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Author Topic: driving lights  (Read 3731 times)

Offline ConnerNA

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driving lights
« on: October 13, 2011, 11:47:34 AM »
So I got some driving lights to put on the concours (08), I have the lights mounted, cables somewhat ran....my question is, I am looking for just a plan old key 12v wire to tap into. What wire are most tapping into? Head light I assume?
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Offline lt1

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Re: driving lights
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2011, 02:46:48 PM »
Hopefully you are powering the driving lights through a relay.  You can tap into either the low or high beams for the switching  if you only want the driving lights on with one or the other.  You could tap into most any key-switched wire if you want them on all the time.  The accessory lead under the left panel would be one choice. 

Personally, I would recommend a separate switch so that you can flip them on or off as desired.  If you aren't running a relay, you need to re-think the whole thing or install the relay.
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Offline Armyguns

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Re: driving lights
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2011, 03:28:03 PM »
Quote from: lt1 on October 13, 2011, 02:46:48 PM
Hopefully you are powering the driving lights through a relay.  You can tap into either the low or high beams for the switching  if you only want the driving lights on with one or the other.  You could tap into most any key-switched wire if you want them on all the time.  The accessory lead under the left panel would be one choice. 

Personally, I would recommend a separate switch so that you can flip them on or off as desired.  If you aren't running a relay, you need to re-think the whole thing or install the relay.

I think you might find everything you need in this thread:  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=207.30

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Offline ConnerNA

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Re: driving lights
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2011, 10:34:22 PM »
As it stands I have them powered straight to the battery with a switch. I would like to tap into a power line that is key activated so I don't forget and leave the lights on by mistake. Why would I need these on their own relay? Can't I just tape into the headlight relay?

Quote from: lt1 on October 13, 2011, 02:46:48 PM
Hopefully you are powering the driving lights through a relay.  You can tap into either the low or high beams for the switching  if you only want the driving lights on with one or the other.  You could tap into most any key-switched wire if you want them on all the time.  The accessory lead under the left panel would be one choice. 

Personally, I would recommend a separate switch so that you can flip them on or off as desired.  If you aren't running a relay, you need to re-think the whole thing or install the relay.
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Online maxtog

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Re: driving lights
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2011, 03:53:47 PM »
Quote from: ConnerNA on October 13, 2011, 10:34:22 PM
As it stands I have them powered straight to the battery with a switch. I would like to tap into a power line that is key activated so I don't forget and leave the lights on by mistake. Why would I need these on their own relay? Can't I just tape into the headlight relay?

Because there are rules with electricity (in this context):

* The first one is that a given size of wire can only carry a certain amount of power before it starts resisting and heating up.
* The second is that anything that goes to the battery MUST BE FUSED for safety.
* The third is that the fused circuit MUST MATCH [be no greater than the power carrying capacity of] the wire gauge and distance.
* The fourth is that a switch (like the ignition switch) can only carry X amount of power safely.

For all those reasons, it would be best to have a relay-driven, fused connection.  A pair of driving lights typically use 60 watts, that is 5 amps @ 12V, which is a significant amount of power.  Dumping that on an existing circuit not designed to handle 5 more amps is a mistake (and will cause blown fuses).  I don't know if the ignition switch/circuit can handle 5 more amps, either (which could cause a stuck or failed ignition switch and/or blown fuses there too).
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Offline B.D.F.

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Re: driving lights
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2011, 02:26:10 PM »
That is a bad idea in my opinion because you are likely to overload the original light circuit and open the fuse. If that happens, you will lose the stock headlights as well as the additional driving lights and that is quite likely to happen while driving at night.

You can use the headlight circuit to close a relay but nothing more really. The relay (power side) should be wired directly to the battery. As you have already done that, the additional wiring is fairly easy and you will end up with a robust circuit for both sets of lights.

Brian

Quote from: ConnerNA on October 13, 2011, 10:34:22 PM
As it stands I have them powered straight to the battery with a switch. I would like to tap into a power line that is key activated so I don't forget and leave the lights on by mistake. Why would I need these on their own relay? Can't I just tape into the headlight relay?
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Offline jalthar

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Re: driving lights
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2011, 05:23:10 AM »
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