Wiring up SpotLights and Fog Lights to AE102 Corolla

[birdie]

I have a 97 AE102 Corolla, now I currently have spot lights and fog lights installed on my car BUT i think i might have them wired wrong... They were working but now they aren't so i want to rewire them from scratch on the weekend doing it correctly this time.

Ok Fog Lights should be easy. I want them to turn on when i turn my parkers on (also switched in the cabin, that way they turn off when i turn off my lights).

And for the spot lights i want them to come on on high beam (obviously).

I have relays for both. Now what makes it complex for me to understand (I have pretty good knowledge of electronics, but i don't understand the electrical system of my lights :S) is that it appears that my headlights use a common power and switched grounds? Is that correct?

So how is the correct method to wire up both the fog lights and spot lights? Circuit Diagrams would be easiest to follow i think... Also where is the best spot in the wiring to pick up the "signal" (ie current) to switch the realys on?

[jonra23]

Spotlights;
Wire from battery positive through switched contacts of relay to spotlights as normal to supply power to lights (use a fuse close to battery terminal as possible).

Wire from high beam earth (wire that has contiuity to earth when on high beam) to one of relay coil contacts, wire other relay coil contact through a switch to a positive power source (basicly a mirror image of positive switched lights).

will give you switch on/ lights on high beam = spotlights on, all other combinations = spotlights off

Foglights
If parkers switched on earth as above, if switched on power break into switched power wire to one wire of relay coil contacts, wire other relay coil contact through a good earth.

Dont use scotch locks, they will give you grief later.

[bansheebuzz]

Spotlights;
Wire from high beam earth (wire that has contiuity to earth when on high beam) to one of relay coil contacts, wire other relay coil contact through a switch to a positive power source (basicly a mirror image of positive switched lights).

will give you switch on/ lights on high beam = spotlights on, all other combinations = spotlights off
.

This is wrong, doing it like this will allow the spots to work with the switch in the high beam possition but the headlights off

the possitive for the relay pin 86 needs to come from the headlight possitive feed. Thatway there is no power to the relay trigger when the headlights are off.

I would suggest you take it to a professional so that the job is done right and neat and tidy

[BrianRA23]

To wire up the spot lights you can do it as per normal, it is just a matter of selecting the right wire (even though the Toyota is a neg switched system). Phone up ARB (4WD shop) and tell them you have a Landcruiser and you want to install the lights yourself. If you get the right guy he will tell you exactly what to do and which colour wire to use. I have it wirtten down in my book at home, but I am not there - sorry.

As for having the fog lights come on with the park lights in WA it is illegal to have your fog lights turned on with your headlights (OK with park lights only). There was a write up in "The Western Australian" saying what the fines were and they were a bit steep for something so simple.

[o_man_ra23]

This is wrong, doing it like this will allow the spots to work with the switch in the high beam possition but the headlights off

the possitive for the relay pin 86 needs to come from the headlight possitive feed. Thatway there is no power to the relay trigger when the headlights are off.

I would suggest you take it to a professional so that the job is done right and neat and tidy

This is true, or you could salvage power from a fuse in the fuse panel which is switched with ignition. As the relay doesnt drain much power on the coil, it wont really matter which fuse you attack, but the smaller the better.

Taking to a professional can be an expensive option, and if your competent, then you shouldnt need to take this option. Make sure you fuse the power wires as close to the battery as possible. Check the legality of using fuses on lights though, I believe high powered lights require fusible links(even tho they are teh poo). Make sure all connections are strong, and if you mess up crimping a wire, cut it off and use a new crimp... a dodgy connection isnt worth it.

Cheers, Owen

[bansheebuzz]

This is true, or you could salvage power from a fuse in the fuse panel which is switched with ignition. As the relay doesnt drain much power on the coil, it wont really matter which fuse you attack, but the smaller the better.

This wont work either, If you have an ignition feed to the relay, the spotties can turn on if the high beam switch is on with the headlight switch in the off position

[o_man_ra23]

This wont work either, If you have an ignition feed to the relay, the spotties can turn on if the high beam switch is on with the headlight switch in the off position

Relay still earths with the same earth as the HB... essentially when switched on, they operate the under the same conditions as the HB, and wont operate when switched off. Dont forget that the headlights switch off when the high beams switch on.

Cheers, Owen

[Adam_Cressi]

lol after reading thread, i bet bidie is now fully confused with all the suggestion that been suggested

[Mos]

Relay still earths with the same earth as the HB... essentially when switched on, they operate the under the same conditions as the HB, and wont operate when switched off. Dont forget that the headlights switch off when the high beams switch on.

