So I want to set up two back up/bed lights and 4 aux driving lights/fogs. My Stock fogs arent working and idk why but im building a custom bumper soon anyway so i dont really feel like fixing them. I am wanting to use 1 switch that is always powered and 1 that is powered when in ignition. I've looked at the diagrams that are stickied and am fairly new to car wiring. Where exactly do you guys ground your lights and where do you guys think i should tap in for power? Also would it be easiest to wire everything up to the engine and bring the wiring through where the stock foglights come through?

Also im kinda unclear of how to wire a relay, i understand the idea of it and why to use one but not really how

I know its alot haha and I apreciate any answers.

 

you can ground your lights to any good metal surface, i run my lights to the battery w a relay and inline fuse. you can run wire just about anywhere, depends on how neat and visible u want it to be. as far as a relay goes, one is for the relay power, one goes to the switch, one is for ground and one comes from what your powering.

 

Get an automotive 12V, 30 Amp Relay with four connections from any Automotive Store.

Pins are as follows:
Pin 85 From Sw
Pin 86 to ground (sometimes it is not there and the relay is grounded through the mounting hole.
Pin 30 Fused line from Battery
Pin 87 to Load (lights, radio, amp, etc)
May or may not have this one - Pin 87A, is live when no power is applied to the relay, IMHO… do not use a relay with this pin; if you do cover it with a piece of heat shrink.

Grounding, as stated the best location would be back to the battery or a terminal strip next to the battery which in turn is connected to the negative post on the battery… Next best location is the Frame but make sure to get to bare metal where the lug will touch, use a good quality external tooth lock washer and some Conductive Anti-Coorosive Paste.

Also, two lights (max 150/ea) per relay and usually one sw per relay but you can run more than one relay on one sw if you want to.
Alway fuse the wire coming from the battery to the relay with a fuse rated for the smallest component load in the circuit.
Alway fuse the wire going to the Sw, small amperage about 1 amp 2 max.
Alway solder the connections and use a good quality heat shrink with adhesive in side and only shrink it after testing the circuit.

Just look for a location on the firewall that has wires already of a cable going through. You can always drill a new hole and use a connection or grommet but do not leave bare metal.

Good Luck.

 

So are relays self contained units? no like relay holders or anything? Where/how do you mount relays in a safe position?

 

most i have seen have a little thing to put a screw threw, i have one for my fogs and i mounted it by the battery against the inside of the fender.

 

All depends on what you want.
You can buy them with a mount as part of the relay or a mounted socket that the relay plugs into but the easiest ones have the mount as part of the relay and should cost around $5/$7.

I have double relay from Desert Rat, they mount with two screw through the housing and still need a ground, so there are different ones you need to decide.
Single relay are usually the best idea because if one fails the others are still working.

As j99 stated mount the relays as close to the power source as you reasonably can; they are suppose to keep the higher amperage outside of the Cab and don’t forget the fuse on the power wire.