Light Wiring Questions

imelmo · Oct 28, 2013

So I finally got some lights to fill the holes in my bumpers from Performance Truck Products.

I also got some nifty switches for 'em. The switches have 5 poles. 2 for ground, 1 for power, 1 for lighting the switch, and 1 that goes to the bumper lights.

I have 3 pairs of lights right now (will be 4 soon). 2 pair are for the front bumper and 1 pair for the rear. The 4th one will be a small light bar for the front bumper also.

I will have all the front bumper lights on one switch, and the rear bumper lights on one switch. Then once I get light bars for the top of the truck I will have a switch for the front one and a switch for the rear one.

So my question is what is the best way to connect all these wires to the switches, in particular the front bumper? I'll get a distribution block for the power wire off the battery to the switches. But what about the 5 sets of wires to the switch for the front bumper lights?

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HOOV3R · Oct 28, 2013

I wouldn't recommend powering directly from the switches. Use the swithes correctly, switch trips a relay to power the lights.

imelmo · Oct 28, 2013

What type of relay? I'm completely lost on electrical. LOL I was going to run power to each strip from a distribution block from the battery with an inline fuse. Then put all the lights for the front bumper on a distribution strip from the switch.

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HOOV3R · Oct 28, 2013

Standard bosch relay. I like to use ground as control instead of power. Ignition power to switch for light, ground into switch, ground out of switch to trip relay. Fused power wire from batt to relay.

Here as a basic diagram, I switch the wires at the switch to ground and add another hot wire to the relay.

imelmo · Oct 28, 2013

This is the diagram for the switches:

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QtrHorse · Oct 28, 2013

#8 needs to be grounded to something. Jump a wire to #7 from #8. This is what turns on your LED's in the switch. Nothing to do with actually powering your lights on your bumpers. This makes the upper light on the switch light up when the switch is on.

#6 connects to a positive power source that is on when your dash lights are on. Again, nothing that actually powers your bumper lights. This makes the lower light on the switch light up when the dash lights are on.

#2 needs to be connected to a key on positive power with an inline fuse. #3 connects to a relay that will send power to your bumper lights. You will need a relay. You can power the relay/ relays directly from the battery or a distribution block. I prefer the distribution block myself but its a little more work. You need to fuse any power wire going to the switch, relay or distribution block. You can use a constant on power to #2 but this always has power going to the switch. You could accidently leave your lights on without the key being on this way.

imelmo · Oct 29, 2013

HOOV3R said:
Standard bosch relay. I like to use ground as control instead of power. Ignition power to switch for light, ground into switch, ground out of switch to trip relay. Fused power wire from batt to relay.

Here as a basic diagram, I switch the wires at the switch to ground and add another hot wire to the relay.

What is the purpose of the relay in that diagram? Is it like having an additional fuse? Like I said, I know zero about electrical. LOL

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HOOV3R · Oct 29, 2013

imelmo said:
What is the purpose of the relay in that diagram? Is it like having an additional fuse? Like I said, I know zero about electrical. LOL

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The relay allows for a higher powered circuit, powered directly from the battery. You can get a relay in about whatever amp rating you need.

SEABEE08FX4 · Oct 29, 2013

These particular lights do not like running off of a relay, it causes a strobe condition. Just run from power source through fused link to switch, from switch to light, ground to light and ground tab on switch. The fused link is your safety in the system. As long as you neatly run your wiring and cover it ( convoluted tubing ) from start to finish you will be good to go. Make sure and pass through ( from engine bay to cab ) that you use is fully grommeted so no wire insulation gets chafed over time.

SEABEE08FX4 · Oct 29, 2013

The 5-1/2" lights are 1.09 amp and the smaller back up lights are .87 amp BTW.

HOOV3R · Oct 29, 2013

SEABEE08FX4 said:
The 5-1/2" lights are 1.09 amp and the smaller back up lights are .87 amp BTW.

Didn't know he was running low amperage draw lights.

SEABEE08FX4 · Oct 29, 2013

HOOV3R said:
Didn't know he was running low amperage draw lights.

Very low LED's, relays make them strobe. He will have people thinking he's pulling them over LoL. But as low of a draw as they are they as bright as all get out.

HOOV3R · Oct 29, 2013

SEABEE08FX4 said:
Very low LED's, relays make them strobe. He will have people thinking he's pulling them over LoL. But as low of a draw as they are they as bright as all get out.

Sorry about that. I guess I'm just used to Rigids and other higher amperage leds.

SEABEE08FX4 · Oct 29, 2013

HOOV3R said:
Sorry about that. I guess I'm just used to Rigids and other higher amperage leds.

No worries, rigids do draw a lot more amps no doubt and honestly are a lot better quality of light. But for the guys who don't want to spend that kind of coin on lights or don't plan on shooting at them ( lol ) these work great.

QtrHorse · Oct 29, 2013

SEABEE08FX4 said:
These particular lights do not like running off of a relay, it causes a strobe condition. Just run from power source through fused link to switch, from switch to light, ground to light and ground tab on switch. The fused link is your safety in the system. As long as you neatly run your wiring and cover it ( convoluted tubing ) from start to finish you will be good to go. Make sure and pass through ( from engine bay to cab ) that you use is fully grommeted so no wire insulation gets chafed over time.

That just seems like an accident waiting to happen by running always on power to a switch inside but with it being around 1A, may not be a big issue. I believe those Carling type switches are rated for 15 amps.

Do you know if they would strobe if you used the switch to a relay that powered on a distribution block that ran power to the lights?

SEABEE08FX4 · Oct 29, 2013

QtrHorse said:
That just seems like an accident waiting to happen by running always on power to a switch inside but with it being around 1A, may not be a big issue. I believe those Carling type switches are rated for 15 amps.

Do you know if they would strobe if you used the switch to a relay that powered on a distribution block that ran power to the lights?

The relay powering the light made them strobe, no danger in running the power to the lights as I stated. If something were to happen you would pop the fuse. Thats the fuses purpose, protection from over drawn current. So say a wire chafed and grounded out, the fuse would pop and keep any accident from happening. Now say the light or even the switch for that matter had and internal short it would pop the fuse and the stop the current flow. The harnesses Danny has have a fused link right next to the power supply connection, so the current flow will stop right at the source if the fuse pops. There for no danger, a relay is not a safety its only a trigger. And there is no more current going to these lights than what would go to the switch even if a relay were used so either way you're protected by the fuse.