Piaa light wiring?

[MaritimeMan]

Ok, I recently scored a pair of 520's and I am wondering how exactly the wiring should be done. The lamp portion is fairly obvious, but the smaller diameter wires is where I'm confused. Also, do I have to use Piaa's standard switch, or can I use a different one? I emailed Piaa, and there should be a wiring intruction on the way, but I'm too antsy to sit around with these awesome lights hangin off my bumper.

[jjdwyer]

Im not sure if you know you have to hook a relay up along with your switch but you do.

 

Your switch goes to your low amp side of your relay to turn the relay on and off, then the high amp wires go from the relay to your lights. Its pretty easy.

 

Ground -

Low amp positive to trigger the relay from switch +

Full time positve from battery +

Positive from relay to lights +

[statikuz]

Yep, positive wires run from the lights to the relay to the battery, negative wires run straight from the lights to the negative battery terminal, then the relay has a wire straight to ground, then there's two skinny wires from the relay to the little switch, and one little wire from the switch to switched power, theoretically by law, driving lights can only be activated when your high beams are on, and fog lights can only be activated when your low beams are on. The high beam switched power is the red and yellow wire coming out of either of your headlights, or at least it was on mine.

[statikuz]

There's some instructions up here, basically scans of the installation instructions that come in the box. Looks like its your model too, but it doesn't really matter.

[MaritimeMan]

Sweet thanks for the info guys, they are installed and work perfect.

[ChromoTech]

Is there any way to mess with the stock fog lights to make them run w/o the headlights on. or to make them run with the high beams on???

[big_johnson]

Is there any way to mess with the stock fog lights to make them run w/o the headlights on.

 

I don't know if it works on 95 and earlier pathfinders, but here is the write up of a guy who did that on his R50: full control of fog lights

[sw]

simple just run a new plug, cable & switch

[squam1]

when I wired up my piaa 520s I used the light for the ashtray to trigger the switch/relay instead of tapping into a high or low beam positive lead. Don't think my 92 pathy had an ashtray ligght, but my 02 does!

 

This way, I can turn on the 520s with just the marker lights and not the head lights. The other benefit to this is that apart from the manual control, they will also turn on and off with the "auto" headlight setting...

 

I have run batteries down in other vehicles after leaving fog lights on, so I'm content to only be able to run them when at least the marker lights are on - that way, I'll always be assured that I have a warning chime for lights left on.

 

-oh, also, your point about the piaa switch? don't have to use it... I used a factory Nissan fog light switch for an xterra, but have since changed that to a heavy duty, ruberized/sealed switch - just think it looks better...