Resolved - CH4x4 switches to dim?

Searched quite a lot and I couldn't find an answer.

So I swapped my ARB comp switch out for a CH4x4 one and decided to pull the Q charger switch out and use that space. Also using the wiring from the Q switch to interface with the CH4x4.

So the CH4x4 has 4 wires, Green, Red 1, Red 2, and black. The ARB has 5 wires. Red, red/yellow, blue/white, and 2 black. I merged the 2 black together so its basically 4 to 4. Per the CH4x4 wiring diagram, green gets 12V, black is ground, red 2 needs the dimming wire, and red 1 goes to accessory.

Some searching showed the Q switch color code as grey for acc 12V, green for dimming, blue for switched 12V? and white for ground?

I wired the CH4x4 switch:

Green - Red/Yellow : 12V
Red 1 - Red : air comp
Red 2 - Blue/White : dimmer
Black - Black : ground

When I turn the dash lights on, the lower section of the CH4x4 turns on and then when the button is pushed in, the rest turns on and my air comp fires up. However, the switch doesn't dim. Not really a big deal, just curious if anyone has done something similar and gotten it to work? I did try wiring the white on the Q switch to black on the CH4x4 switch so the dimming would have its connected ground. But it made no difference.

 

If I’m reading right, your expectations are that the light will become literally dimmer.

Yeah that’s not how they work. Dimmer is ‘old school’ for interior lighting used to be. These days with LEDs it’s on or off.

The way you are saying the switch is working is correct to everyone else’s install.

 

Fair enough. Figured if it was hooked up to a dimming wire, then it would actually dim. Oh well, ha, wishful thinking then. Now to find one where the color matches better. AOB is sold out.

 

I have two switches, one from Cali Raised and another from ARB.

They both are LED lit (I know, I installed them) and they do dim with the panel lights.

The LED illumination wire in the wiring harness is green. I'm guessing you are hooked to switched 12v and not the dimming circuit.



Note my red and yellow wires hooked to the green one, that's the dashboard illumination wire.

 

This is how I have my CH4x4 switches wired. They are dimmable using the rheostat.
The green wire has 12v, the green/white wire has it's resistance to ground changed by the rheostat.
Those junction connectors shown are behind the fuse box (in the car).

I have a 2nd gen.

 

I have mine hooked up just like yours. Green to 12V, red 1 to accessory, red 2 to dimming, and black to black. Your pic looks like your switch is connected to constant 12v and the only wire interlocked with the truck wiring is the green dimming wire.

 

It’s on TW, just can’t remember the thread:

 

So green on the factory side is illum+ and tan is illum-?

That's the only wire I didn't touch, ha. Might have to give that a shot next.

 

LEDs typically support dimming. Especially on these overseas switches. The only difference is they don’t have as much range of dimming. The trick is you need a 12v+ and then the LED negative must go to the OEM led negatives in order to vary the voltage to do so.

 

Toyota uses a variable 12v negative as its dash light ground circuit. The positive stays a constant 12v+, while the negative changes from 12v to 0v dependent on dimmer position. So at full brightness you get a full 0v ground. I think your mistaking a toyota dimmer for a positive line when it’s really a variable negative.

 

That's interesting. I've have to do some more measuring then.

 

Ok, so from the Q switch plug,

Green is +12V when the lights are turned on
Gray is +12V when acc is turned on
Tan is the 12V negative that goes to 0V at full bright

White is ground?
Blue should be +12V going out when the Q switch is pushed in

If I swap in the tan wire, the CH4x4 switch will dim, but it dims opposite of the dash lights, ha. I think I'm over it. Dimming shouldn't be this big of a deal and the switch works.

 

Got it. If I put the tan (variable ground) on the black wire to the switch by itself, I get dimming. When its doubled up with my ARB black wire, it's constant ground, so it wouldn't dim. So can I just wire the black wires from my original ARB switch to a constant ground? and leave the tan on the switch?

 

Ahhhh you're trying to wire an ARB compressor. Didn't fully read the first post. Hold up I have a nerdy ass diagram for you.

 

Yep, haha.

 

If you follow the black wire from this diagram all the way back to your compressor's relay you'll see that you actually don't need to connect the black wire of the switch harness to anything. You may ground it if you'd like, but it won't do much. It's just an extension of the ground wire that is grounded to the battery. If you connect this to your switch it won't dim as it's a constant (-). I took that pin completely out of my switch harness when I ran my CH4x4 switches.

Wiring these can be a little tricky if you have a locker (I don't think you do, but if you do and need help let me know I can help you decipher this diagram), but if you're just using the isolation switch it's simple:

You connect the RED/YELLOW of your harness to the GREEN ignition wire (1) on the CH4x4 switch. You then run the tail-end of it to a fuse tap. From factory the tail-end is bare to perform this operation.

You connect the BLUE/WHITE of your harness to the RED 2 (pin 3) on the CH4x4 switch. You then run the tail-end of it to the GREEN (+) of a neighboring R44 connector for illumination (+). From factory the tail-end is bare to perform this operation (it's long as shit so cut it down to size).

You connect the RED wire of your harness to the RED 1 (pin 2) on the CH4x4 switch. This runs to your relay and controls your compressor.

I would recommend you take a fresh piece of wire (not on the harness) and connect it to the BLACK (pin4) on the CH4x4 switch. You then run the tail-end of it to the TAN (-) of a neighboring R44 connector for illumination variable (-).

Might require some mental gymnastics but eventually it works as advertised.

 

Thank you! That was the missing piece. Not hooking those black wires up from the ARB was holding me up. Tan to the black from the CH4x4 switch and black from ARB left off. Switch now lights and dims as it should. You rock!

 

Worked for me as well, thanks.

 

This is great info, thanks! Could I ask you a couple more questions?

What size fuse for the fuse tap, 3? 7.5? 15? I've seen people saying they use them all.

Also I understand the fuse taps need to go in a certain direction, so I did some investigating with the multimeter and found that the 'line' side of the fuse box is always on the outside edge of the box, does that seem right? I thought they'd be on the same side of each row but it doesn't appear to be the case. This puts the fuse taps installed in opposite directions depending on which row they're in?

Which fuse do you suggest getting the power from, or does it really matter as long as it's powering with accessory on? I don't have p outlet 2 so I used usb (same location, but only a 7.5 in there instead of the 15). Tested no power when truck is off. First time using these fuse taps and they really aren't inspiring confidence.

Thanks, appreciate your knowledge and time!

 

Super small -- it's just opening a relay coil and the solenoid of the locker. It's still in the <1 A range.

Pull power from something like WASHER if you want a larger keyed-power fuse to draw small current from.