Driving Light Wiring Question

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ADUBIS

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Getting ready to order what I need to add driving lights to my Tradesman. It has no provisions for stock driving lights so Ive come up with a mount and lights that I like.

I can wire direct to the battery and have to remember that I need to turn them off manually, not a big deal but I would rather not.

Can someone point me in the direction of what wire(s) I can tap into as to cut the power when the ignition is off? BTW the truck does have the auto quad headlamps that turn off on their own in good daylight.
 

DavidN

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I like that idea!
I thought about adding a second bulb in the fog lights for daytime running lights but never had the time to actually try something like that.
 

clifford15

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I wired my driving lights through a relay. The light get power from the battery but the relay coil is controlled by a switch that is powered through the 12V power outlet in the cab. It is fuse 91 on the Tradesman. This way, if I leave the switch on, the light shut off when I shut off the truck.
 
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ADUBIS

ADUBIS

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I ran across a switch that plugs into any 12V power port that might work. One has a 5 amp fuse. The other a 10 amp fuse. Shouldn't be a problem since the light kits have in line fuses. I think this may work. Otherwise I will have to tap into the wire on the power port.
 

reek

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agree with what was stated above. If you wire the lights with a Bosch type relay, you can draw the power directly from the battery for the lights but use a ACC/IGN switched power source linked though a on/off switch to signal the relay to turn on the lights. This way, they always turn off when you turn off the truck.

Any accessory (+) will work as a signal. I used my stereo head unit ACC/ON (not the 12V constant power) to signal my lights since at the time I was adding amps to my stereo anyway. always put the inline fuse as close to the power source as possible. Probably over kill but I fuse my 12V constant power in, my power out to the lights, as well as my ACC/ON signal line. That way if there's ground out, its a lot easier to trouble shoot which line just by looking at the fuses.

heres a wiring diagram. 87a is usually not used.
 

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dynocon

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Lights are ordered, going to use a relay but think on pulling the activation from the park lights, that way if they are on the driving lights are on. Not sure where I am going to tap in yet, I assume close to the lamp. Any tips?
 
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