieS]

As I recall the 30A circuits join two wires.

 

[tincan45]

It doubles up the cable on the 30AMP circuits.