[TetanusCJ7]

Just spent 3 hours in the garage (thought it would take 45 minutes). All I am trying to do is run offroad lights off an aux fuse box. I am using a Dorman 4 prong relay. I have a positive power wire running into the aux fuse panel from the positive battery cable. From the aux fuse panel I want to run a Dorman relay for my offroad lights. I have the ground and the power into the relay figured out (ground blade 86, power from battery into blade 30). Now how do I run a toggle switch for the lights? Blade 85 goes to the switch right? Where does the other wire from the toggle go?

Obviously I am new at this electrical/relay stuff and I thought I asked the right questions in my other threads. Now I am stumped. Am I going about this wrong?

[Mean Max]

Here is a relay wired for a fan, but it's the same as you need.

Your "trigger" is a ground from the switch in the "on" position.

Max

[VACJ7]

Check out this thread: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showt...ghlight=relays
Some great info on relays.

[TetanusCJ7]

Sorry guys, I still don't get it. I am not using any ignition power. My toggle switch has 3 prongs. Off, on, ground. How do I wire this to the relay straight from the aux fuse box?

[John Strenk]

Originally Posted by TetanusCJ7

Just spent 3 hours in the garage (thought it would take 45 minutes). All I am trying to do is run offroad lights off an aux fuse box. I am using a Dorman 4 prong relay. I have a positive power wire running into the aux fuse panel from the positive battery cable. From the aux fuse panel I want to run a Dorman relay for my offroad lights. I have the ground and the power into the relay figured out (ground blade 86, power from battery into blade 30). Now how do I run a toggle switch for the lights? Blade 85 goes to the switch right? Where does the other wire from the toggle go?

Obviously I am new at this electrical/relay stuff and I thought I asked the right questions in my other threads. Now I am stumped. Am I going about this wrong?

Originally Posted by TetanusCJ7

Sorry guys, I still don't get it. I am not using any ignition power. My toggle switch has 3 prongs. Off, on, ground. How do I wire this to the relay straight from the aux fuse box?

Here are two awesome explinations on how relays and switches work:
Relays: http://www.bcae1.com/relays.htm
Switches: http://www.bcae1.com/switches.htm

OK about your switch. You are going to run into a lot of problems until you understand your switch. IT will be impossable to wire the relay up until we learn how your switch operates. As of right now, I'm not sure I understand your switch.

Normally a 3 prong switch will have a common terminal (center pole) and two switched terminals (SPDT) (Single Pole Double Throw) . But with the latest fad of illuminating the switches you have one terminal for power. one terminal for ground and one to switch off and on the device you want to control.

With the first type of switch, your basic SPDT you have more otion on how to hook it up. With the second Illuminated switch you are stuck hooking it up only one way. You need to supply power for the light and ground for the light. So two of you terminals are already used. Sometimes you can wire the switch so the light is on all the time or only when you turn the device on. I prefer to wire them so they come on when the ignition is on. A switch is no good if you can't find it in the dark. I would prefer to have it dim when the ignition is on and very bright when the device is on but I digress now.

In you case we need to find out what the terminals really are named. Do you have a link or can you take a picture of the instructions? I can guess but that might take up a lot of time.

Here is what I think you will end up with but without knowing the label on the switches I cannot be sure.

[TetanusCJ7]

Okay, so here is what I am trying to achieve. In the photo you will see a positive red cable running from the battery to the aux fuse box. From the aux fuse box I have a positive red wire that is supposed to run to the Dorman relay. I have a blue ground wire also running to the relay (from the negative terminal on the battery). Also going to the relay along the radiator support is the positive wire running to both of my offroad lights. Both the lights are grounded on the fender. On the air filter there are two red wires that are running to the 2 position toggle switch on the dash that is also grounded to the dash. Now how does all this fit together?

The Dorman relay is part number 84601 and the only nomenclature on the box says "4 pin30 am 12 volt relay".

Attached is an diagram of what the prong numbers are and a diagram of the top of the relay.

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Okay so first you need a walk around on your relay

terminals 30 & 87 are for what you are trying to supply power to
terminals 85 & 86 are your switch

The theory of operation is that by supplying power across 85 to 86 you will activate the magnet switch that controls 30 to 87, thus allowing a low amp switch to control a high amp device

Your toggle most likely has three connectors, + in, + out and - / ground, most likely for a light

The most basic wiring schematic would be as follows

+ battery to + in
+ out to terminal 85
terminal 86 to - battery

This would allow you a 12vDC switching circuit

Your lamps would be wired in much the same way

+ battery to terminal 30
terminal 87 to + lamps
- lamps to - battery

You can substitute your aux panel for battery in the above patterns
Both the lamps and the relay must have + and -/ground to function

[TetanusCJ7]

ACAD, wiring to the relay the way you described makes sense. But how do I wire the toggle switch into that schematic? The toggle switch gets wired to 85 and 86 right?

[TetanusCJ7]

ACAD..I just re-read and saw that you answered my last question in your original reply. Thanks for all the assistance everyone! I would be SOL without you folks helping me out.

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Auto electrical is much like plumbing, everything needs to come from and return to the battery. The nack is devising the most effective way. The wiring pattern I gave you can be streamlined by grounding the relay to body as well as grounding the lamps to body. This would clean up your returns to battery but the system may suffer if the body tub has grounding faults. Grounding the lamps to body will simplify running the leads but carries the same penalty. Another method to avoid is running the lamps direct from the alternator. I know it sounds like easy amperage but depending on the lamp's amp draw you may vampire a good deal of current from the system. By running from the battery you are using the battery to drive them and the alternator to maintain the battery.

[TetanusCJ7]

electricity is my downfall. but I have certainly learned alot about relays over the past 24 hours. Right now I have my lights grounded to the fenderwell. I might rethink that per your statements. I am hitting the garage tonight to straighten this mess up.

[John Strenk]

It's nice to see you disconnect your battery when working on your electrical system. It helps when you accidentaly short something to ground you shouldn't.

Also your ground leads back to the battery from the lights should be the same size, if not bigger, than the wire supplying power to the lights.

[chill254]

Tetanuscj7 where did you get the aux fuse box?

[TetanusCJ7]

I got it at Advance Auto Parts. Not exactly what I wanted but it works. I would rather have one with a cover but I guess I will see how it works out. I think it was only about $8.

[TetanusCJ7]

John, I see what you are saying about the ground wire size. I will re-run the ground wire with a bigger guage wire. Thanks!