Driving light wiring

[GummiBeer]

Hey guys

i just picked up 2 sets of light force off road lights for my mj and xj.

i'm just wonder if i need to change my factory wiring from my stock driving lights? Is the stock wiring relayed and big enough to handle the off road lights?

[offroader461]

i just wired in a new relay and a stand alone circut for all of my aftermarket lights

[Eagle]

Hey guys

i just picked up 2 sets of light force off road lights for my mj and xj.

i'm just wonder if i need to change my factory wiring from my stock driving lights? Is the stock wiring relayed and big enough to handle the off road lights?

The factory wiring should be through a relay, but the wire is a bit skinny if your lights are anything more than 55 watts. BUT ...

 

Correction -- you do NOT have "driving" lights from the factory, and you cannot (legally) connect off-road lights to the factory wiring.

 

By federal law, "fog" lights (very low, wide beam with a sharp vertical cut-off) may operate only with the low beams on and MUST turn off automatically when you switch to high beams. They can also operate if only the parking lights are on, but they must still turn off automatically if you turn on the high beam headlights.

 

By federal law, "driving" lights (long, narrow, pencil beam) may operate ONLY with the high beam headlights, and CANNOT operate when the low beams or only the parking lights are on.

 

"Off-road" lights are neither "fog" nor "driving" lights. They are essentially flood lights. I don't know if they are addressed by federal law, but most states do not allow them to be used on pavement at all, because there's no way to aim them so they won't blind on-coming traffic. My state, Connecticut, requires them to be covered when on public roads. Virginia doesn't allow them at all -- when the Liberty model with those roof-mounted off-road lights came out, they had covers for states like Connecticut, and that model was not available in Virginia at all.

 

Bottom line: skip the stock wiring. Run your own, using 12-gauge wire as a minimum for the power. Use a relay, and control the relay from a separate toggle switch. (Don't forget a fuse or circuit breaker.)

[HOrnbrod]

Eagle is right, but I don't know if all of the regs apply to Newfoundland.

 

Here's an old post explaining how you can use some of the factory wiring and the original fog light switch to trigger a fog light relay, even if your XJ/MJ dod not come from the factory equipped with fog/driving lights. makes it a lot easier. The below applies to a 91 XJ/MJ, but all models are similar.

 

The dash fog light switch gets input power on pin B (the VIO/WHT wire on my 91) from the headlamp dimmer switch. This is to prevent the fog lights from coming on when the high beams are on. Cut this wire and splice a fused 12V source which comes on with the ignition. Pin C (the BRN/WHT wire) on the switch is the output which goes to the fog light relay. If you don't have factory fog lights, you probably do not have a fog light relay. You can pick the BRN/WHT wire up on pin #10 of the 10-pin connector

located in the left front of the engine compartment. Use your meter to identify it when your turn your fog light switch ON; you'll have 12V. Run a new wire from pin #10 to the coil side of a new auxillary relay.

This will apply 12V to the relay coil to energise the relay. Of course you have to hook up the other pins of the aux relay too, which are normally pinned out like this:

 

Pin 86: 12V from fog light switch to the coil

Pin 85: Ground (other side of the coil)

Pin 87: 12V relay contact input, NO, (I picked up my

12V on pin 6 of the 10-pin connector above, same way the factory did it)

Pin 30: 12V relay contact (NC) output to your lights

 

By using the aux relay you protect your dash fog light switch since all the amp draw from the lights goes through the relay contacts. You can run at least two 100W halogen lights or more, depending on the amperage

rating of the aux relay you put in. Make sense? It's pretty easy if you have the factory wiring schematics.

[GummiBeer]

I am in canada.

but i got it figgured out, they are a Driving light stock, they ar the bosch style 4x6 lamps. I can run them with just my running lights or with my hi-beams.

i just had to change the 30amp relay to a 40 amp relay and change the fuse from a 15 to a 25...and i'm good to go

 

I'll post a pic of them on both my trucks when i get them cleaned up

[HOrnbrod]

i just had to change the 30amp relay to a 40 amp relay and change the fuse from a 15 to a 25...and i'm good to go

 

Let us know when your 16AWG-18AWG stock wiring starts to fry. :nuts:

[Eagle]

Eagle is right, but I don't know if all of the regs apply to Newfoundland.

Oops. BIIIG OOOOOPS!

 

My apologies, I didn't notice the location. I don't know what the laws are in Canada, but courtesy toward other drivers would make me think it makes sense to proceed according to those guidelines whether they are law or not. There have been days when I was wishing for a full load of photon torpedoes when I run by a bunch of SUVs (why are they all Exploders?) who insist on running their fog lights even though we haven't had a real fog here for three years -- and the damned fog ligts are aimed wrong and are blinding for on-coming traffic (i.e. -- me).

[GummiBeer]

Courtesy is always first when it come to driving or offroading, I hate it myself when someone don't turn off their light till there right up on you...drives me nuts.

The stock wiring on both my xj and mj were 12gauge. I will let you all know how it works out after a night trip on the trails

[87manche]

can we get some pics of the lightforce lights?

I'm seriously considering dropping the $250 on them.

I've had two sets of cheapies, and I'm ready to make the investment.

The ability to change the beam style with a turn of the housing is a good selling point.

that and they seem indestructible.

[GummiBeer]

can we get some pics of the lightforce lights?

I'm seriously considering dropping the $250 on them.

I've had two sets of cheapies, and I'm ready to make the investment.

The ability to change the beam style with a turn of the housing is a good selling point.

that and they seem indestructible.

 

I don't have any pic yet, but what ones are you looking at? i Payed 278 tax in canadian for mine. They were the 170's...i know the 240's are bigger and a little better