Not a very good picture I know but its all I could do with paint.

Two lights with a switch.
As we know, the less connections the better.
Its a lighted switch but I dont need it lighted, and yes I know I could buy one without the light except they didnt have one.

I have the wire run from the left light, out about 2 feet from the end then it goes down (towards the pavement).
Then across the bottom of the truck to the other side, then back up to the other light.
The switch is gonna be approx 2 ft from the end of the light on the right.
Both lights have 2 wires each.

Whats the best way to finish the job without having a bunch of connections? Pictures would be nice if you can.

Thanks

 

Battery --> Fuse --> Switch --> light 1 --> light 2.

The least connections however would be a multipole switch. One power input, multiple power output.

 

So by your diagram your saying run 2 wires from the switch to light1 then from that light run a set to light 2? If so, I dont think I can do it that way.
or are you saying

------ light 1
|----------------Switch
------ light 2

also would it be any easier running a jumper off a existing fuse in the fuse box? instead of going all the way up to the battery. If so which one do you recommend.

 

I'm saying the diagram you JUST did. Route power to your switch, then route the output of that switch to your light. If you can't run two separate outs, then you should be able to run one power from switch to light, then go from light to light.

 

These might help some.


By heymrdj at 2008-09-28

Or you can do.


By heymrdj at 2008-09-28

 

Ok cant go from light to light.
I either need to do it at the switch or somehow tie them into one another then go up to the switch with just 2 wires.

Going by my diagram then I will have 3 wires total for the positive, and 3 wires total for the negative that will hook up to the back of the switch?

Does the ground have to go to the battery or can I just attach somewhere else closer?

Sorry not much of a electrician

 

Reserving this post for your wiring guide, I'll have it done in a second.

EDIT: ok then.

First of all I recommend these parts.

This will give you the input/output set you need.

RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Connectors & connectivity: Terminal strips & barrier blocks: 8-Position Dual-Row Barrier Strips

This will connect the jumpers on that barrier so that by putting a batter cable to one terminal, they'll all be "hot", meaning they'll all be connected to that one wire by that metal strip.

RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Connectors & connectivity: Terminal strips & barrier blocks: 8-Position Jumper

Here's an image of the way it'd connect up.


By heymrdj at 2008-09-28

This setup will allow you to have one hot in, and up to 8 outputs.

As pointed out, you can ground the lamps to the frame.

 

use a relay. It has 4 prongs

1 Prong: is power supply from battery (fused)
2 Prongs: outlet power from relay to component needing power
1 Prong: is the switch that enables the relay to direct power out

You then use your switch to send a 12 volt source to the relay when you need the lights. It's not actually powering the lights, just sending the switching juice...so it's very low draw. I typically use my cigarette lighter power wire for this function since it's hot all the time.

This minimizes the # of wires needed and makes it a nice clean install.

 

These ways are good but if you took power from the stock light switch to a aftermarket switch (so you can run your headlight without having the after market ones on) then to a relay. the relay gets power from the battery and then powers the lights. on the lights one is power and the other one is a ground (thats just goes to bare metal) dosent matter with lights which one has power but normaly white or red is power here's a pic to try and show how to wire it. hope this helps.

one advantage todo this is that you cant leave your new lights on without your headlights on and buzzer going off


Typical Relay wiring

 

Thats too funny Tylus posted his while i was posting mine same concept


"HIGH FIVE" to Tylus

 

so is the relay waterproof? and can I use it with LED's
Highlight switch means I need to rip the dash apart? I dont know if I want to attempt that!
and I dont think im gonna need all those jumpers and blocks, just installing some lights in the bed with a switch in the back to turn on and off, when I need the light.

 

As mentioned in these posts, a relay also works well. You could put a relay in before the dist. block, so that your switch could just use tiny wire.

 

Relays are waterproof. and you can get the power sorce from anywhere you can do what tylus suggested and use the cigrette lighter or tap into the fuse panel whatever you feel comfortable with. what kind of lights are you wanting to wire in??

Leds take little power to light up you just have to make sure you have the polarity right. pos. to pos. and neg. to neg.

 

what kind of climate do you have SDTruckMan?

up here in northern ontario the distubution block would be great and handy but with our winters and the salt they use on the road the block would have green death (corriosion) by the first winter and would no longer make good contacts.

here you would be better off cutting the wires to proper lengh twisting them together, soldier and then shrink the heat shrink (goes on first) so there waterproof

 

Im in michigan so inline with what you get in the winter.