dagwoodzz Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 hey guys, installed running boards, lightbar, & luggage rack today. thought I would share. guess what the next project is? Hook up the lights. Can anyone explain to a dummy how to wire it yourself :help: ? I'm not kidding about the dummy part, I have never wired any but a radio. Currently I have 2 wires from each light coming in behind the 4x4 sticker. I want to put the switch on the center console so it will be close to a power source under the passenger seat. Just for starters is that a good location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 What kind of lights are they? Did you buy them new? There should be a wiring diagram included with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoodzz Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 Sorry, forgot important details. Got them off an 88 2dr in the junkyard. Tried to save all the wiring, but when cutting the carpet to get to the switch, oops slice . Installed the hardware on an 87 2dr. My theory is to run a power source from either the battery or box under passenger seat to a switch and a fuse. then run wire from switch and splice into lights. Planning to go to Advanced Auto tommorow and by a generic on/off switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pathyman95 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 it depends on how many cercuits you want to run their are a few diff ways to do it. if you want to run all lights off one circuit or (switch) you can do a continuous loop through all the lights frist you run a positive fusable wire from your batt. to a switch inside the cab put the batt wire on the terminal of the switch that says batt. or pos. next you run a wire comming off the switch that goes to light bar the termanal is usually marked acc. on switch. after the wire is to the light bar you connect it to the red wire on the first light then you run a short wire off of that connection to the red wire of the next light keep doing this till all lights are connected do the same kind of connections for the ground (black wire) and you will connect that to a good chassis ground (shorter the wire the better) they should work. Depending on if you have a lighted switch or not you might need to run a short ground to the terminal on your switch marked (ground) hope it will help if you got a ? let me no another thing where did you get ur lightbar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 That looks good. Looks like you've got a bit of a flat tire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoodzz Posted October 23, 2005 Author Share Posted October 23, 2005 Thanks, I will take it as far as I can & let you know. The wife went to her mom's this w/end. I was supposed to finish our remodel job in the house while she was gone. I told her I had to work today. You got to admit Playing with Pathy kicks home improvements A$$ every time. I still have tommorow to pretend like I tried. Yea tire is flat, and the lights don't work but she looks good! While I'm here I'll tell funny story. Told wife I need to spend 400$ for shocks & UCA's to lift front 3 inches. She's says "your crazy, 400$ for 3 inches I don't think so". I told her come on baby good price, That's only $133 an inch what would you pay? Needless to say I'm sleeping alone tonight. got beer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick1716 Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 wiring is easy! just run a power wire from your battery or good power source to you switch, then and a power and and ground wire to your lights... you can solder all the postives together and all the negative together... but be sure to ground the negative.. i ran my wires from my center console to the back (behing all the side panels and junk) out the trunk, then i took off my racks and ran the wires under those to the front, connected all the wires and bam! they worked! if you have any questuions let me know... i dont know if what i said makes sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 can someone do a write up on this..cuz I am an electrical idiot.. but I have 6 ligths to install up front and noooooooo clue how to do it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardwaretoad Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 (edited) Try doing a search here on driving light installs... you'll want a relay in there too, to protect things. -thnkboutit- Here's a simple diagram to get you started, anyone can do this, just take your time... Edited October 23, 2005 by hardwaretoad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 wiring is easy! just run a power wire from your battery or good power source to you switch, then and a power and and ground wire to your lights... you can solder all the postives together and all the negative together... but be sure to ground the negative.. i ran my wires from my center console to the back (behing all the side panels and junk) out the trunk, then i took off my racks and ran the wires under those to the front, connected all the wires and bam! they worked! if you have any questuions let me know... i dont know if what i said makes sense um no. relays relays relays relays! go down to radio shack and pick you up one or two (depending on how many lights your running, 1 will run 4 lights fine) and wire it up just like the posted diagram. you do not just wire stuff like that together straight, thats for ameratures...and install inline fuses for the power cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Try doing a search here on driving light installs... you'll want a relay in there too, to protect things. -thnkboutit- Here's a simple diagram to get you started, anyone can do this, just take your time... Well done. :bow: To even contenplate not using a relay is insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoodzz Posted October 24, 2005 Author Share Posted October 24, 2005 Thanks for all the helpful instruction. will go to parts store today. I feel confident that I can follow the diagram with one exception. What is the Ignition Power Source? Is that just a matter of finding a wire that is hot only when the ignition is on? (i.e. radio, wipers, power source) In general please explain the function of a relay. What does it do. Vsicks I've read the "It begins" thread. Your relays are installed behind the glove box look impressive. :bow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 in short a relay is a switch of sorts. what you do is get a constant hot running from the battery to provide power, you have your ground for obvious reasons, you have your power wire which runs to whatever your wanting to power wheather it be a horn, lights, whatever, and you have a trigger which is often a switchable positive. a switchable 12V lead is one that has power when you turn the key to the acc or on position. the reason for using a relay is that you should never just run anything off a switchable 12v source that draws much power, youll blow out a fuse. also it keeps you from running large gauge constant hot wire all through your cabin. in a sense a relay works as an electromagnetic gate. when in the "at rest" state, there is no power running through the trigger wire to the relay, nor is there any power running to your accessories (lights, horn, etc). when power is sent through the trigger wire, it activates an electromagnetic switch. this completes the circuit inside and allows electricity to flow from the battery, through the main power cable, and through the power wire running to the accessory. when the trigger wire is switched off, it ends the circuit and no more electricity flows through to the accessory. now when you hook up say, lights youll wanna hook up your trigger wire either to a wire thats hot when you turn on your key, or when your lights are on. then you can run it to a switch, then run the wire to the relay. a relay is meant to handle much more power and amperage draw than just a little switch. also, using a relay means only running one small wire out of the cabin into the engine rather than 2 large ones. as far as wiring your trigger. as i said earlier you can either wire it up to a wire that is hot when the key is on so you can use it independently of your headights, or you can wire it to a hot that is only hot when your headlights are on and your aux lights can work in conjunction ONLY when your headights are on. i opted to wire mine up independent of the headlights that way they can be used anytime the key is on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoodzz Posted November 15, 2005 Author Share Posted November 15, 2005 Man it took a while to get it done. Lights now work To give you idea how inexperienced I am at electrical, tried to solder the wiring to the relay. dumb! I know now. Finally learned they make clips that slide and lock right on. If had to do it again could probably completely wire in 2 hours instead of the six hour learning curve. installed the switch on the console just to the left (driver side) of the e-brake. It has a green led light illuminates when on. (orange would have matched the interior lighting). powered the switch from the fusebox (wiper fuse). Lights will only work when ignition is on. grounded to the bolt securing the driver seat. The lights from the junkyard still worked. They will be replaced as they have caught a few projectiles in their lifetime. Again thanks for all the help and accurate information. especially the diagram from Hardwaretoad. you rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardwaretoad Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Glad you had success. That's what we're all here for ~ to help. And yes, I do.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Good to see you did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 yeah, definately do the relay. these guys got it covered. i didn't the first time and melted the fuse holder. just do it. simple.. also search the forum using relay and other related words.. sooo much has been written about all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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