Greyhound

I'm preparing to install a 20" LED light bar in the front bumper. Rather than installing this light with its own independent switch, I'm thinking of just wiring it into the high beam circuit. I don't think I would need it on while using low beams and having it on just by itself doesn't seem like something I'd need either. Has anyone else wired theirs like this and if so, how do you like it?

bnorth

Without a switch it's going to be every time your high beams are on. Pretty annoying for oncoming drivers if you're not extremely quick on the switch. Mine is wired through a relay and the relay triggers from the high beams through a switch so you can use high beams without the light bar on.

Greyhound

I'll certainly use a relay whether I use a switch or not. I'm not exactly sure what the current draw is on the light bar, but I'd rather the amp draw be directly on the battery via a relay than on the head light circuit. I don't want to push it close to the headlight circuit's fused rating.

Where are people getting the light bar switches? My light bar didn't come as part of a kit so I didn't get a switch with it. I was just trying to prevent having to wire into the cab and mounting a switch. I just don't know what the frequency of need would be to turn the light off while the high beams were on.

kameronth

+1. Mine is wired this way too.

RES4CUE

Mictuning on Amazon has what you need for cheap. It's not a bad job to wire them up, there is a grommet to get into the cab, the only down side was I extended the ground and power wire so I could mount relay in firewall, if you don't mind mounting relay near battery then it will work as is.

RajunKajun59

Had some lights in the grille of my 07 this way, up on with keyed power, center off, down on with high beams.

You need a Double throw, double pole switch. It will have 6 connectors.

Jump the 2 center poles together, yes they are supposed to be the hot input, but if you get a switch that doesn't back light it can be the ground or negative. Jump the 2 center pins to a relay pin 86.

Relay Pin 85 goes ground.

Relay pin 87 goes to light positive / fuse goes online here.

Relay pin 30 gets battery power

The diagram is crude if you can't understand it I can draw it clearer. Your grounds don't need to be the same connection, the just need to ground.

Attachment 407962
I might have pics of my install in my 07s thread in my sig.

kidastra

iTrader: (1)

Do this, but get a spdt on-off-on switch instead
Only has 3 terminals

RajunKajun59

I liked DP/DT since each bank is separated. Had a few Single poles fail, when I had two hots and one ground,They are the same size anyway.

kidastra

iTrader: (1)

Yeah you have a valid point,

Excursionator

You might want to check your State laws before you wire so they are always on with your brights. I know that in Indiana we are not "supposed" to run aux. lights past a certain wattage on the roads. That being said, I had the same set up on my Excursion with a switch but ran the relay power off of the high beams to the switch then to the relay. That way I was legal, could switch aux. lights completely off but when i turned them "on" the lights only worked with high beams. FYI