What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Yep made sense to me, a relay is essentially like a dam. Once the electromagnet is flipped then the power can then flow to your given item (lights/winch/etc.).

Anyone else have a question?
I could go all night but don't wanna completely show how noobish my wiring knowledge is

 

It has a fuse but it shorted before the fuse so it was useless. what do you mean by switch ground only?

 

Just do some reading.

and LEARN TO SOLDER!

Don't do the crap crimp stuff..soldering is much nicer, it'll hold better and work better and it looks nicer/more professional. It does take practice though.

Come in handy though for lights and such. And really a bunch of other cool projects you could DIY.

But yea. Get on it

thats a good metaphor! Yes its like a Dam..or a secondary gate. You have the basic concept though which is all that matter

just make sure you wire the right post to the right part and you'll be good.

Ill be here..well..like..all the time..so ask any time haha

 

i have no clue what you said, it's late and I'm tired...or just dumb Everything I've run so far I've used relays, but i had pictures

I'm about to wire my camper light up should i use one for that?

 

On the relay i switch ground.

Since for the electromaget all you need is a small amount of curren to flow to it. I just run a small jump wire from the bigger power wire from the battery with the fuse on it to the post that is where you would put the power from your switch normally.

So basically from the battery, i put the power to both posts of Circuit A and Circuit B.

Then..i tap into ground somewhere by the switch in my cab..via bolt or..whatever..and put the switch on it and run that ground to the ground post of Circuit A.

So now you see that when i flip the switch, it Completes Circuit A thus flipping the electromagnet still which then allows power to continue through Circuit B.

This means, no power wires from the battery to all my switches and then back to the relays. Only one wire from the switch to the relay and its a ground wire. So if it archs out, in not a big deal as its just ground. so the relay will just flip on.

I have a picture i drew up to show this..give me second..

 

Depends on the light?? For a camper??

I put relays even on my 6w Blitzpros..even tho the draw like 1.3amps..still have em on relays.

 

that makes sense now.so the switch only interrupts the ground. but if you had light switches they would not light up this way correct?

 

Yes the switch is only turning on and off ground.

if you want the light to light up. You can still make it do that. I made mine in my panel light up by tapping the power from my cig adapter. Cause ground is still going through the switch..if you supply it with a near by power..it'll light up. But it doesn't take much..so you can just find one close by again..and tap it. Plus it'll already be tucked in the harness and fused. Just pick a nice wire. But the small diodes in switches don't pull a lot anyways.

 

Here is the pic i drew up a long time ago to explain this too.

Please IGNORE the numbers!! they are wrong

 

ok. I might just run a heavily protected wire to power my switch lights. thanks for the info

 

That's always an option too.

 

Soooo if you wanted the light to only be on when your dash lights are on, would you tap into the dimmer power...?

 

There are several circuits you could tap into for that. Ignition too.

 

Wouldn't the circuit have to be only active when parking lights/headlights are on if you're wanting the rocker switch to be on only when the parking lights/headlights are on?

 

I don't run my lights through relays. They are all LED blitzpro bars but I'm using oversized wire and high quality switches rated for 25 amps. I've been wiring lights in boats for a long time and relays are rarely used for them. As long as its fused properly, and the gauge wire is correct for the ROUND TRIP length of run, you'll be fine.

Now If I was wiring those light forces, yes I would definitely run a relay. Or any other non LED light for that matter. They just draw too much to be trusted on a switch alone.

 

Just a side note...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULNUr0rvEc




Wax On:




Wax Off:

 

sounds like you don't need then for leds if your wiring is done properly but its an extra safety precaution.

 

looks good. I cant seem to keep my tuck clean let alone wax it. u have two tacos? looks like another 1st gen lurking in the bottom left

 

Now come do mine

 

Are you talking about a switch that has lights for it to just illuminate and changes color when it's on?

That'll be a 5 post switch so you'd need power and ground for the I limitation light and then the ground your switching and a power to change the color.

Yea most LEDs are fine with just wire. I still personally wouldn't do it..but LEDs up to a certain point is fine without a relay generally.