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Foglights on only when key turned?

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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 11:28 AM
  #1  
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Foglights on only when key turned?

I want to wire my foglights up so that they will turn on when the key is turned. No switches. They would just come on everytime you start the car and they would turn off when you shut the car off. Basically what I'm asking is what circuit can support 30 amps 110 watts and be connected to the ignition switch?
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 11:41 AM
  #2  
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You're not going to find a circuit wired to the ignition switch that can source a spare 30 amps. Also, 110W is under 10A on a car, but whath I'm saying still holds.

What you need to do is find an ignition circuit, and then use a separate relay & circuit coming from the battery's positive terminal to power the lights.

When the ignition comes on, the relay closes, and the lights come on - that's what relays are for. Make sure you have an appropriate fuse on the new circuit to prevent a failure/short somewhere from starting an electrical fire.

Also, I'd suggest trying to find a wire that's enabled when the key is in the Run position, but not when it's in the Start position - the more juice to the starter, the better, especially in the colder weather (not sure that's an issue where you are, but it's still good practice). The Factory Service Manual has wiring diagrams that should tell you exactly where you need to pull a signal for the relay from.

-=Russ=-
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 12:50 PM
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So would it be possible for me to connect the positive (+) battery terminal straight to the lights and then have the ground wire from a source only on while the car is running? I have a 20 amp fuse wired into the foglights right now. I know that the lights are less then 15 amps each but I was just wanting to play it safe. They are 55 watts each. I'm thinking I could wire them both independantly into seperate ignition sources.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 12:52 PM
  #4  
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From: Columbia, Tennessee
Ok just re-read your post...

So I run a wire from both the positive (+) battery terminal AND an ignition source to the same relay? Then just have it wired through a fuse and then to the lights?
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 12:58 PM
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From: Caldwell,ID
more or less that sounds right if I'm thining correctly
your ignition would turn on the relay allowing currect to flow directly from the batt to a fuse into your fog lights.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 01:08 PM
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Well there's a problem with the relay that I have... The wires have been cut from it's original use soooo I'm not exactly sure what to wire where.

It has a red and a white wire on one side (according to the diagram printed on the relay it's the solid side).

Then the other side Has 2 black wires (which I'm assuming is ground...) tapped into the same prong and then one white wire on the bottom. The diagram shows it as being the "open" side of the relay.

The relay... (ignore the .... I had to put them there to space it out)

1|....|3
..O...\
2|....|4

1=red
2=white
3=2x black
4=white

Last edited by NCross; Jul 4, 2006 at 01:13 PM.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 01:18 PM
  #7  
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From: Columbia, Tennessee
What would be a good place to tap into power from the ignition? The best places I can think of are the radio, cigarrette lighter, power windows, power sunroof (this would be the best since I converted my sunroof to manual...).

I think the sunroof is a 20 amp circuit anyway and has it's own fuse already so it would be more protected.
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