The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

Anyone know if Diode Dynamics is planning on updating their lights bars to incorporate the backlit option?

 

Some compact SS3 crosslinks would be pretty cool, but would definitely involve casting new chassis parts with threaded bosses incorporated.

The original Stage Series bars are definitely no slouch, it's just that the pods are so dang good. Other than the TIR optics, the bars all use off-the-shelf parts like extrusions, end caps, faceplates, and brackets (you can see other manufacturers using them as well).

 

I've got the DD 12" light bar and heavy duty wiring harness coming from Hotshot Offroad soon. I've also got an AOB led light bar switch. I know the switch is only rated and 3 amps and it requires a relay to use. The DD heavy duty harness comes with a relay. Can I just unplug the on/off switch that comes with the harness and just wire it up to the AOB switch?

The harness

https://www.diodedynamics.com/heavy-duty-single-output-offroad-wiring-harness.html

The switch

https://www.aironboard.com/online/p...yota-oem-replacement-led-light-bar-green.html


In posting this I just realize I screwed up and ordered the Green switch instead of Light Green which matches the factory interior lighting.

 

You’ll likely also want a switch illumination harness from kmorgan3 for the switch backlight when it’s dark.

 

Short answer, yes. The wire that needs to come out through your firewall and to the relay is the +12V coming from the switch. You will also need to provide the switch with a +12V source, as all it's doing is turning this supply on/off. I used an add-a-fuse on the accessory/charger fuse, as it will turn off automatically when the key is out. If the current switch is tapped into the same battery supply as the main relay power, you might accidentally leave your light on and drain the battery.

You'll also need to provide a ground- I don't recommend grounding locally if you can avoid it. Even if it's a simple 12V switch, you can sometimes get funny gremlins if your ground wire isn't seeing a full 12V difference. I'd route through the firewall to a battery lug. Does the existing switch have power and ground bundled together?

And as @daveeasa points out, you can also tap into your headlight or interior lighting in order to light it up when the headlights turn on. I was lazy and decided that I didn't want to vampire tap into existing wiring. I just looped illumination into the same keyed accessory +12V, so the switches are lit up whenever the key is in. It's low on the dash so I hardly notice.

 

I have a GX so I'm not sure that will work. I'm putting this switch in place of my no longer functioning air suspension controls on the center console. I can tap into one of those wires for switch illumination.

Ok I THINK I'm starting to understand this.
The AOB switch has 4 wires:
Red - goes to the trigger wire on the relay, which I think is the DD blue wire
Green - goes to another keyed 12v source in the fuse box with an add a fuse
Blue - for button illumination, I'll follow your suggestion if I can't find the correct wire to tap into on my existing harness
Black - ground (DUH), which I guess I can use the DD black wire


That leaves the white wire on the DD harness? Where does that go?




Here's the DD harness switch, with white, blue and black wires.

 

Switch illumination is typically PWM dimmed rather than chassis ground. Hence the illumination harness option. Highly likely we could get something going for the 470, lots of common connectors among various Toyota vehicles.

white is most likely ground. Meaning the blue is either sent ground (off) or +12v (on). Also possible white is power and black ground depending on how the switch works. Quick testing will tell you.

 

Sorry but what's PWM? So white and black on the DD harness is probably ground?

 

if blue is the + trigger to the relay coil you would typically send +12v or ground. Hence the other two wires supply +12v and ground respectively. The switch connects top and middle or bottom and middle. The coil is active one way and inactive the other way, thus completing the circuit.

PWM is a method of dimming which works for LEDs to control brightness. Cycling on and off at a high rate (so you don’t notice) a dimmer can control the ratio of time on vs off to effectively modulate output of an on or off LED without modifying voltage. More time on == brighter, less time on == dimmer.

Halogen bulbs can be dimmed by voltage regulation but LED’s can’t. Hence the instrument dimmer is typically PWM on the ground so that you can make dash lights brighter or dimmer to suit your mood.

 

Gotcha! I sent a message to DD to clarify which wire does what. If blue is the trigger and black is ground then I'll assume white is +12v. I'm also going to assume I don't want to connect the white from the DD harness to the green on the AOB. As that would be sending +12v to the switch all the time even when the car is off because the harness connects directly to the battery. IF that's correct thinking, then where would I connect the white wire?

 

If you want it ignition switched, you likely want to add a fuse from the in cab fuse box, use that to feed the switch +12v input, then switch output to the blue. The other two wires to the switch are illumination + and - as discussed. The white and black from the harness can be effectively ignored and left floating, just use some heat shrink to protect them or at least some tape.

As an alternative to cutting off the switch you can likely de-pin it at the connector:


And then all you have to do is connect your switch output from in the cab to the blue in the harness connector. Ideally with one additional terminal you crimp on but also possible to just wrap bare wire and enclose in heat shrink.

At $40 it's not expensive but I don't see who would really want the harness as-is, it's a bunch of wire with a relay and an ugly switch.

Also much easier to get 1 wire through the firewall than 3 with a switch or connector on the end.

 

Awesome! Thanks for the help!

 

Is there any info on how effective SS3 pro (4000k white driving lens) are mounted behind the stock off road grill or should I assume I'll be cutting it windows in the grill for the lights mounted to a BAMF bracket?

 

Looks really nice for an aftermarket look but what a PITA. First bracket took about 2 hours. Something about some moron (me) dropping the bolt into the black hole of the fender well. Had to remove the mud flaps, part of the fender flare and 2 lowered bolts of the fender liner. Reached in with a magnet and pulled out the bolt. After all that figured out why they supply replacement bolts, freaking factory bolt won't fit anymore, fitted washer is too wide. Grrrrrr.





2nd bracket took about 10 minutes, we're flying now. Now time to mount the lights. Diode Dynamics why the heck a washer, locker washer and nut, why not use a lock nut???? Hope it wasn't to save a few pennies on $500 lights. Anyway, not much space to try getting your hand in to hold 2 washer and thread on the nut. Decided to put a rag under incase I slipped. First one went smooth. Thought the second one did too until I pulled out the rag and heard a tink tink tink. Lock washer gone and time to scrounge another. Can anyone say lock nut please DD.

Have not finished up the wiring yet. I was going to use high beam tap trigger but I'd like to be able to use the off side of the switch to keep it off even if the highs are on. Can someone please tell me how to do that? Also have a remote switch coming tomorrow to link to one of the homelink buttons.

 

@crashnburn80
I have the lights aimed level according to a bubble level, is that where you'd stsrt?

 

See post #423
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-sae-j581-aux-high-beam-thread.696597/page-22#post-26524762

 

Forward facing driving lights should be aimed level at 0 degrees, yes.

 

They replied back:
"The black wire on our wiring harness is ground, the blue wire is the power to the relay and the white wire is power from the battery."
So it's as we assumed. Should be easy to wire up.

 

Most people do black as ground, though the trailer brake controller harness I have uses white for ground so odds were in our favor on that one. Middle position on a rocker is the normal spot for output, so you can toggle between connecting it to the top or bottom pin.