[Critical Energy]

+1 for doing it all right first time around, if you keep on adding you will end up confused and in a mess for sure.
Run a few spares too, cable costs bugger all

[Xtreme]

Yeh I will be doing that way, was also just seeing any other suggestions that might pop up but I well be giving it a go his way

[Xtreme]

Ok, I see where I went wrong in my diagram - I do plan to follow Blakey's diagram, was just seeing what other suggestions there was as well.

I understand the diagram to look at it, just trying to re-draw it with the components laid out roughly where they will be in relation to each other so that I can picture it before I undertake it. It's just a bit hard for me to picture it all 'real world' if you get what I mean.

What I see with Blakey's diagra is that the 2 switches are wired together by 1 wire, with one switch having 1 wire to the positive on the battery, the other has the other wire running to the light, and then the lights other wire connects to earth thus completing the circuit depending on the position of the switches.

So I have done 3 diagrams to make sure I understand it:

Diagram 1 should just represent exactly what Blakey drew (with the components where they are in relation to each other for my set up)
Diagram 2 is the same but shows both front and rear lights and the 4 switches
Diagram 3 is the same as 2 but incorporates the battery key switch - this is my end product and the one I need to make sure is correct.

I basically was going to ground the battery key switch to the chassis. and run the positive to the positive on the battery. Then 1 switch for both the front and rear lights would take power from the battery switch positive instead of the battery positive.

Hope I have it right now - thanks for all the help so far guys.

[Bugsta]

I would have to make too many assumptions of what each switch is to advise if these drawings are correct or not. Not nearly enough detail. Using blocks for each switch is ok, but you need to draw their function internally...


And no, Blakey's switches are joined together by TWO wires. Both switches need to be aligned for current to pass. It doesn't matter what orientation you install them label-wise. as long as the 'common' is connected to POWER at power end and LOAD at load end.

Think about it like this - If you draw the function of each switch, you can trace a power path for any given state of the switches. And so can we

[Bugsta]

Oh, and what's the current draw of the light bars? Will the switches handle the current. I generally suggest not passing anything more than relay current through the dash (~20mA)

Reduces heat and therefore the potential of a fire hazard in the cab.

Passing high current through a wire capable it is one thing but when you pass it through a switch, its adding minimum 6 new contact points in the cab...

Wire to crimp lug, crimp lug to terminal, internal contact to contact, contact to contact, terminal to crimp lug, crimp lug to wire. Better these be at a relay under the bonnet, on the OTHER side of the firewall.

[ozhummer]

Remember - any additional lighting must be independently switched and only operate when the lights are on High Beam! .. anything else is a defect.!

[Xtreme]

Bugsta wrote:

I would have to make too many assumptions of what each switch is to advise if these drawings are correct or not. Not nearly enough detail. Using blocks for each switch is ok, but you need to draw their function internally...


And no, Blakey's switches are joined together by TWO wires. Both switches need to be aligned for current to pass. It doesn't matter what orientation you install them label-wise. as long as the 'common' is connected to POWER at power end and LOAD at load end.

Think about it like this - If you draw the function of each switch, you can trace a power path for any given state of the switches. And so can we

OK thanks for that Bugsta - I did not realise that was the case with that diagram, but now I understand it better. That means I will have to change out the switches but I don't think I can get these fully sealed waterproof ones with the 3 connectors, I will just have to see what I can find, I also know of a paint that you can spray over switches and terminals and it dries as a semi flexible rubber to insulate and waterproof the connection so I might try that on the switches and the rubber boots will pretty much fit on top of any of them.

[atari4x4]

ozhummer wrote:

Remember - any additional lighting must be independently switched and only operate when the lights are on High Beam! .. anything else is a defect.!

exactly, and by going by one of his other threads he's wanting to engineer it so he's going need to follow the rules. seems like a heap of stuff to go wrong when really it doesn't need to be that complex.

K.I.S.S.

[Xtreme]

Yes everything will be getting engineered so if I have to run it through the high beam then I will do it that way. I was going to try do this wire up myself but I think it will be quicker and easier to take it down with all the components installed where I want them and get the auto electrician to wire it up to make sure its done right. But at least now I have an understanding of it through the diagrams and info supplied. I don't think its a heap of stuff to go wrong, if its done properly then nothing should go wrong with it - its no different then putting in any other after market lights, fridges, inverters, air compressors, speakers - what ever - do it right and there should not be too much to worry about.

