Cleaning up relays under hood is causing a mental malfunction

First of all, a huge shout out to everyone who takes the time to post on TW and share their questions and knowledge. I was able to finally get all of my accessory lights (bumper bar, ditch lights, roof lights, tail lights, rear lights) hooked up successfully to CH4x4 switches where the lower light comes on with the ignition (add a fuse) and the top light comes on when pushed on.

Couldn't be happier.

Until I saw other posts about how some have cleaned up all of the relays under the hood and built their own relay fuse bracket/panel and cleaned up everything to make things nicer and simpler (like the image below - not mine, but something I want to do).


I understand the power going first into the fuse panel and through the fuse to the Relay. Then from the relay to the terminal block. There is a trigger wire and the accessory wire. The trigger wire then goes out of the terminal block into the cab to the switch. And the accessory wire goes to the power wire on the light.

But when using CH4x4 switches, there is a power wire (green that connects to the inline 12v fuse source) and the trigger wire. So if I only have a trigger wire going to the switch from the terminal block, how do I get the power wire to the switch (red 1) on the CH4x4 switch? Or can I with this setup?

I know I am missing something obvious, but I can't seem to figure it out. I've scoured through a ton of TW posts but can't seem to locate anything on this. There are a ton of how to wire the HC4x4 switches, but nothing that goes over this fuse/relay panel set up.

Appreciate any help or guidance you can offer.

 

I just finished adding a new fuse/ relay box. I'm not sure I completely understand what you're asking but I have a wiring diagram that I made to keep it all straight in my head. I'll try to get it off my work computer today or tomorrow and post it up for you.

 

I'm having some Deja vu because I could've sworn that I posted a link to this thread that will help walk you through all your wiring questions. Good luck.

-J

 

Thanks to both of you. I did see the post with the very detailed instructions and after reading it, I determined that this won’t work for my CH4x4 switches since they need both the inline fuse wire and the trigger wire to be run into the cab. The he built only required the trigger wire and one ground wire, but not the inline fuse wire.

I’ll keep looking but much appreciated.

 

Have you considered something like this?


I'm going to do this for my truck. It's got several 4 pin relays so the 12v battery, trigger, 12v device, and ground. The relays come pre-connected to fuses and there's a few extra as well. All you'd have to do is use one of the extra fuses and run a wire into the cab then you can connect all of the lights on the switches using something like this:


Just food for thought. The wiring style you sent me threw me off for the same reason you talk about and the absurdly expensive cost.

 

Yes, I think that would work since it also has the 12v wire coming out that would connect to the 12v wires from the harness already going into the cab.

thanks.

 

Here's my wiring schematic.

This lets me use front and rear flood lights anytime, heated mirrors with the Ignition on and the amber fogs when my headlights are on.

 

4WD FTW Let me know if you wind up using the 6-way relay holder for your rig and how the install went. Also, are you using CH4x4 switches?

 

VXEric Nice schematic. Very clean and easy to follow. Just curious on what types of switches you are using. Are they OEM or after-market?

 

Using the CH4x4 switches. I ran into a bit of trouble with a dual switch from them, they do not work right with constant power. So I ended up modifying it. In the wiring diagram it's just shown as two separate switches for ease of reading.

I didn't get any photos of it but I used the WAGO connectors recommended in someone's earlier post behind the dash (represented as orange) and terminal block under the hood (represented in black). The WAGOs fit perfectly into the frame of the dash between the two sets of switches. I just wrapped them in 3M mounting tape and stuck them into the gap. Solid as a rock with no movement / rattles.

I should also mention I have a 30A fuse immediately off of the battery that I forgot to put on the diagram.

 

Very nice VXEric. I also ran into issues with the dual switch. Wound up frying my rheostat so I went back to single switches.

question, what do you have hooked up to the green wire off of the single switch. My current set up has it coming from each inline fuse off of the relay. Are you not having it come in from the relay but from somewhere else?

 

The wire that's physically green coming out of the switch just needs to activate the relay, so draws very little power. I have that coming from different locations on each switch depending on when I want to be able to use that accessory.

For the heated mirror switch, it goes to an add-a-fuse off of the IGN1 (correction- ACC fuse) fuse behind the dash. This only allows the switch to activate when the ignition is on, that way the mirrors turn off with the truck.

