Rocker switch
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Rocker switch
Ok I thought I knew ow to wire a rocker switch for off-road lights or for anti-lock cut off switch but the rocker switches I have are 3 prong. One is gound one is power and the other one is???It says load meaning what???
Can someone please school me!!
Thanks
Can someone please school me!!
Thanks
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
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From: Gateway to the West
One is the "Power" to the lamp in the switch and the "Power" feed for the accessory you are running or in electrical terms the "Line" feed from the battery, one is the ground for the lamp in the switch hence "Ground" and the third is the power out to the accessory (i.e. fog lights, fan, etc) which would be the "load" on the circuit. The relay need only be used if the amperage rating on the switch is LOWER than the total amperage draw of the "Load" (lights, accessories, etc). In other words, if the lights draw a total of say 15 amps and the switch is only rated at 10 amps then you will need a relay that has contacts rated at at least 15 amps to run inline, but then you must run a 15 amp circuit with a fuse or circuit breaker that is SEPARATE from the circuit powering the switch or you will still have the potential of an overload and a fire.
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New User
Joined: Nov 2004
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Rocker
Thanks,
It all comes back now!!! Its bn ahile since I played with these switches. I could run the power to the fuse lock correct? Just trying to think where I have otten power before, I think if there is a empty slot (depending what it is used for) or the radio.
Thanks again
It all comes back now!!! Its bn ahile since I played with these switches. I could run the power to the fuse lock correct? Just trying to think where I have otten power before, I think if there is a empty slot (depending what it is used for) or the radio.
Thanks again
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
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From: Gateway to the West
Yeah, you can pull power from anywhere as long as the circuit is protected by a fuse or circuit breaker that can handle the amperage requirements of the lights you are adding. If you are "piggybacking" (tapping an existing circuit) be sure to increase the size of the fuse in this location so it will protect up to the amperage of the existing circuit AND the additional amperage as well. In other words if you tap a 15 amp circuit and you are putting another 10 amps in lighting on top of it, you should increase your fuse size in that location to at least 25 amps. Be careful doing this though since additional amperage will eventually require increases in wire gauge to handle the additional draw.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Hoboken, NJ...
Originally Posted by greystreak92
One is the "Power" to the lamp in the switch and the "Power" feed for the accessory you are running or in electrical terms the "Line" feed from the battery, one is the ground for the lamp in the switch hence "Ground" and the third is the power out to the accessory (i.e. fog lights, fan, etc) which would be the "load" on the circuit. The relay need only be used if the amperage rating on the switch is LOWER than the total amperage draw of the "Load" (lights, accessories, etc). In other words, if the lights draw a total of say 15 amps and the switch is only rated at 10 amps then you will need a relay that has contacts rated at at least 15 amps to run in-line, but then you must run a 15 amp circuit with a fuse or circuit breaker that is SEPARATE from the circuit powering the switch or you will still have the potential of an overload and a fire.
I dont know about you guys.....but I just cant think of anything that I would run off a dash switch where I would route the load side of the switch directly to the accessory.....without using a fused relay in between.
Here is a link(s) to some VERY good info about relays, and how to wire them and related switches and accessories. These guys http://www.rallylights.com are the best I have found when it comes to this stuff....their prices are good and customer service is outstanding!
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/Relays.asp
http://www.rallylights.com/useful_info/auxiliary_lamp_wiring.htm
http://www.rallylights.com/useful_info/headlamp_wiring.htm
Last edited by Streetgang; Sep 9, 2005 at 06:19 PM.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Gateway to the West
You can GET switches that are rated to handle much greater loads thereby avoiding the use of the relay but with so many lighting accessory manufacturers including the relay these days its just easier to use it. I avoid using the "cheesy" relays included with these kits simply because most of them are not sealed. If you look closely at them, you can usually see where they are put together and if you are careful, you can pop them open and get to the guts of the relay. These are fine mounted under the dashboard or somewhere they won't be exposed to moisture and the elements but under the hood and outside they are just destined for premature failure. Condensation in them from changes in humidity levels is the most common cause. They aren't cheap, but the Ford OEM relays that fit in the underhood relay/fuse block are sealed units and are rated at 30 amps each. These are great because they are not susceptable to deterioration from the elements because they ARE sealed units.
Just remember when you run a circuit with a relay that the relay does NOT protect the circuit. You still need a fuse capable of handling the amperage draw of the "load" on the relay circuit.
Just remember when you run a circuit with a relay that the relay does NOT protect the circuit. You still need a fuse capable of handling the amperage draw of the "load" on the relay circuit.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Hoboken, NJ...
The relays I use are sealed units, with a fuse holder right on them......hence a "fused relay". If you look through my pics link at the bottom of the page, you can see them in the one shot on the RS inner fender..the one is a cool looking bright blue!
OH.....and if you were to use switches that were rated to handle the amps of the accessories you wanted to add.......the switch would have to be so big, and the wires going to/from it so thick (and performance would STILL be reduced at the light) that there would no room!
OH.....and if you were to use switches that were rated to handle the amps of the accessories you wanted to add.......the switch would have to be so big, and the wires going to/from it so thick (and performance would STILL be reduced at the light) that there would no room!
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Gateway to the West
Originally Posted by Streetgang
OH.....and if you were to use switches that were rated to handle the amps of the accessories you wanted to add.......the switch would have to be so big, and the wires going to/from it so thick (and performance would STILL be reduced at the light) that there would no room!
Last edited by greystreak92; Sep 9, 2005 at 07:22 PM.
