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Sat Mar 14, 2015 10:02 pm

I have reviewed many if not all of the fog light install / wiring posts but still need some help.

The kit comes with a wiring harness that plugs into a relay and one wire from the relay (yellow) connects up to the switch.  I have a VW fog switch that I intend to use instead of the switch that came with the kit.

Please help by QC'ing wiring install approach - see diagram too:

1. Find place to mount the relay near fuse block behind dash.

2. Diagram indicates 12v red wire w/ 25A inline fuse needs to connect to battery.  Can it connect to power terminal on fuse block?  Wire is too short to reach battery if relay is mounted near fuse block.

3. Diagram indicates green wire w/ 2A inline fuse provided should connect to the fog switch and then be connected to the factory low beam wire by tap connector.  I  intend to cut factory low beam wire and connect in line w/ green power wire connected to switch.

4. The lights and harness have ground pigtails. I intend to connect these ground pig tails together and then ground at the ground ring above the fuse block.  Okay?

5. Switch also needs to be ground.  Can this also be connected with the lights and relay ground wires to create one common ground wire for the switch, lights, and harness / relay?

6. Wires will connect to switch terminals as:

83 - yellow wire from relay
83b - green wire connected to low beam wire
Ground Wire - where would this connect on switch?

7. Black wires from relay connect to black wire pigtails on lights.

Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:27 pm

I would get power from the P terminals on the back of the fuse block rather tahn cut into the low beam power. Fog light switch needs a ground for its built in light i believe. Check your bentley?

Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:44 pm

It maybe helpful to review this wiring diagram from light force. I have recently disconnected my 12v input from my low or highbeams as it was heating my switch. Even with relays my H4s with the 100w bulbs pull a lot of juice. My 12v input is now run to my battery hot so that it can operate on its own switch and not be tied to my power running through my lights switch.

I don't have the Diode to Reverse in my wiring. Not sure what that is.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 7:38 am

'88MoneyPit wrote: I would get power from the P terminals on the back of the fuse block rather tahn cut into the low beam power. Fog light switch needs a ground for its built in light i believe. Check your bentley?

Thank you for the response '88Money Pit (and AKWesty)... So, you are referring to the green wire, correct, and suggesting that it goes to a P terminal in lieu of the cutting into the headlight wire... in that case however, the red 12V wire with inline fuse still needs to run to the battery?

I would like to avoided cutting into he factory low beam wire for sure.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:03 am

Yes, your 12volt power will relay over to your lights from the battery terminal while your 12volt input will power from a p terminal and be interrupted by your switch. I tried to source the 12v input from the headlights to operate on the highbeam and it was way to much for my switch. Its important to power the input from a p terminal and make sure your main 12volt power has the fuse. I currently have my 12v input powering from an abandoned airconditioning fuse in the block. P terminal is just fine.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:10 am

Re looking at your wiring diagram I am not sure that you have your layout on your relay correct. You should have the 12v battery opposite from your lights and your ground opposite from your 12v input p terminal. Check out this diagram. Disregard that they are sourcing their 12v input from the headlights. We have already coverd that.

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Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:58 am

I must say: you guys have some fantastic diagrams. That one is even 3d!

Neil2

Sun Mar 15, 2015 10:08 am

That is helpful on all accounts. Thanks a bunch, this is definitely an area I need help with and it is making a lot of sense now.

My relay is as follows:

Pin 1 (86): Yellow (trigger for relay - wired to relay / connect to switch)

Pin 2 (85): Blue (ground for relay)

Pin 3 (30): Red (12v 25A fused wire - wired to relay / connect to battery)

Pin 4 (87): Black (trigger for relay - wired to relay / connect to light pig tails)

There are two differences from the diagram you provided that I hope you can clarify:

1. Instead of the power wire going from the switch to the low beam wire (in my case green wire with 2A inline fuse), the power wire from the switch would be run and connected to an open P terminal on the fuse block. Connecting this power wire from the switch to the low beam wire was what I had originally intended to do as show in the diagram. Would like to avoid that if possible.

2. Also, my (87) black wiring from the relay to connect to the fog light pigtails does not have a inline 10A fuse as shown in the diagram provided. Is this needed?

I could add it. Thanks again!