[Bugsta]

Regarding double switching the front bar AND running it through High beam, don't know how that would work.

Firstly, would having an outside/bonnet switch contravene the regs.

And second - It won't be double switched in the true sense of it. An outside switch will just override the dash switch, meaing if you turn it on with the bonnet switch, you will have to switch it off with that one. There are other options, but it can add complexity and more components.

I think you may face the same issue with the reverse/work light. My plan for this was to have a SPDTCO on the dash, allowing WORK/OFF/REVERSE. I could then also have an override ON/DASH switch, similar to front, mounted at the light.

So, would having overide switches for a rear facing light, also contravene the regs. Guess you can let us know about all of this when you find out?

[31zook]

Most people can wire up spot lights through negative switching high beam.

In fact, any Sierra or Jimny with spot lights has done that.

[Critical Energy]

Xtreme wrote:

Yes everything will be getting engineered so if I have to run it through the high beam then I will do it that way. I was going to try do this wire up myself but I think it will be quicker and easier to take it down with all the components installed where I want them and get the auto electrician to wire it up to make sure its done right. But at least now I have an understanding of it through the diagrams and info supplied. I don't think its a heap of stuff to go wrong, if its done properly then nothing should go wrong with it - its no different then putting in any other after market lights, fridges, inverters, air compressors, speakers - what ever - do it right and there should not be too much to worry about.

I don't know anything about engineering but I thought technically LED bars were a no no anyway.

I'll do the wiring for you, what you got to trade! The different diagrams make it more complicated than need be. I'd 100% be adding a relay in my own car, that's what I'd do for yours, and honestly, for the front bar I'd keep it to one switch in the cab.

Is this a sierra?

[Bugsta]

Critical Energy wrote:

The different diagrams make it more complicated than need be.
I'd 100% be adding a relay in my own car.
For the front bar I'd keep it to one switch in the cab.

... Agreed, agreed and agreed.

[ozhummer]

OK - Here is the wiring I used to wire up my lighbar. It is a 22"80W. The Vitara has uses hot rail wiring, so things are activated by pulling to ground. This is pretty common in vehicles as it is a safer method. If you take the high beam lines from the headlight loom (red and red/white in the Vitara) - these will both be 12v if you put a multimeter between them and the chassis. When the high beam is on the red/white wire is pulled low. We can use these to pull a relay - this is the high beam activation relay - if you run the contacts from the bat to the +ve side of the light bar through a relay (10A for a 80W will do - remember P=IV, 80 = I/12 = about 6.7A full current draw ). The gnd side of the light bar can be directly switched meaning you only need to run a single wire through the firewall to the switch. Then just run to a chassis gnd point (plenty around under the dash). Make sure the switch is rated for at least 10A @ 12 V (most larger than an ant will be). Doing it this way will retain the gnd activation method and be ADR compliant too...

[Critical Energy]

Awesome diagram, and spot on for headlight wiring. Doesn't solve him wanting to use independent to headlights for camp lighting etc

[ozhummer]

You are right - I will mod the diagram to show this

[ozhummer]

OK - This schematic has an override switch that when on will allow the Light Bar switch on the dash to operate the LightBar independantly of the headlights .. I would mount this switch in the engine bay and maybe not connect it until afer you have your paperwork done ...

[Bugsta]

If you want to keep current through the cab down, you can put these switches on the actuator side of the relay. You can even install a SPDT Centre Off switch on the dash giving you a HB/OFF/WORK option. The bonnet switch could be installed to either override or either...

A good way to work out states (or how you want them to work) is to do a table of all the switch position and result possibilities

So with the WORK and BONNET swkitchesd in an OR configuration...
Highbeam Dash Bonnet = Lighbar
(On/Off) (HB/Off/Work) (On/Off)

Off Off Off = Off
Off Off On = On
Off HB Off = Off
Off HB On = On
Off Work Off = On
Off Work On = On
On Off Off = Off
On Off On = On
On HB Off = On
On HB On = On
On Work Off = Off
On Work On = On

Seems like a lot of options, but with 3 switching devices, this is the reality. Some switch positions become NA as others override.

[fordem]

ozhummer wrote:

OK - Here is the wiring I used to wire up my lighbar....

I have to ask this question - starting with the diagram - the red/white wire is not a high beam circuit, it's actually low beam - is there a specific reason for wiring the relay between the high & low beam circuits?