cmeflyby

installed my new 1100x's today. all was fine with the lamp install but i'm a bit confused on the wiring. all the install guides i've found say to cut all the wires that go to the switch and then just splicing the white with brown stripe wire to the original fog light power wire. before cutting anything i wanted to be sure it would work. let me also mention that the instructions that came with the lights included a piece of paper that said this was an updated harness. i have no idea how new this "update" is. well what i did to test was to disconnect the switch at the connector (which produces the exact same situation as if you were just to cut the wires at the switch) and then touch the white with brown stripe wire to the positive battery terminal...nothing. this makes sense to me because by disconnecting/cutting there is no longer a connection from that wire to anything. with the switch in place, you close the loop when you hit the switch. it would make sense to me if you had to jumper one of the other two wires to it but nobody has made mention of that in any of the instructions i found. here's a rough representation of the switch wiring i have.

............. |------------//-----------| .................. |---------------(to relay)
[switch]--------------//-----------[connector]----white/brown----switch-power---
''''''''''''''''''' |------------//-----------| ''''''''''''''''''''''''''' |---------------(to relay)


thanks! :cheers:


[Modified by cmeflyby, 2:29 AM 5/29/2003]

cmeflyby

nobody knows? or is my question too confusing? :crazy: i know i had to reread it a couple times to make sure it made sense to me :lol:

back to the garage. will check back in a while
:cheers:

KKu77

Say what? :confused: Yeah, it was a bit confusing... but for what it's worth, I noticed that when i was installing my PIAA's, it would not work unless the wires were grounded. You may want to check that out.

nevrenuf

I just connected the bulb leads from the PIAA lamps to the factory harness and left the relay and switch and all that extra wiring in the box.

The factory lamps pull 2.8 amps, the PIAA lamps pull 4.1 amps. The extra 1.3 amps is well within the safety margin of the factory wiring!

The wire is rated at 8 amps.

I've installed several sets for others this way, and all three of my C5's this way, and never had a single issue.

Save the work, wire it direct and be done with it...

Kal-El

Your post is a bit confusing. But let's see if this answers your question. I recently put the PIAA's on my car. Must just say that I love them. I have had so many compliments. Anyway... You must cut the PIAA switch completely off and cut into the stock switch wire. I left the other wires alone. Make sure the lights are grounded and properly connected with the power source. It is such an easy install it seems too easy. It took me more time to get my Vette in the air and take the coverings off than it did to replace the lights. If this does not help, try rewriting your question.

Enjoy your the PIAA's. They are my favorite non-performance mod. I often roll without my headlights on.

cmeflyby

:lol: i thought it might confuse people...
anyway, i did figure it out. i was right in my assumption. i found another set of instructions that say to cut the wire at the switch connector NOT at the switch. there is a BIG difference. if you cut at the switch you end up with an open circuit, at the switch connector it's ok. it may that the first set of directions was written to an older harness version. the one i got doesn't have the switch "hardwired" into the harness. it has a plug connector that the switch (with about 3 feet of wire) plugs into.
FYI i found the clearer set of instructions at corvettedreams.com

:cheers:

boost2much

DITTO. I did the same thing. Works fine, no problems in over 2 years.