Owen, bansheebuzz is correct.

If your spotlight relay solenoid positive goes to *any* power source other than the headlight supply itself, the relay *will* turn on whenever the stalk is in HB position, regardless of whether the headlights are turned on. (Both low and high beam filament positives are supplied from the same headlight relay, being alternately switched on the ground side of the filament).

The OP wanted the spotlights to come on with HB, with an in cabin switch-off (he doesn't actually state if that is the *only* case when he wants the spotlights to come on, so there's uncertainty ).

What you would need is relay solenoid positive to headlight power source, and relay solenoid negative, through switch, to HB negative. (IE when the HB filaments have power across them).


Factory foglight setups use the tail relay output (basically parkers and all cabin illumination) for the foglight relay solenoid positive, and a switch to ground for the foglight relay solenoid negative (what others have said already ).

HTH and is not too confusing.
Mos.

[Mos]

I would suggest you take it to a professional so that the job is done right and neat and tidy

To be brutally honest this I completely disagree with. Most actual professionals will slap it together as quickly as they can, as cheaply as they can.

Either do it yourself or find another enthusiast who is at least as anal about their car as you are

Mos.

[bansheebuzz]

Mos - Thanks for the backup

Unfortunatly there are dodgy so called "professionals" out there. But not everyone is, i run my own auto elec business and if it came to me it would be done right.

Problem with finding an enthusiast is that all "think" they know how to wire things up, some people thou do a good job, but time after time i see veicles come in where customers have done the job themselves and its not done right, so in turn they bring it in to have it corrected.

Birdie - Attempt it by all means, if you stuggle then i suggest you take it to some one reputable

[PlacentaJuan]

there is some good stuff here:

http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page1.asp

[Mos]

Mos - Thanks for the backup

Unfortunatly there are dodgy so called "professionals" out there. But not everyone is, i run my own auto elec business and if it came to me it would be done right.

Problem with finding an enthusiast is that all "think" they know how to wire things up, some people thou do a good job, but time after time i see veicles come in where customers have done the job themselves and its not done right, so in turn they bring it in to have it corrected.

No worries - and yeah, BTDT.
If you're in the enthusiast circle long enough you tend to find out who the right people are
And I guess the same follows for professional establishments - you find out which ones are the trustworthy ones...

Mos.

[birdie]

The OP wanted the spotlights to come on with HB, with an in cabin switch-off (he doesn't actually state if that is the *only* case when he wants the spotlights to come on, so there's uncertainty ).

Factory foglight setups use the tail relay output (basically parkers and all cabin illumination) for the foglight relay solenoid positive, and a switch to ground for the foglight relay solenoid negative (what others have said already ).

Yes, the only time i want the spotlights to be on is with high beam. (I'll blind people otherwise :S)

Ah using the tail light relay to activate the fog light relay is a pretty good idea

Unfortunatly there are dodgy so called "professionals" out there. But not everyone is, i run my own auto elec business and if it came to me it would be done right.

Birdie - Attempt it by all means, if you stuggle then i suggest you take it to some one reputable

Yes, there are those shonky people. But I think I have enough knowledge to do it neatly and safely. I just wanted to find out what the correct method for wiring the relays is. If it had positive switched headlights i wouldn't have had any trouble.

there is some good stuff here:

http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page1.asp

Yes that is a good page, quite helpful, now i understand I'll be using the the "Convert a Negative Output to a Positive Output" setup. (that's right isn't it?)

Can I access the headlight relay to get the trigger from there? or is the switching done after the relay?

[o_man_ra23]

Problem with finding an enthusiast is that all "think" they know how to wire things up, some people thou do a good job, but time after time i see veicles come in where customers have done the job themselves and its not done right, so in turn they bring it in to have it corrected.

I cant remember how many "professional" jobs ive fixed over the years. Just doing things for people I know, and for customers when i was working at wrecking yards. Ive seen everything from people who twist wires together and tape them (strathfield is good for that one) to people who solder wires without putting heatshrink over the top... hasnt anyone noticed that electrical tape actually comes back off when rubbed the wrong way?? Most of the ones that auto sparkies have done have involved a relay under the dash hanging by its wires... great until somebody pokes their nose under there to put a new cd player in and knocks the wires... then they wonder why some of their lights dont work.

If you dont know for sure that an auto sparky is good, dont take it to them... GF found that out last week when an auto sparky didnt put the shim washer back on her reversing switch... then she had no 5th for the weekend (i just didnt have a 24mm spanner to fix it)

Cheers, Owen