I bought some new fog lights for Christmas and started wiring them with the heavy duty wiring kit. I ran the line from the lights to the battery to the relay to the switch, and then from the switch i'm lost. Where would i plug into the fuse box under the steering wheel or how would i wire in power there. I did stick the wire in one of the empty holes and the toggle switch lit up but the lights wouldn't come on. Any help would be great! They are 2 100W light bulbs on a 30A 12V relay. Hope you can help!
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Fog lights not working
- Thread starter ktilcu
- Start date
RichP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Effort, Pa
First you need to understand the relationship between a switch and a relay. Don't let the relay throw you. All a relay is is a remotely operated switch, it needs a 12+ and Ground on one side that goes thru the mechanical switch, then another 12+ and ground for the lights themselves. Your best bet is to take the lights, relay, switch and lay them out on the ground so you can see the layout. The relay should have 4 pins, 2 pins operate the coil inside the relay, those go to the mechanical switch and ground. The other two go from the + side of the battery, thru a fuse and to the relay, out of the relay to the lights and then out of the lights to ground.
Now, if you want to get those lights to operate with the parking and low beams you need to supply 12V to the mechanical swtich from a hot wire under the dash that has power when the parking or low beams are on and removes power when the highs are clicked on.
Now, if you want to get those lights to operate with the parking and low beams you need to supply 12V to the mechanical swtich from a hot wire under the dash that has power when the parking or low beams are on and removes power when the highs are clicked on.
DaffyXJ
NAXJA Member #929
- Location
- southern MD
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/relays.asp
google 12 volt relays, there are thousands of sites like this.
But the battery line should be on pin 30, the power line to the lights on pin 87 and the coils line runs from the switch source through the switch back to the relay. i usually run mine so I ground through the switch..So say 12 volts from the fuse box or a switched power source (only on when the key is on) to pin 85 and a wire from pin 86 to the switch and then out of the switch to ground.
The idea of a relay is that you will not be running 16 amps through the switch when the lights are on, only a low current draw to excite the coil of the relay. And I run ground through the switch just incase wires short, I'm shorting ground in stead of 12V.
PM sent.
google 12 volt relays, there are thousands of sites like this.
But the battery line should be on pin 30, the power line to the lights on pin 87 and the coils line runs from the switch source through the switch back to the relay. i usually run mine so I ground through the switch..So say 12 volts from the fuse box or a switched power source (only on when the key is on) to pin 85 and a wire from pin 86 to the switch and then out of the switch to ground.
The idea of a relay is that you will not be running 16 amps through the switch when the lights are on, only a low current draw to excite the coil of the relay. And I run ground through the switch just incase wires short, I'm shorting ground in stead of 12V.
PM sent.
mackamitsu
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Up here
You can run the fused red line to the battery, and make sure you have good grounds, everything else should be plug and play.
jayuu
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- madison, wisconsin
the hot goes in on the plus then it comes back out the other one, the ground is to make it light up.
GreenGhost
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Reno, NV.
Ktilcu,
I'm guessing since you said that you've got "one for power from the relay..." that you're following Daffy's advice and running the switch on the ground side of the relay's activation circuit? It that's true, you'll actually have two grounds coming from the switch: one that grounds the relay circuit, and one that grounds the circuit for the light inside the switch (the third contact on the switch would be coming from the relay).
If the switch is on the uphill side of the relay (ie. the power is switched before running into the relay), then you've got: a positive coming from the battery (or ignition hot source), the continuation of the relay activation circuit (running to the relay, and then to ground), and the ground for the switch's light circuit.
In a clearly marked switch the three would be labled: '+' (for the power source, or if switching the ground: power from relay), 'Acc' (for switched power going out to the relay/accessory, or if switching the ground: to ground), and '-' (for grounding the switch's interior light). I've found a lot of switches aren't labled clearly, so you might have to do some experimentation with a volt meter to find out which is which.
Hope that helps.
I'm guessing since you said that you've got "one for power from the relay..." that you're following Daffy's advice and running the switch on the ground side of the relay's activation circuit? It that's true, you'll actually have two grounds coming from the switch: one that grounds the relay circuit, and one that grounds the circuit for the light inside the switch (the third contact on the switch would be coming from the relay).
If the switch is on the uphill side of the relay (ie. the power is switched before running into the relay), then you've got: a positive coming from the battery (or ignition hot source), the continuation of the relay activation circuit (running to the relay, and then to ground), and the ground for the switch's light circuit.
In a clearly marked switch the three would be labled: '+' (for the power source, or if switching the ground: power from relay), 'Acc' (for switched power going out to the relay/accessory, or if switching the ground: to ground), and '-' (for grounding the switch's interior light). I've found a lot of switches aren't labled clearly, so you might have to do some experimentation with a volt meter to find out which is which.
Hope that helps.
