How do I install fog lights or offroad lights
- Thread starter Howard W Saltz
- Start date
Pretty easy. You'll need, of course the lights, a switch to turn them ON/OFF inside the cab and a relay mounted under the hood to supply the lights power. Many lights come with a kit that includes the relay, but they are cheap on Amazon, something like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007XLDREU/?tag=wranglerorg-20
If you need more detail just let me know and I can step you through it.
If you need more detail just let me know and I can step you through it.
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
Kind of a loaded question. What are you going to use them for? What do you expect out of them? How many?
You can have fog lights, floods, driving lights, HIDs, LEDs, LED bars, the list is nearly endless.
On road, city, country, trails, desert, beaches, woods?
Are you looking for just a little more light, or a portable sun?
OP
Thanks, I don't think I gave enough info. The lights are on the jeep, they each have ONE wire leading from them but going nowhere, there is a toggle switch on the dash with one wire going through the firewall into the engine bay (where it stops) and another wire with an in-line fuse going nowhere. No relay. So it looks like the previous owner started to hook them up but didn't finish. So how do I finish this project?
We need to know how much power they draw. Are the the stock fog lamp? If aftermarket, are they LED lights?
OP
they are NOT stock lights, and are NOT LED. as to how much power they draw, I have no idea. They look new, have a rubber shroud around them and look like powerful off-road lights, if that helps at all.
Ok. You need to use the diagram I posted in post #3 and the relay from post #2, these can be purchased at any auto parts store.
Each light should have a ground wire an a power wire. The 2 ground wires should be tied together and grounded to a ground lug in the engine bay which there are several of. The two power wires should be tied together and then attached to terminal #87 of a relay mounted in the engine bay. #30 of the relay should have an inline fuse and connected directly to the battery. #86 of the relay should also be grounded to a ground lug in the engine bay. Relay contact #85 should have a wire that runs into the cab to one side of your switch. The other side of the switch should be connected to the fuse box behind the glove box, preferably to a circuit that only has power when the key is on. That's it!
How it works —
Flipping the switch in the cab will supply 12 volts to the coil of the relay to energize it. The energized relay will close the contact between contacts 30 and 87 thus supplying 12 volts directly from the battery to the lights. Flipping the switch off will de-energize the relay and remove battery power from the lights, thus off.
Each light should have a ground wire an a power wire. The 2 ground wires should be tied together and grounded to a ground lug in the engine bay which there are several of. The two power wires should be tied together and then attached to terminal #87 of a relay mounted in the engine bay. #30 of the relay should have an inline fuse and connected directly to the battery. #86 of the relay should also be grounded to a ground lug in the engine bay. Relay contact #85 should have a wire that runs into the cab to one side of your switch. The other side of the switch should be connected to the fuse box behind the glove box, preferably to a circuit that only has power when the key is on. That's it!
How it works —
Flipping the switch in the cab will supply 12 volts to the coil of the relay to energize it. The energized relay will close the contact between contacts 30 and 87 thus supplying 12 volts directly from the battery to the lights. Flipping the switch off will de-energize the relay and remove battery power from the lights, thus off.
Last edited:
atbxc
New Member
It's so much easier than you think. One thing I did learn with a 50" light bar on my truck is to make sure the gauge wire will support the amp draw. My wiring is undersized and it overheats the wire then pops the fuse. I plan to re-run the hot wire with a 10-gauge on that one. I'm running a 20" light bar on my TJ and the standard wire harness works well with that one.
The wire to and from the switch can be small, like 18 AWG even because it only power the relay coil. The wires that connect to contacts 30 and 87 (from the battery and to the lights) needs to be larger. That's why I asked you what type of lights they are. You should be very safe with 12 AWG for those. 12 AWG can handle a lot of power in that short run you have.