Sun Mar 15, 2015 10:25 am

You got it. the relay layout is correct. In the second diagram they have the 12v input source coming from the headlights. Not a good idea. You are correct that you should avoid this and wire your 12v input (pin 1 (86)) to your p terminal. The fuse is a lot like a fuel filter. You can install it before relay or after. You do not need two. As long as it is in the line somewhere, it is good. Mine is wired as the first diagram (3D) with the 30A fuse. Somewhere between your battery and the lights, you need a fuse. Before the relay or after, it doesn't matter.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 10:29 am

You will like these if they are the fog pattern. If not, they are underwhelming as euro/driving lights.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 11:23 am

Thanks all! Yes fog pattern 500s, not driving lights.

This has been a huge help.

Now I am pretty sure I won't burn the van down at least on this one. :lol:

Sun Mar 15, 2015 12:43 pm

Heh - be sure you disconnect the battery during work, and fuse things properly before turning the power back on. I use my multi testor first to determine what's hot, whats switched power with the key, etc and label them with a piece of tape. Then I disconnect the battery and wire thing up. Turn the power back on and check operation.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:33 pm

For Fog Lights wouldn't you want that feed to energize the relay (term. 86) coming from the Low Beam Headlights and not the High Beam?

Sun Mar 15, 2015 8:38 pm

Steve M wrote:

Quote: For Fog Lights wouldn't you want that feed to energize the relay (term. 86) coming from the Low Beam Headlights and not the High Beam?

YES! But via the switch. And I believe that in this state (CA) it is not only illegal to run fogs or driving lights combined with high-beams but also to run them without other lights on. Which I think is why the manufacturers always shows the power to the fog/driving lights switch coming from the low-beam headlights. Of course, things may have changed and/or be different in your State.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 8:51 pm

For a fog lamp, my preference is to turn them on when I want to. So I tie them to parking lamps. I want to use them alone in serious fog or snow such as when it is so bad your speed is reduced to 15mph and flashers - conditions where an ordinary low beam is scattering light upward and hindering my vision. And I want to use them with my high beams as supplementary lighting to the sides for animals, etc when I am alone on a road late at night and want everything illuminated I've got for safety.

But you have to be responsible with auxiliary lights. One of my pet peeves is the typical motoring American slob with auxiliary lights on in the city. More than any country I've been in, we in America consider auxiliary lights "super cool, look at me - I'm so super duper cool!!". Just last night at the busiest intersection in town some dipshit stopped opposite me in a new GM pickup with auxiliary high output driving lights. We're waiting for the light and I give him a quick high beam wink. He turns them off. For 2 seconds, then back on. I flash him again - quick and courteous. He turns on an LED bar in his grille. It's not just him and me - there are 35 people waiting at the intersection. That little encounter is a microcosm of what is wrong with people these days. They are self centered and enjoy bothering others.

Anyhow, rant over. Drive safely.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:00 pm

There are those moments I had a directed EMP generator wired into my high beams for those self centered motoring morons.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:05 pm

IdahoDoug, I'm right there with you on everything you said. Annoys the hell out of me in town, so unnecessary. Again, I believe in Cali they are only permitted when there is reduced visibility and never in town. Wish the local po-po would get on this.
I'm getting old, I'm starting to sound like my Dad :D :D

Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:13 pm

Heh, we all are!! But seriously, if you have parents in the 70+ age range and have the kind of relationship where you jokingly talk about the physical aging effects, you will know something. You will know that for about 20% of the drivers on any given road, these excessive lights are a serious danger. If you are at all thoughful and other-centered, you would be courteous with auxiliary lights. Ah. Anyhow - I started sounding like my Dad in my 20s.

Mon Mar 16, 2015 8:41 am

The internet is full of easy to read diagrams.

Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:36 pm

I have the dash out and a fog light switch in hand. I would like to set up wiring for fog lights, and I am a bit confused. IdahoDoug suggests tying the fog lights to the parking lights- which I like. However, AKWesty states that powering the switch from the headlights can overheat the switch. The diagram below is how I would like to wire my fog lights. Can you please look it over and comment? My specific questions are at the bottom of my diagram labeled 1 and 2, and are as follows:
Question #1 is can I power the relay (pin 30) to fuse 9 on my '83-'85 fuse block? I have moved the radio to my aux battery fuse block.
Question #2 is can I power the switch (input 12v) from the parking lights?
Thank you so much for your help and input!
James