Driving Light Wiring Question

[barthel]

Well, I got all of my lights finally and am in the process of installing them. 6 total on the roof rack (2 inner front, 2 outer front, 2 rear back up) plus 2 PIAA fogs on the front. I have all the wiring diagrams that I pulled from here as well as the instructions that came with the lights. My question is slightly different.

 

The way they will work, 2 inner front on one switch, 2 outer front on one switch, backups and fogs on their own switches as well. I have 4 lighted rocker switches to sork them and pulled a 7 circuit fuse block and mounted it under the drivers seat. I'm using the fuse block to power the relays for the lights themselves, I'll have to pull trigger power to the switches from somewhere else (using 6 of the 7 circuits). Can I use power from one location as a trigger for all the switches (since the load is channeled by the relays), or do I need to find 4 seperate power sources (one for each switch). I will still have 1 constant hot circuit left on my fuse block, any issues if I use that for a trigger?

 

Thanks in advance.

[mws]

Can I use power from one location as a trigger for all the switches?

 

Yes.

 

The activation coil in the relays will draw about .25 to .5 amps each, so even if all 4 switches are on, you have 2 amps or less total. Use a 5 amp fuse and 18 awg wire and you are more than good to go. (Actually, you could go as small as 24 awg and a 3 amp fuse, but small wires tend to get broken more easily.)

 

However, as I read your note, I see a need for only 5 fuses to be used? One for each relay and one for the switches.

[88pathoffroad]

One of these days I'm gonna have to pull ALL the wiring out of the Pathy and re-do all of it. I simply added to the existing mess every time I added new lights. They're all fused of course, but still. Meh.

[barthel]

However, as I read your note, I see a need for only 5 fuses to be used? One for each relay and one for the switches.

 

MWS,

 

You are correct, as a matter of fact I only need 4.

 

The fuse block I got has 4 ignition switched circuits, and 3 constant circuits. I'm using the 4 switched for the lights, 2 of the constants for power outlets, and the last one as the trigger switch for the relays.