For the fog light switch, it comes off of a green wire from one of the unused pigtails behind the dash. (Same one I run to the red2 wire on the switch) this way I can only turn on my fogs when the headlights are on.

For the front and rear flood lights I have that connected basically direct to the battery (but it goes through 2 fuses on its way there) so that I can use those any time. It comes off of the same terminal block as all of my pin 30 leads to the relay. It's such low power draw there is no need to also run that through a relay.

If you mean which green wire did I use for illumination, I just used a multimeter on one of the unused pigtails behind the dash until I found the one that was only active when the headlights were on.

I could have shown/ labeled it better, but the switch wiring from left to right in the diagram are:
Green (shown as red/ green/ yellow depending on source)
Red 1 (shown at the bottom of the switch in purple) Red 2 (shown as green)
Black (shown as black)

 

Ok, so you just have 1 inline fuse coming into the cab that then connects to your Green wire on two of your switches (Rear and Front Floods) which allows you to turn them on at any time. Then you have the Amber Fog green power wire tapped into your unused switch illumination power and finally, you have your Heated Mirrors green wire connected to the green switch power via an add-a-fuse on iGN 1.

I think that is what I was missing. On my current harnesses, the inline fuse wires are coming into the cab and connecting to the Green wire on the switches. So if I change to this new, cleaner way, I just need to bring one power wire via inline fuse into the cab and link all of my green wires on my switches to it.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that to me.

 

Exactly, sounds like you've got it.

Keep in mind the relay trigger source (green on the CH4x4 switch) draws very little power (about 0.15A per relay) so you can connect it to just about anything, depending on when you want to use the accessory for that switch. The real power draw is the wire going to Pin 30 on your relay.

If you are going to split a single fused constant power to many switches, I'd recommend the lever style (wago) wire connectors. Super clean and easy.

 

Thanks VXEric.

That is where I was getting hung up. I was thinking I had to run a power wire from each relay into each switch (which is how it is now with each light accessory having its own relay).

I already use the WAGO connector for my inline fuse. I actually bought several for when I was hooking everything up to make sure everything was connected appropriately. Then once I confirmed everything was wired correctly and working, I removed the WAGO connectors and then either crimped or soldered them.

One last question. For the one power source going into the cab for those front and rear floods, is that coming off of your relay box? Or are you using a separate inline fuse off of the positive bus bar?

 

The power coming into the cab comes off the positive bus bar and through a 10A fuse in the fuse box but instead of going to a relay like the rest of the fuses do, that one then goes into the cab.

I bought a 7 conductor wire to make the running of control wires much simpler/cleaner.

You can sort of see it in this photo, the large wire coming in at the top with multiple conductors, the red wire coming from it (loops at the top) carries power to the cab and most of the rest bring it back from the switches to activate the relay.

(Black is the exception, that actually carries power back to the heated mirrors)

 

VXEric That is great. Thanks for the extra photos. It really helped me understand what to do.

Here is a diagram of what I will be doing. I am getting the pre-built relay box like the one 4WD FTW recommended. I'd love a second pair of eyes on this if you have the time. I only show the Switch Power Wire going to one switch, but it would then be combined with my other switches using the WAGO connector. I also didn't add in the other switches into the diagram yet. Also, don't worry about the left of the diagram. That is my ACR for my dual battery set up and I haven't finished with that part of the diagram yet. Would welcome any feedback.


Cheers.

 

Looks ok I think. Your switches will light up as soon as the ignition is on with that setup but if that's OK with you, it's not a big issue.

One thing I realized from your photo is that I actually did add a fuse on the ACC fuse, not IGN1. I went back and forth and ended up on ACC. I'll go back and edit my previous posts in case anyone else reads through this thread later.

 

VXEric
I finally got around to finishing the update to my wiring. Thanks for all of your help.





A picture of my BlueSea Automatic Charging Relay.


Here are my switches. All light up at the bottom when the ignition is on. Then when pressed, they fully light up.


I ran out of switch locations, so I had to get creative and add a few in under the driver's side air vent near the center console. Not the prettiest, but it works.

 

Nice and clean! Great work. If you get tired of those switches on the dash, there's always the newer 2nd gen lower dash section with some small switch blanks to help you retain the factory look.