Fog/off-road lighting

T-bone71

T-bone71

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Location
Conover
I was given two 6 inch offroad/fog lights I mounted them on the front of my truck. They work really great for about 10-15 minutes then they blow the 30 amp fuse. I have a seperate dedicated fues block and switches for the lights including my rock lights. Does anyone have a wiring diagram for some hi-power fog/offroad lights? I don't think there is a short issue. But after that i don't know?
 
Use a relay on each light if they are high wattage bulbs. It's pretty easy to wire up, here ya go. Come off the switch you have now(12v) pin 85 on a standard Bosh relay, Ground 86. 30 goes to 12v fused@30amp(remember that each light 60amps total) 87 goes out to each light. Use a heavy gauge wire also.
 
X2 on what Snappy said. Relay, heavy wire.

Another note

Offroad lights are great, unless you are they guy in front of a good set!
 
Shouldn't even need more than one relay. Your typical bosch 30 amp will power 6-8 55w hellas.
Anyway, Maybe this picture will help.

Either way, if you use the same fuse for these, it's still going to blow. Either you've got a short...or more likely a fuse that's too small. What size is it?

wiring_diagram2.jpg
 
braxton357 said:
Shouldn't even need more than one relay. Your typical bosch 30 amp will power 6-8 55w hellas.
Click to expand...

a 30 amp relay is good for 6 lights only.
 
Not a fuse, a relay is what you need. A switch running 30 amp get hot and build up res. making it draw more current. Use the relay and the fuse.
 
Rich said:
a 30 amp relay is good for 6 lights only.
Click to expand...

You're right..should only be used for 6 lights. But the bosch relays are good for quite a bit more than 30 amps and 8 lights is right at 33.
People run taurus fans off them all of the time. I wouldn't do it myself, but it can be done.
 
55 watts @ 12 volts.. :flipoff2:

But you MUST tell me what the keystrke combo is for Ohm.. that's awesome.
 
I know I'm being picky here, but this is tech...

a bulb that's rated 55 watts draw is typically done at 12v. that same bulb at 14v will draw more total amperage because of the resistive nature of the filament. But most automotive components are also rated at 12v, making it easier.

Ohm's law.. can't get around it.
 
Ok Ohm is covered....Kirchhoff's law of thermal dynamics (not his law of circuitry and relation) explains the need for a relay...
 
Thanks for the help guys I knew something was missing when i put it together, I just wasn't sure what.
 
Sorry to bother you again guys, but i had finished wiring up the realy like is shown. After about 30 min. on they went out again, no fuse's blown now, if i had to guess i would say the relay let go. Any other suggestions?
 
What wattage are these bulbs? Did you use one on each light? Double check your ground. Then go double check your ground again. Both grounds, on the lights and on the relay. Take some pics of what you have going on.
 
O.k. Here goes
I used all #10 gauge wire,except the ground on the relay that is #12 gauge. The ground on the lights are strait to the frame directly below the lights, (less than 6 inches). The ground on the relay is about the same distance, it is on a factory body ground on the fire wall.
I used only 1 relay as it had 5 pins. The wiring is as such, on the relay #30 is strait 30a fused, #85 is to ground, # 87 has 2 terminals-1 to each light, and #86 30a switched power on toggle switch.
I don't know the wattage as the lights are used and were given to me, and the markings are worn off of the bulbs. There are only 2 lights on this circuit, except I have my gauge lights on the same toggle switch before the relay. Thanks for the help guys, were hoping to go wheeling weekend after next.
 
you said that 87 had 2 terminals? Are you sure your not using the 87a? You said it was a 5 wire relay, don't use the terminal in the middle

Wire both light to the 87 and you should be good to go

Also are the grounds clean and good? Like grind to bare metal, you can check grounds with a multimeter but use the voltage drop test, shouldn't drop more than a few tenths if you have a good ground.

Continuity isn't a good test for grounds
 
bigredb2 has a light bulb for sale, maybe that will do the trick. I hear it has never been installed!
 
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