help with aux lighting

[97TJAC]

recently i installed a set of reverse lights that i mounted on bumper..
i was able to wire them in to the existing reverse wire that was unused due to flush mount taillights..

I am wondering how i would have to wire these lights to be "ON DEMAND" also

i would like to be able to flip the lights on when not in reverse
and not have it blow up a computer or anything if i am in reverse and i bump the toggle in the cab...

i assume some sort of relay needs placed to allow it to kill power to reverse lights if i flip the toggle switch on and visa versa

[Paul E]

I did this same thing.

I wired my aux lights using the standard methodology - switch powers a relay that lights them up. With that in place, I THEN wired the purple/black reverse wire from the stock harness that was lying behind my new LED flushmounts and ran that to the same blade that the switch uses to activate the relay.

This way, the switch will light them up. They will also light up when the reverse is engaged. As a side benefit, the switch illuminates as well. :) This has the stock wiring powering the relay only - NOT the higher than stock aux lights. No issue with blowing the wiring or the computer.

In short, I have 2 leads that power up the relay. Once that relay powers up, the lights kick in.

[97TJAC]

what type of relay...does this relay go in the fuse box on the driver side by the battery in one of the empty slots?

with the wiring...my reverse light wire was white with a gray strip... but that was after this big connection point behind the tail light which i then assume it switches to the purple/black

[Paul E]

I got a standard relay from a place like O'Reilly's. I could have used the wiring that came with the lights, but as you've found out, the wiring setup isn't long enough for the back.

I ran custom wiring (and have a document that shows it all). here's a pic of the relay. This relay was used for my fronts, but it is the EXACT same type of relay I got at O'Reilly's for about $4.00 or so.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/skimblz/Jeep/Electrical/Fog%20Wiring/DSCN0062.jpg

here's the pin/blade settings on the relay:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/skimblz/Jeep/Electrical/Fog%20Wiring/bosch_relay.jpg

Basically, there is a fuse between the switch and the fusebox (negative is grounded). Then you have wiring running from the switch to the relay. This is the + wire that powers the relay. The reverse wire from the stock harness will connect to the same blade on the relay as the + wire from the switch.

From the relay you have a + and - wire running to each of the aux lights and to ground. I forget the color of the reverse wire, but whichever you used will connect to the relay (which I mounted above the driver taillight inside the cab). The wires run through the grommet right there to the lights.

[97TJAC]

could u show a diagram of what you did Paul E
here is something i found he is talking about wiring into factory reverse light..so would the 85 and 87 basically all wire into the same splice back by the taillights?
or would it be easier to find the factory reverse light wire up front and tap into it there


Excuse my ****ty microsoft paint rendering
RELAY:
86: to ground
87: to aftermarket fog lights (white wire)
87A: to center terminal on switch
85: to white wire w/ gray stripe (factory reverse)
30: to battery with inline fuse

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wPQLbvyDy9E/TFt-P4IOcqI/AAAAAAAAAbI/2SCoU7AYxwY/s800/Reverse%20Lights.jpg

but can't figure out where u r suppose to tie into the Factory Reverse light at.. i found that it is a purple wire behind the fuse panel in the glove box

[blackcherryxj]

How many watts are the lights that your trying to power? It can be done rather simply using diodes. But it's really only simple if you understand of the diodes work. Basically, have 2 wires going to the light, but before the 2 wires tie together, but the diodes in. By doing this way, the power does not back-feed into the comptuer or whatever. It won't matter if both are on at the same time, or if only one is on.

I hope that made sence to you.

Paul

[BobA]

Can the above diagram work without using the factory wire and just a toggle straight off the battery? Can that diagram work with any type/watt light?

[97TJAC]

they are 50-55 watt... i dont want a diode due to how they heat up...
i am good to go the way the diagram shows I am just lost on how they hook up to the reverse lights and to the wire for the aux lights...
the ONLY light i have back there is the new aux lights

[Paul E]

The aux lights will hook into the 2 87 blades. The power from the switch will come into blade 86. The reverse wire from your stock harness will wire into Blade 86 as well. So you'll have 2 inputs from different sources (switched setup on your dash and the reverse wire from the stock harness) coming into the one blade (86) that activates your relay and the lights.

Bob, my setup uses a completely custom install wiring setup since it is in back. it ran 100% independent of ANY circuit. THEN, I added the reverse wire and ran it to the relay blade 86 and now the switched circuit will activate the lights, as will putting it in reverse.

I hope that clears it up. :)

[Paul E]

97TJAC,

PM me your email. I have PDF I can send ya. It may help.

[Paul E]

Check your email inbox. :)