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High, Low, and fog wiring.

jeepboy381

jeepboy381

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Gresham, Or
So here is my dilema. I have full 10 Guage wiring to my 90 watt low beams, 100 Watt High beams, and 100 Watt driving/Fog lights. I have the Fogs on an aftermarket switch that activates a heavy duty relay as well as teh headlights. I want the fogs to come on with the switch when the switch is in the on position when low beams are on. With the switch off I want the fogs to only come on when the high beams are on.
The way it is wired now with the fog light switch off the fog lights only turn on with the high beams. If I only have the low beams on and I turn on the switch for the fog lights, the low's, highs, and fogs turn on.

1. Will having the low/high beam on at the same time burn out the bulbs quicker? I am not worried about the wiring burning up. I have heard it is bad for the bulbs though. I am sure they get hot but have not checked, that is 190 Watts a headlight bulb and 100 Watts per fog light = 580Watts total power!

2. If I wired a diode in the relay signal wire to the fogs so when the fog light switch is on and the low beams are on it wont backfeed and turn on the high beams what kind of diode do I need and where can I get it? Will this cause a voltage drop to the fogs?

I hope this is not too confusing. If you have any imput let me know!! Thanks
 
What kind of aftermarket switch is it? SPST, DPDT...? It sounds like you crossed some wires if you fogs are currently linked to your high-beams no?
 
Last edited:
TheNerd said:
What kind of aftermarket switch is it? SPST, DPDT...? It sounds like you crossed some wires if you fogs are currently linked to your high-beams no?
Click to expand...
The switch is just a simple toggle on/off switch. The wires are crossed on purpose right now. So from the Fog light toggle switch the signal wire that trips the relay is also spliced into the high beam signal wire for the high beam relay.

Wired like this if I flip the foglight switch with low beams on it will power the highbeams as well. I am not sure if I want it to power the high beams & Low beams because I heard it will fry the bulbs. "I have 90 watt lows and 100 watt highs" 190 watts a bulb

If the switch is off and I turn on the highbeams it will triger the fogs as well which is what I want to happen.
 
You should get a SPDT switch, and un-link your fogs & your high beams.

With a SPDT (wikipedia) switch, send the center (signal) to your fog light relay (signal) & attach each of the other ends of the switch to recieve an "on" (i.e. tap the +) signal from from your lights (one end of the switch for highs, one for lows).

That should give you independent control back for your highs and lows, and allow you to control your fogs based on the on/off position of the switch and whether or not you are on high beams or low beams.
 
That sounds like it would work but I can't find a switch like that in the small size I want. I believe it will work the way I want it to right now if I could figure out what kind of diode I need.
 
Try throwing in another relay on the signal circuit before you exisitng high-beam relay (but use main relay power circuit to control the signal to the high-beam relay). Then you can switch that relay via a signal from the low-beams. I don't see how a diode is gonna help you wired like you are (with the fogs & highs tied together).
 
I was really trying not to wire up another relay, I allready have three relays attached to the fender just for the lights. The thought did cross my mind though on a second relay.

Will having the high and low beams on at the same time hurt the bulbs. If not I like it the way it is now, I can see everything far and near!
 
If all your driving is a relay,just go to Radio Shack and get some 2amp diodes.
 
RCP Phx said:
If all your driving is a relay,just go to Radio Shack and get some 2amp diodes.
Click to expand...
That is all I wanted to know. I know what diodes do but don't know which one I need. I will head down there some time today or tomarrow and see what radio shack has. Thanks


Does anyone know if having the low beams and high beams on at the same time in a dual element headlamp will burn the bulbs up from personal experience?
 
Logic would say definately they would increase the temperature(the things already get HOT).Id be more concerned about possibly starting a fire.
 
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