wiring fog lights

I am planning on getting some aftermarket foglights and I would like to wire them to be as bright as safely possible. I'd like to wire them such that when I turn the car off the lights turn off even if i forget to flip the switch.

Any direction on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

Reply to
Sgana
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What year and model do you have? It could be that you're already pre-wired.

If not, the next question is how legal do you want to be? Legal means wiring them so that they can only come on when low beams are on. Not quite so legal means otherwise.

If legal: Connect the coil of a relay to low beam, and put a switch somewhere in that same circuit. The order of what comes where doesn't matter, just as long as the relay coil gets its electricity from low beam, there's a switch somewhere in the circuit, and the other side of the coil ultimately gets to ground. Relays are common items at the auto part store, and quite inexpensive. Look for one with 4 pins and a wiring diagrem that shows which pins go to the coil and which to the contacts. (I am assuming that your car is of the variety that the headlights go off when the ignition is off. If not, then you have to take a more advanced approach, possibly involving two relays, or take the chance that you'd leave all your lights on by mistake.)

If other than legal: Power the relay from some place that's on only when the ignition is on, such as perhaps the lighter.

Then buy an in-line fuse holder which has the appropriate guage wire for your lights. 10 gauge should be safe. Connect one side to the battery positive, insert a fuse of the right amperage, connect the other side to one contact of the relay, connect the other relay contact to your lights.

Sgana wrote:

Reply to
BBB

What is the logic behind not allowing foglights and high beams to both be on at same time?

Is this actually ilegal for an individual to do, or just a requirement for automakers?

Reply to
woof

That one is because you would defeat the whole purpose of fog lights otherwise! Your high beams just hit the fog and are reflected right back in your face, low beams let you see more of the road under the reflection. Good fog lights are set to help pierce the ground level fog allowing you to see even more of the road from your position in the cabin. That is also the reason for their normal mounting position like in the Outback. Of course since I live in fog country where we have fog every morning, fog lights are standard accessories on all cars around here!

Reply to
JW

I don't know if it's illegal or not, but it isn't useful to have the bright lights on with the fog lights. When properly aimed, the fog lights have a low and wide beam and don't add much to distance vision. That's why they work well in fog. Brights on the other hand, are aimed higher and actually decrease your vision when you're driving in fog or snow. It serves no purpose to have them on at the same time. If you want to be as bright as possible, buy driving lights instead of fog lights. These will have a more concentrated beam and will acutally supplement your high beams.

Reply to
nfisherman

Yeah, the brights just bounce right back in my eyes. No good at all. Sometimes if it is bad I just run with parking lights to see better.

Reply to
oothlagre

Legality aside, I don't see a big problem with running foglights and high beams at the same time. Just increases your viewing area. Driving lights and low beams on the other hand, can put too much concentrated light into the eyes of oncoming cars.

Reply to
Mike

I've heard that running fogs can actually decrease your distance vision. The "near to you" lighting is brighter, causing your pupils to react, cutting down your long distance vision.

Reply to
Cam Penner

That makes sense too.

Reply to
Mike

Sorry for the lack of NG etiquette(sp?) but in most states foglights must be run simultaneously with lowbeams. Terry - '02 Regatta-Red 5spd Legacy GT wagon, 33,000 miles, Yakima / TandeMover / Rockymount rack. '03 Silver Legacy SE auto-sedan - 6150 miles. '85 CH250 - 4060miles! To reply, get rid of the "nonsense"

Reply to
TW-Ohio

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