Off Road Lighting Question

[SmokedOut]

Hi, i have a 2009 ranger sport 4.0L and i recently installed a set of PIAA 510 driving lamps, i have every thing hooked up exept for the "switch power" wire, i had it run directly to the battery and they work, but i would prefer that it be wired so it gets power when i turn the ignition on, any help finding where i can tap in would be great, thanks

 

[Quartermile]

Look at your owners manual and find the fuse that feeds the panel when the switch is on. I think the one in my truck is white with a pink tracer or something like that.

 

[SmokedOut]

Thanks, i never even thought of the owners manual, ha.
so i went ahead and rigged up the light switch directly to the battery positive terminal. is it risky to do this, what are the downsides besides leaving them on and killing he battery?

 

[02RangerXLT]

That should be it, I think most MFG's recommend you go straight to the battery... really no reason to run it to your ignition, its pretty hard to leave a pair of off road lights on and not notice it...

 

[Ak_Ranger]

Go strait to your battery but Use a relay switch. You can set it up to where the power wire goes from the battery to the relay switch THEN to your lights. You then use another power sorce such as a headlight fuse (or any power supply that is only activated by the truck being on) to a switch which you then run to the relay switch to tell it to turn on. This a way your power is running strait from your battery to the lights and your switch is only sending a small amount of juice to turn on your lights.


i will try to diogram it a lil lol..


Ground wire-------Relay switch Ground

Battery----------->Relay switch power----------->offroad lights


Fuse panal------->On/offswitch------->Relay switch on/off supply


Sorry couldnt do it the way I wanted to......kept putting things in the wrong place I will try to do something on Paint or something and post it.

 

[Ak_Ranger]

Ok lets try this....

This away your not putting all the power through your switch. I know personally I have burnt up switches from running to much juice through them. This keeps that from happening and your lights to getting all the power they can.

 

[SmokedOut]

thanks for the diagrams, i just ended up running the switch power off the battery and its all good.

 

[02RangerXLT]

I just got my KC's, and they provide an in-line fuse to go between the battery and the switch.