Tapping Power - Un-switched, Switched, & with Light switch - GEN 3

Hi folks,

Hope I'm not seen as too lazy to study, but I've seen so many variants I'm almost overwhelmed. I'm wanting to power a new light bar and fog lights (one switch to power both) and use a relay and back-lighted dash switch (MicTuning).

I'm looking for guidance on the tidiest, locations to grab a strong power source for the light bar (I'm thinking un-switched) and then a moderate power source for the relay, and then a source for power that comes on when the rest of the dash lights are on for the back-light on the switch itself. Is this from under the dash, or in the engine compartment or what's best. Where are you guys mounting the relay?

If anyone can just direct me to their favorite posts on the subject, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any assistance everyone.

RZ Rob

 

Have you thought about a dual leg harness for both? I have my light bar tapped into 7.5a for the tailights so when the lights are on the switch lights up as well in addition to when the switch is in the on position.

 

Play it safe and juice them off the battery. The trigger for the relay can be your headlights, taillights, parking lights...whatever you want. The trigger pulls very little power.

 

6MTPro, I'm not sure what you mean by a "dual leg harness" but I like the idea of the back light on the switch lighting when the dash lights are on (as you describe) and/or when the light bar is on. I'm physically looking for details on just where that wire/connector is that's easiest to tap into?

Plain Jane Taco, if the consensus is to pull power directly from the battery for the heavy load of the lights themselves, I'm fine with that. I just want it to look tidy & discreet. As for the trigger wire (low draw) can someone suggest an easily accessible connector? I guess I like the idea of it only getting power if the headlights are on (is that typical?).

A picture or any clues gladly welcome.

Thanks everyone for the assistance.

RZ Rob

 

Are you sure you want a light bar and fog lights to be on at the same time? Generally speaking, true fog beam pattern lights are designed to illuminate a short distance out in front of you and a good distance out to the sides. Properly aimed, you can safely run fog lights on the street with your low beam headlights. Most light bars are designed for longer distance illumination. Even properly aimed, you can't run one of these on the street. That said, if you run both fogs and any type of longer distance illumination at the same time, your eyes will not like it as you cannot properly focus both short and long distance at the same time. This post may help:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/automotive-lighting-101.534393/

 

How discreet and clean it looks will depend entirely on you. Black wire loom is always nice. Cleans up and hides the wiring. You could use the parking light circuit as the trigger. I'm not sure how the switch you have works. Typically with lighted switches they need to be grounded in order to light up. The trigger wire is what the switch should interrupt. This will not only trigger the relay, but will provide power to light up the switch when the lights are on.

Not sure though about your switch. Does it light up only when the accessories (lights) are on? Or does it have separate illumination to light up at night? Or both?

 

Actually what I have is 1 long curved light bar and 2, 6" light bars tilted to the sides that go in like the fog light spot. I have an ADD bumper and want to be able to throw on all 3 at one time. I took a quick look at that sight. I'll study that to see if it can help. Looks like a lot of good info.

Thanks,

Rob

 

Not sure about the switch. I thought it was a matter of just however I wired it. I guess I was trying to figure out "physically" where/how on the truck people are tapping into 12v power? I'm guessing I'll just pick anywhere that has power when the lights are on. What I was trying to avoid was damaging any of the factory wiring connectors etc.

I'm a perfectionist and a neat freak on wiring. On my Adventure bike (KTM1090) I added lights and GPS etc., and I added a Power Distribution Module (PDM60) and was able to hide everything and make it so everything looked factory. KTM has 2 accessory leads (1 switched and 1 unswitched) stock.

RZ Rob

 

T-taps are a quick, clean way to tap a wire without hacking it up. I've used them countless times over the years without issue

 

Sorry I can't be of more help on the switch. I'm just not familiar with that particular one. But like I said, typically a lighted switch has an "in", "out" and a ground