Wiring Driving Lights
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
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From: College Station TX
Wiring Driving Lights
I am trying to wire my driving lights so that I can have them come on with the highbeams, but also have the option of turning them off with a switch in case I don't need them on with the high beams. Does anyone have any idea how to do this? I was going to install relays for my headlights also, but I might be making this a little too complicated.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
If you have the factory setup, they are officially known as foglamps, and you should have a foglamp switch to turn them on and off, and that's why they only come on during lowbeam operation. If you want to change this, you will have to get behind the foglamp switch and cut the red/black wire. Then you will have to tape off the loose end of the red/black, and hook the red/black wire from the foglamp switch up to the highbeam wire which is a lightgreen/black coming from the dimmer switch in the steering column.
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
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From: College Station TX
I don't have any factory setup right now and the schematic shows daytime running lights. I found the connection for the daytime running lights but it's not what I need. I think I figured out a system I will like. I am going to do 4 relays. One each for high and low beams. One for the driving lights that is switched by the power from the highbeams and one to turn off the driving lights if I need to from a switch on the dash. I want to get a floor mounted switch like the one on my old truck. I like that better than the multi switch.
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I think I might be able to help here. I added some extra driving lights on my Excursion not too long ago.
for the driving lights, you should only need one relay, and a dual-throw swtich (with center off). What I did was find the hi-beam wire (I tapped it at the light harness and ran a wire back to the switch) and wire that was only hot when the ignition 'on'. Hook each of those wires to the 'inputs' in the SPDT switch, and run the 'output' terminal to the relay. That way, when the switch is to one side, the aux lights will come on with the relay, in the center position, the lights won't come on, and in the 3rd position, the lights will come on whenever the truck is on.
You may also find these links helpful.
Headlight harness
Relay 101
http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/offroadwire.jpg <<thats what I'm suggesting
http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/underhoodjunction.jpg
Electrical mods
Hope that helps!
Cheers
for the driving lights, you should only need one relay, and a dual-throw swtich (with center off). What I did was find the hi-beam wire (I tapped it at the light harness and ran a wire back to the switch) and wire that was only hot when the ignition 'on'. Hook each of those wires to the 'inputs' in the SPDT switch, and run the 'output' terminal to the relay. That way, when the switch is to one side, the aux lights will come on with the relay, in the center position, the lights won't come on, and in the 3rd position, the lights will come on whenever the truck is on.
You may also find these links helpful.
Headlight harness
Relay 101
http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/offroadwire.jpg <<thats what I'm suggesting
http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/underhoodjunction.jpg
Electrical mods
Hope that helps!
Cheers
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,391
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From: NorCal
For wiring up some driving lights just use one relay that is large enough to handle the current draw of the lights.
Find one of your highbeam wires and tap into it with a wire, run that wire to an inline on-off switch on your dash or a footswitch, then run the wire from your switch to the trigger terminal on your relay.
If the switch is off - no lights.
If the switch is on - lights activate with the highbeams only.
Find one of your highbeam wires and tap into it with a wire, run that wire to an inline on-off switch on your dash or a footswitch, then run the wire from your switch to the trigger terminal on your relay.
If the switch is off - no lights.
If the switch is on - lights activate with the highbeams only.
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 1
From: College Station TX
Thanks guys. I did the headlight relay last night. It worked great right from the start, but my wiring job is a bit messy. I think I'll have to clean it up in the future. Next I'll need to do the driving lights. I need to get a bracket welded onto my grill guard first. It looks like I'll tackle it later this week. These lights are really powerful-150W KC daylighters. What wire gauge would you all use? I'm going with 12 ga. just to be safe.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,978
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From: Virginia
300w is 300 divided by 12v = 25amps. 12 gauge should handle it, 10 gauge would give a little more breathing room.
In my state those lights would have to have covers on them any time your are on the highway.
In my state those lights would have to have covers on them any time your are on the highway.
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Saw this chart and thought it was interesting and might be helpful. Its from Copper wire
(about halfway down the page)
Length of run (in feet)
Current 0-4/4-7/7-10/10-13/13-16 /16-19/19-22/22-28
20-35A 12 / 10 / 8 / 8 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 4
(about halfway down the page)
Length of run (in feet)
Current 0-4/4-7/7-10/10-13/13-16 /16-19/19-22/22-28
20-35A 12 / 10 / 8 / 8 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 4
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