Electrical wiring help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: san diego california
Electrical wiring help
I would like to attach some aux lighting to the fog light switch, so when I turn on the fog lamps the aux lighting also goes on...does anyone know which wires on the lamp switch would be correct? The aux lighting will have a separate 5 amp inline fuse, so I am assuming just the positive line will connect to two of the wires, but I am unable to determine which ones. Any help? Thanks!!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I can't speak for how much power the switch illumination wire will hold or even which color it is...but the switch sends a request to the BCM which in turns, turns on a relay in the engine compartment fuse box which not only supplies power to the fog lamps, but also returns power to the light within the switch itself. When it does that, it confirms to you that the relay was turned on.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: san diego california
The aux lights are LED sticks for the side vents....I thought the earlier mod with the glow looked pretty good. I have a separate switch I can install under the dash, but I was thinking of just using the fog lamp switch (it would then turn on both the fog lamps and the aux LEDs).
Simple way is probably to just wire to the battery with a separate switch, but thought the fog lamp switch might be nicer to operate and no need to install a separate switch.
Simple way is probably to just wire to the battery with a separate switch, but thought the fog lamp switch might be nicer to operate and no need to install a separate switch.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Under the dash may not be the best idea. You may end up kicking the switch by acident.
I find that the are under the "cupholder" is excellent for hidden switches. You can mount one on the front and back Inside the holder walls.
I find that the are under the "cupholder" is excellent for hidden switches. You can mount one on the front and back Inside the holder walls.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 18
From: DFW Texas
Get a couple of 3m Inline pinch connectors and just tap into the fog light wires for the LED strips. one for + the other for - . You can get by w/18 ga standed wire easily for this one. Use a few tie wraps and wa-lah - done.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
18ga? If you're tapping in parallel to the fogs, you can get by with 22ga speaker wire. (I use that for all of my LEd stuffs)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: san diego california
Should I tap in at the fog lamp switch or the actual fog lamp wires? From the previous info, sounds like the fog lamp switch does not really power the lamps, just sends the signal to activate...in that case, would make sense to tap into the actual fog lamp wires. Should that be done at the fuse box or is there an easy way to trace out the lamp wires? I'm not completely dumb with electrical stuff, but it's the weakest area I have experience in....so thanks!
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Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
the actual fog lamp wires would be best. I'm not certain with the switch being a signal lead, but tapping into the fog wires themselves would eleminate haveing to run a wire through the firewall.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: san diego california
thanks...so my last dumb question...I know I can go directly to the fog lamps but is there a place I can more easily find the wiring and just use pinch connectors? Like maybe close to the fuse box?
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
In wiring my aftermarket fog lights, I squeezed a wire into the foglight fuse. Since LEDs don't require a huge wire to power, a single 18-20 ga wire will easily fit out the side of the fuse box. Then you can split it to power each side.
You can drop the passenger side down the side of the battery compartment then run the other wire behind the hood latch cable clamps to the other side.
What LED sticks are you using?
You can drop the passenger side down the side of the battery compartment then run the other wire behind the hood latch cable clamps to the other side.
What LED sticks are you using?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
I am pretty sure that the foglight switch carries very low voltage and connects to the car's computer. The computer determines if the foglights should be on (parking lights on or low beam headlights on, highbeam headlights off) and sends power to the foglights. Therefore tap into the power near the foglights.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: san diego california
In wiring my aftermarket fog lights, I squeezed a wire into the foglight fuse. Since LEDs don't require a huge wire to power, a single 18-20 ga wire will easily fit out the side of the fuse box. Then you can split it to power each side.
You can drop the passenger side down the side of the battery compartment then run the other wire behind the hood latch cable clamps to the other side.
What LED sticks are you using?
You can drop the passenger side down the side of the battery compartment then run the other wire behind the hood latch cable clamps to the other side.
What LED sticks are you using?
may have been cheaper, but purple is harder to find, and I wanted 24s for the extra light...
Thanks, think I'll try the fuse thing tonight or this weekend, sounds like the most simple fix.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 210
Likes: 2
From: Elkins Park PA
You would need an insanely huge LED system, blindingly bright, before you needed to add a fuse to drive it.....
There should be NO PROBLEM AT ALL driving the LED's off the foglight circuit. The LED power draw is absolutely minimal.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Each side is 20A?!? The LED's?!? The page he posted to is says they are 26mA!!! Thats only .026A, that's nothing!
You would need an insanely huge LED system, blindingly bright, before you needed to add a fuse to drive it.....
There should be NO PROBLEM AT ALL driving the LED's off the foglight circuit. The LED power draw is absolutely minimal.
You would need an insanely huge LED system, blindingly bright, before you needed to add a fuse to drive it.....
There should be NO PROBLEM AT ALL driving the LED's off the foglight circuit. The LED power draw is absolutely minimal.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,786
Likes: 7
From: Iowa
the wire you want is the purple wire which supplies the 12V to the fog lights. you can get ground from anywhere on one of the factory locations. you can access the fog lights wire under the fuse box under the hood, its in the far forward/driver's side corner of the fuse box. if you separate the top from the bottom you can see the purple wire there (20-22awg maybe) and tap into that.
you might want to check with your local laws however. what you are doing would be considered illegal in many places. if you have inspections you may need to pull the fuse to disable them. I would highly recommend a separate switch for that reason. also, see if you can find a 1A fuse. that should be plenty. good luck!
you might want to check with your local laws however. what you are doing would be considered illegal in many places. if you have inspections you may need to pull the fuse to disable them. I would highly recommend a separate switch for that reason. also, see if you can find a 1A fuse. that should be plenty. good luck!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 265
Likes: 1
From: san diego california
I should complete this by Thanksgiving, and I'll post some pics afterwards! Thanks everyone for all the help!
