Tapping in to High Beam Switch

Been lurking for a few months now and after recently installing some KC ditch lights I had an idea but no clue how to carry it through.

I tried to wire the aux switch to what I thought was a convenient location (left of steering wheel near rear window button) but after a few late night drives through deer country I find that I would rather just use my stock high beams instead of my new ditch lights because the off/on is much more natural and easier to do.

My idea would be to use a three way switch instead of a standard rocker for the ditch lights. The settings would be off, on, and on but only when the high beams are on.

This way if i wanted them on to leave on, i could, but if i wanted to use them simultaneously with my high beams I could with just a flick of the high beam stick.

Would this be possible to do? I don't see why not but I cant say I know enough about wiring to say certainly.

 

I did exactly this and soldered a wire to the base of a high beam tab of one of the headlights to get the high beam signal to switch a relay under the hood. This was both very fast and avoided modifying the factory harness, which is exactly what I was looking for.

 

You really don't need a 3 position switch. Just use 2 relays.

1st relay set up normally - using a switch to turn ON the relay - relay turns ON your lights

2nd relay set up to turn ON with a trigger from the High Beam circuit. Just daisy-chain the power from the first relay to the 2nd. And daisy-chain the output (to the lights) from the 1st relay to the second.

The lights will turn ON normally with the switch. And will also turn ON any time the High Beams are ON.

 

I had mine wired like this except I didn't even bother with any switches. I had a relay, and to trigger the relay i used an "add a circuit" in the high beam circuit in the fuse box. Was never an issue in the 2ish years I did this.

 

So using this set up the ditch lights would always be on when the high beams would be on correct? And to prevent this I would need to run a different wire to a switch to have the option to break the circuit?

 

A double throw switch with intermediate off like you described, one leg of the switch comes from the battery positive, the other leg comes from high beams. This does what you described originally.

 

Fantastic, might have to go and get a switch today and see if I cant figure it out. I appreciate all the info!

 

Yes, you could break the ground to the second relay.

 

Use and add-a-fuse on the P/Outlet #2 on the interior fuse panel;


and wire to the first position on a 3way switch.

Use an add-a-fuse on one of the High Beam fuses under the hood;


Wire to 3rd position of the switch.

Wire the common from the switch to the relay as a trigger.
1st position = switched 12v (on with acc.)
off position
3rd position = hignbeam trigger, only on with highbeams, dip works.)

You want a spdt on-off-on switch.


Enjoy.

 

Since pictures speak 1000 words.

 

Hey guys I’m still trying to learn about the electronics and wiring on this truck as well. I was wondering, would it be possible to achieve the same result with a single 5-pin relay and tap the high beam wire for 87a?

 

A 5 pin relay selects one of two connections but you need a switch somewhere to select the off state by interrupting either ground or power after the relay.

 

@Jdeyler11 - I'm not a fan of using fuse taps. Here is an alternate method for your consideration. This will do everything you want.

 

No, This would turn ON your High Beams evert time the relay is de-energized.

 

Gotcha, I mistook 87a as an input not an output. My bad.

 

If your thinking Out-Of-The-Box, it can be thought of as either / or. But 30 connects to 87A when the relay is OFF. AND, 30 connects to 87 when the relay is ON.

 

Great info! Thanks!

 

For future searches, here is a simple circuit that does exactly what you want.

 

I ended up using a rotary selector switch for 3 different options for what happens when the high beams are activated. Then I added a couple RGB LEDS above it to indicate what is active.

 

Do you have a wiring diagram for this?