Adding fog lights to a '99 SE

Got a fog light switch and relay in the box o' goodies that showed up yesterday... was thinking this would be plug and play but what I don't seem to have is a ground at "fog light relay no. 1" on terminal 8. I don't have DRLs so I don't have a second fog light relay. I have to admit that I'm not real good at reading these diagrams so I could use a little help as to what I'm missing here. I'm *thinking* that the connection shown at C106 is grounding the relay through the high beam filament of the left side headlamp when it is not lit. Correct? In which case the reason that the little light on the switch doesn't light up is because it never gets power because I'm using a relay harness for my headlights. Am I on the right track here? Also any pointers as to where to start looking for the actual fog light harness would be appreciated so I know whether I need one or not. I thought it would connect near the PDC but after looking closer at the diagram it looks like it also connects somewhere behind the driver's side headlight?

thanks for any help...

Edit:

I think I am on the right track. Jumped out 6 and 7 at the relay position and now the little green light lights up when I flip the switch. So I think it is the lack of a headlight installed at the factory driver's side headlight connector that is keeping this from working. I guess what I should do is then cut the brown/white wire at C106 and scotch-lock it to the high beam wire on my relay harness and then everything should be copacetic, yes?

I'll have to look for the wiring tomorrow. I'll probably rework that with a relay harness as well once I get it working correctly. And I don't even have lights yet but I just wanted to do a quick proof of concept.

You can't just plug and play fog lights on a 97+ XJ that didn't come from the factory with them. You'll have the inside part of the fog light circuit but that's it. It stops at the big connector under the driverside of the dash. Here is a decent thread explaining how the factory system is set up. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1078637&highlight=fog+lights

I can't find the thread, but if you are running a harness you will want to connect your relay ground to the high beam headlight wire. That will let it function like the factory design. If you connect it to the factory side (wires now controlling your harness relays) when you turn the high beams on they will not shut off until you cycle the lights completely off.

You are correct in thinking the relay grounds out through the high beam headlight. When the high beams are on there is 12V on both sides of the fog light relay dropping the circuit.

hah, funny thing is I posted to that thread and then when I went to look for it I couldn't find it (I was hoping someone would confirm that my guess as to how it operated was correct and it looks like it was.) I guess I will have to pull C106 apart tomorrow and just see what is the deal.

Are the factory fog lights any good as fog lights, or should I just hack 'n' slice and put something like Hella 550s in there instead? I didn't get lights, the part-out that I got all my goodies from was in a front ender.

Use the factory switch and tap into the wiring for it to power a relay and run whatever lights.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii244/AHhub/forum stuff/fogWiringDiagram.jpg

The factory lights are okay, but in hindsight I'd have just spent the money on better aftermarket fogs.

N8N_99xj said:

hah, funny thing is I posted to that thread and then when I went to look for it I couldn't find it (I was hoping someone would confirm that my guess as to how it operated was correct and it looks like it was.) I guess I will have to pull C106 apart tomorrow and just see what is the deal.

Are the factory fog lights any good as fog lights, or should I just hack 'n' slice and put something like Hella 550s in there instead? I didn't get lights, the part-out that I got all my goodies from was in a front ender.

Click to expand...

They are not awesome, but not completely worthless. About like any factory fog light I suppose.

The relay, and there is only one on my 98, does exactly this: Prevents the factory fog lights from operating with the High Beams ON.

The light on the switch operates when you wire it like thus: Pin 4=ground, Pin 3 power, Pin 2 switched load.

The coil of the relay is attached at one side to ground, and the other to the high beam connection to the bulb. The contact side is wired in series with the fog lamps and pin 2 of the switch.

Pin 3 of the switch is power.

Pin 4 and other side of the lamps is ground.

If the high beams are on, the coil engages and the fogs are switched out of the circuit.

Simple, No?

If you want to use them at any time, delete the relay as described.

If you are using anything other than a set of 55watt lamps, instead of powering the lamps directly, insert another relay so that the coil of the relay is activated when you turn on the switch, and use the contacts of that relay to switch the lamps.

Edit: I typed all that while the last 5 posts happened. I still hope you find it useful.

WB9YZU said:

Edit: I typed all that while the last 5 posts happened. I still hope you find it useful.

Click to expand...

yeah, I think I got a handle on it just have to figure out what I do and don't have as it's too dark to be tearing the front end apart and dropping screws. I think what I can do is just jump out the relay from 10 to 7. then wire up my own relay from the switch, and use the coil grounded to high beam trick on *that* relay to disable on high beam. not much different from stock other than the light on the switch will remain on when high beams are on.

So what would you put in the place of the factory lights? Not much space there, I measured 2" without cutting beyond the lines. 550's or even 450's will probably hang lower than the little air dam thing which I definitely don't want. 450s look like the best bet but they are a full inch and a half taller than stock... Don't want them on top of bumper in case I add more lights later, and fogs work better down low anyway.

thanks...

WB9YZU said:

The coil of the relay is attached at one side to ground, and the other to the high beam connection to the bulb. The contact side is wired in series with the fog lamps and pin 2 of the switch.


If the high beams are on, the coil engages and the fogs are switched out of the circuit.

Click to expand...

This is actually incorrect. The coil of the relay is powered from the parking light circuit, and the other side connects to the high beam wiring. With the high beams off the relay grounds through the filament of the drivers side high beam lamp (which is why when the lamp burns out your fogs don't work). When you turn on the high beams there is 12v on both sides of the coil, and the circuit drops.

On the contact side the power comes again from the parking light circuit through the contact side of the relay through the switch, and out to the lights.