RubiconGT

Alright,
I've searched, but I am not finding what I need. I just took the stock bumper off my 2008 Rubicon and put on the Smittybilt SRC. I got 2 KC 100 watt driving lights for a birthday present - no wiring with them. I've got the old light wires disconnected, zip tied out of the way with electrical tape sealing the connectors.

I'd like to wire the new lights off a switch - I would like them to be hooked up so when I turn the key off they go off (I used to have a Mazda MX-6 with driving lights that I installed and I would always forget and leave them on and kill the battery - not a problem in a 2500 lb stick shift car that I could pop start with a buddy pushing).

What do I need to do this and what's a reasonable way to hook it up?

Thanks

GoodysGotaCuda

Why not wire them to the factory fog switch and the Jeep will turn them off if you forget? You could also wire a relay to the cig lighter that turns on with the key, and turns off after you open the door with the key off.

RubiconGT

Will I get into trouble plugging 100 W lights into the stock fog wiring ( I think the stock ones are 45 watts)? This would be a sweet solution if possible.

w squared

Be careful using the factory fog light wiring to power the KC's. They draw 100 watts each, almost twice what the factory fogs do.

However, a relay running off the factory fog wiring harness might work...but it might also cause the computer to throw a hissy fit.

Maybe a pair of relays? On triggered from the left cigarette lighter (turns off when the radio turns off) and one triggered by a switch in the cab.

RubiconGT

What would I need to buy to set it up running off the left cigarette lighter? Relay, switch, 14 gauge wire...?

trick50

make it easy on yourself, just go to your local pep boys and buy the wiring kit. I think its like 19.99 or something and it comes with the relay, instructions, all the wire bundled together in a harness that plugs right into the relay. it doesn't have to be wired into your cig lighter.

The way mine are wired, my positive comes right off the battery, into the relay. Ground into the relay. Both lights grounded individually, then the positive to the lights goes into the relay harness.

The relay feeds the battery positive into the switch, the switch is grounded by itself as well. There is a third prong on the back of the switch which is my trigger positive. I have my trigger hooked up to my parking lamps. Which means I cannot turn on my driving lights unless my parking lamps are on. Which in turn means that if I have the driving lamps on as long as I remember to turn off my parking lamps...The driving lights will automatically turn off. Or if I forget to turn both off jeep will do it for me.


The instructions that came with the lights (Hella 500FF) advised me to use my high beams as my trigger...but That would mean I could only use my Hellas if the high beams were on....and not with the reg headlights and fogs. So the way I have em as long as my parking lamps are on I can power up my hellas. Fog lights, healights(hi or low beam) do not affect the driving lamps.


If you buy the hella wiring kit (which I know pep boys stocks) you'll get the diagram and all you need to wire it up which isn't bad for 19.99 considering a relay and a switch alone will cost you 5 bucks each. It also comes with the inline fuses for your positive wire that comes off the battery and the trigger wire.

Good luck

Jusaplaya

Make sure to get right wattage harness. Not to take anything away from trick50. The hella free flow light wiring harness output fuse is on the verge of being to small to run daylighters. It like 15 amp if I remember right. I was just gonna tie into it to run my daylighters. I ended up having to run the daylighter harness because of the fuse. I don't think you will have to worry about leaving daylighters on. They are really bright. I pulled power from the fog light switch to trigger the relay like everyone else. It works great.

RubiconGT

Thanks guys... That was the kind of detail I needed. I'll see if I can get a pre-wired harness. If the pep boys one is too low amperage I'll get the KC one from the internet.

A lot of this stuff is new to me - I'm going to learn to do this stuff the right way - I'm planning a lot more modding in the future. I'd never be able to figure this stuff out without sites like JK Forum.

GoodysGotaCuda

Make your own wiring harness for the relay. Its a simple circuit, use 12ga for the power supply. You'll have no problems. Pre-made harnesses are junk, use cheap wire, relays, and connections in my opinion. Unless you buy a real one like from Painless Wiring. I'm not a fan of premade harnesses because electrical isn't "uncharted territory" to me. The more you do it, the more you can try to understand whats going on. Allows you to fix things when they break, all based on knowing how it works. I suggest get some wire, relay, terminals, fuse holder and a soldering iron. Learn how to do wiring yourself, it will pay off in the long run when you decide to add more things, or what have you.

You need one properly wired relay for the lights. Feel free to post any further questions, we'll get cha through it. It's easier than you think, I wired my first relay when I was about 17 for a fan, seemed like rocket science at the time! I've wired complete vehicles with custom harnesses and added countless electrical modifications to things. It's not so bad!