I am pretty sure this has been done before successfully, but I wanted to check first to make sure.

Can I add a wire to both of these circuits to trigger a relay for auxiliary lights front and rear respectively? I would figure that just taping into the turn on wire would work, but I was wondering if there would be a negative effect, like frying the stock wiring. The aftermarket lights would have their own dedicated fused power wire.

Also does anyone know the wire for the high beams and where I could pick it up at? I would think the sjb would be the place to find both wires, but all the wiring diagram I have from when I did my alarm didn't mention the high beams. It does say that the reverse light wire is black / pink (i think, I have it written down in my garage) at the drivers side of the transmission. So I was hoping that someone may know of a place in the cab that I could pick up that wire.

Thanks
Dan

 

if you use a wire to trigger a realy it wont fry the stock circuit, relays don't really drav that much current to really effect it, any ways but you just take say the lead wire for the reverse light, put the on the contact to power the coil ground it, the run a wire from your battery to power the contacts, you will most likely have to jump you power to the contacts since they are made so you can have seperate power sorces, for different contact, just make sure that yo put a fuse close to the battery.

I don't know which wire it is for the high beams just by a test prob for like 5 bucks, its just a big needle with a light grond the clip and you can puncture the insulation with it to find out which wire it is, or if you have a DC volt meter just unplug the light and test the contacts with your low beams on. hope i was some help

 

if anyone is interested, the high beam wire is the gray orange wire under the dash near the ignition harness that is in a 9 or 12 pin connector. not the gray / orange that is in a 2 pin connector with a gray / white wire.

still looking for a good way to reach the black/ pink wire for the reverse lights.

 

In 2003 and several years earlier, the BK/PK reverse light wire did run through the firewall, through the dash harness and along the transmission tunnel under the carpet before being routed through the floor and along the driver side frame rail.

Starting in 2004, the Ranger harnesses were reconfigured and it looks like the entire BK/PK runs only along the chassis, completely avoiding the interior. I don't have a good picture to go by but it appears that there is a round 8-cavity connector near the tail housing/extension housing of the transmission. That connector joins the rear section of the engine/transmission harness to the long harness that runs inside the driver side frame rail to the back of the truck. That is the path of the 2004 BK/PK reverse lamp wire.

 

that is what i didn't want to be the case, but it is what it is. that is the last wire i have to access in my project and then i can get my truck back together.

thanks Bob.

 

When I was doing Dan's offroad lights, I just t-tapped into the Hi-beam wire at the light. Works great (except his relay took a **** again... Keeps getting stuck in the ON position... Did that the first time i fired it, and worked for a few weeks, and he just texted me today saying it was stuck again... fml...)

 

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Are you using cheap relays? Where is the relay mounted?

 

Yes, which is where I think the issue lies. It's mounted (If you're facing the truck) to the right of the radiator on an existing screw.

 

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Well I am about to try to find that wire (blk/pnk) a friend also told me to check behind the fuse panel, but the fuse for that also runs abs and a few other things.

 

Just run the +12V wire to the back of the truck, and do the relay back there.

 

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That is almost certainly your issue, plus having it mounted out side the cab near the radiator where it is probably getting all sorts of moisture will add to it. Look for a relay harness that makes a snug fit to the relay.

 

Or a waterproof relay.

 

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I would, but it isn't that easy for my final goal. Not only us the transmission going to turn the lights on, but so is a switch and my alarm. All diode isolated in a neat little box in my dash.

 

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That too.

 

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Well, I followed the black pink wire to a harness in the engine bay and got .13 volts with the transmission in reverse and .00 with it not. And yes the meter was set to the right range. Will that be enough to trigger a relay?

 

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Well a buddy told me to look for a relay in the junction box under the hood, the black pink wire doesn't even go in there. I am reasonably sure the lights don't run off .13 volts so I am lost again. I am about to run out of propane hot the heater so I guess I call it a day.

 

well any 24 VDC realy will work with 12 VDC thats what my realy is, hear are some pretty good realys that i have, telemecanique ( look for the blue and white one, which is 24 VDC) and ESSEX controls, type 143-C3A2, You can find the first one on ebay, didn't see the other one, the one in my truck is the same brand just different modle and i'm happy with it i just have mine mounted on top my wheel well under the hood, when your looking for a relay for you truck just check the coil rating it will me 24v 50/60HZ

 

Keep your relays under the hood near the battery along with the fuse for the power wire both should be as close to the battery as possible.

The idea of a relay is to keep the main hot wire under the hood when the lights are off and the fuse near the battery is to cut off the main current close to the battery if a shot happens to stop any fire potentials.

 

there is plenty of fuses in my set up.

 

It's more the placement than IF !

 

yeah i have my fuse for my hot wire to the relay fused withing like 4 inches

 

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There is plenty of fuses in the right spots and lengths. I have been doing this for over a decade now, but in all sincerity thank you for you concern. I just wasn\'t sure of the minimum voltage required for a relay turn on, and if the ranger had a \"delicate\" wiring system. I have put a lot of planning into what I am doing. That is part of the reason it is taking me so long.





Look forward to a little write up on all of this.





Dan

 

12V ~ is required, amperage is the question BUT… As you stated the Ranger has a minimum wiring setup and that is why I always say to drop a new line, it is easier.
Maybe… Run one FUSED (as close to the battery as possible) 10 or 12 gauge wire to the interior and tap off that for all of your low draw components. The fuse can vary according to load but not over the 30 amp total load of the wire. Then you can either run a Painless Circuit Boss or a separate "Blue Sea Fuse Panel (http://bluesea.com/category/5 or even a Terminal Strip to spread out the load and get some extra fuses.

Again, not questioning you or your abilities just later on down the trail you will be wondering what tap goes to what and too many Wire Taps results in too much moisture getting the Main Power Wire and causing corrosion, it just causes too many possible future problems.

As are all of us, this Site likes a good write-up and pics.


Good Luck in which ever way you do it, it’s your truck, do it your way.

 

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As a matter of fact I am using a buss bar type set up for my low draw wiring. Plus I made sure to label what wire and relay is for what. The joints are all soldered and sealed where ever possible. Again thanks for your input. Now all I have left to do is make all the terminal connections, then test it all out. Ohh then the fun part of putting my truck back together.

 

Sounds good, obviously you are doing it right…

Again I do not mean to tell you waht to do, if I sat back and said nothing and something happened and I could have done something then I would feel bad about; sounds funny but that’s me…

Good Luck, good project, pic and write-up soon pls.