aux light wiring
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2011
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aux light wiring
I just picked up a brand new in the box set of blazer fog lights from an auction. and the lights are fog lights and running lights in one with a toggle switch and are set up to have their own power and ground. but i would like to run them off my factory switch so when i turn my running lights on they turn the aux lights on and same for the fog lights. how would i go about this?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
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I would set them up to be relay powered by switch signaling off the driving lights.
Use #12 wire fused #20 amp at the battery to a 30 amp relay.
You can wire a switch to have either the driving lights or the new AUX lights.
This way they will go off with the headlight switch and not work with your high beams on.
They will go off when the high beams are on as the regular bumper mount driving lights do now.
You can further separate the Fogs from the driving lights by using a switch with transfer contacts and a second relay and it's feed same as above to select either but not both at the same time.
Be sure to make effort to aim the new lights so they don't blind oncoming drivers.
BTW it is not legal in most states to run AUX lights on with 'high beams' on at same time anytime on the roads.
All Ford lines were designed this way from back in the early 80's.
Good luck.
Use #12 wire fused #20 amp at the battery to a 30 amp relay.
You can wire a switch to have either the driving lights or the new AUX lights.
This way they will go off with the headlight switch and not work with your high beams on.
They will go off when the high beams are on as the regular bumper mount driving lights do now.
You can further separate the Fogs from the driving lights by using a switch with transfer contacts and a second relay and it's feed same as above to select either but not both at the same time.
Be sure to make effort to aim the new lights so they don't blind oncoming drivers.
BTW it is not legal in most states to run AUX lights on with 'high beams' on at same time anytime on the roads.
All Ford lines were designed this way from back in the early 80's.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2011
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Ok I'll try to make sense of that sometime. I'm not good with wiring. So could I just hook the fog like wires on the back of the new lights to the factory fog lights and the driving light wire to the factory driving lights
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
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Absolutely not.
The reasons are the current gets too high, the fuses and wiring are not sized to do that.
Each bulb or lamp can take 3 to 4 amps depending on their wattage.
For example at 14 volts times 3 amps is = to 42 watts.
What size bulbs do your lights use? Use this as a reference.
The stock driving lights are fused in the area of 5 amps so you can't pile more on the circuits.
You must use separate feed and control circuits.
It's simple relay and switch with correct sized relays, fuses and wire size.
You do it any other way and your setting yourself up for problems with blown fuses and burnt wiring.
Good luck.
The reasons are the current gets too high, the fuses and wiring are not sized to do that.
Each bulb or lamp can take 3 to 4 amps depending on their wattage.
For example at 14 volts times 3 amps is = to 42 watts.
What size bulbs do your lights use? Use this as a reference.
The stock driving lights are fused in the area of 5 amps so you can't pile more on the circuits.
You must use separate feed and control circuits.
It's simple relay and switch with correct sized relays, fuses and wire size.
You do it any other way and your setting yourself up for problems with blown fuses and burnt wiring.
Good luck.
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 467
Likes: 25
From: Central Callifornia
relays are easier than you think :)
Doing the install as Bluegrass indicated will not "clutter" up your dash anymore than just using the switch supplied.
The only thing visible on the dash would be the switch. I did a Bing search for "fog light relay diagram" and found a very simple one for "Off road light wiring - Nissan Titan". (link didn't work). With the indicated wiring, the only wire comming through the firewall to the switch is a ground to run the relay. From the switch, wire goes to a suitable bolt/screw ground on inside firewall. One advantage is even if wire grounds out, the result would be that fog lights come on with low beams all the time.
BTW, i use the exact setup to run my airhorn solenoid and to power up the underhood compressor. Been trouble free for last ten years.
Good luck.
The only thing visible on the dash would be the switch. I did a Bing search for "fog light relay diagram" and found a very simple one for "Off road light wiring - Nissan Titan". (link didn't work). With the indicated wiring, the only wire comming through the firewall to the switch is a ground to run the relay. From the switch, wire goes to a suitable bolt/screw ground on inside firewall. One advantage is even if wire grounds out, the result would be that fog lights come on with low beams all the time.
BTW, i use the exact setup to run my airhorn solenoid and to power up the underhood compressor. Been trouble free for last ten years.
Good luck.
Last edited by newfordy; Oct 5, 2013 at 02:44 PM. Reason: wrong phrase dash=firewall
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