James on a JK do you know of any other power sources I could tap into that

1/ shutsdown & turns off when the key ignition is turned off, and
2/ can handle the power for 130W lights (cigarette lighter wire cannot)

 

Since i havent had to go thru this yet, i dont have anymore info to offer except what i plan on using.



You could use any accessory wire under hood to power the relay. Basically this allows the key to turn them off if you forget to turn the swtich off. The switch still controls them while the key is on

 

I would find an ignition hot (powered on when key is on, off when off) wire and tap into that, and run it to one side of the switch, the other side of the switch use to trigger the relay. (What wire to use, I dont know as my relay triggers are all tapped into the stock lighting for inspection purposes in NY.)

If it was me, I wouldnt try to grab the power for the lights themselves off of any of the factory wiring as you more than likely would overload those circuits. I would run that in it's own line directly off of the battery.

 

Looks ok to me, only thing i would do differently is put the switch before the relay in the cigarette lighter power line. ~just design preference so that there is no power sitting at the lights waiting with the switch shut off. (cant short a light when it's off if there is no power on the connection) ~ JMO.

 

electricians choice I have always felt it better to switch the ground rather than power, but either way works

 

No argument from me, both work, it's all preference.

(Side note: What field do you work in? Residential? Commercial? I'm in production/transmission on the Hi power end of things - not an electrician persay, but know a bit about it)

 

Ah i work at ziebart doing remote starts and stuff like that. I dont mess with anything over 20 volts. For a real electrician that seems kind of lame but 12v cant kill me if i make a mistake.

 

Guys I appreciate your insight. I'm not an electrician, and still have questions

I guess I need to find a thicker wire with ignition power capable of handling more...current (??) Initially when I hooked up the lights I connected to the cig lighter wire for power and it worked but soon ceased (overloaded ??). The 130W lights are still wired up that way, and when I run a temporary wire directly from 12V battery to the incoming power source on switch (the cig wire) the lights work, so I know its the cig wire power that is the problem.

Ill try this, many thanks.

My JK rarely has doors on so trying to avoid some ar*e hitting the switches & draining battery

 

I dont think finding a heavier wire to draw the actual power for the lights is a good idea, those circuits are computer controlled and will error out on you if you overload them (which you have already discovered)

If you run the power to turn the relay on from a switched (ignition hot) power source, when you turn off the key, it all goes dead.

the power that flows through the relay can be run right off the battery.

When the relay is turned off (off with ignition if wired as stated above) there is No drain from the battery at all.

Basically the dash switch, is just turning on a switch inside the relay, which allows the power to flow from the battery to the lights, when the dash switch is off, the relay is off, stopping the power from getting there ~ hence, no drain.


I hope that makes sense? I may well not being explaining it so wellish

 

Got it...MANY thanks. Ill print, re-read and check the wiring tonight. Appreciate the ideas, really do !!