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Switch for added rear fog/work lights

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Old 07-27-2011, 11:39 AM
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Default Switch for added rear fog/work lights

Okay. I got some rear fog/work lights installed and wired up. I ended up just wiring them off of the battery direct since most of the wiring diagrams I looked up showed a typical install of wiring them directly off of the battery. So far everything works just fine.

I do have one question though. I took the factory metal toggle switch off and installed a black rocker switch that has a blue LED on it. I had to add the ground to the rocker switch since it has the LED light and for it to work. When I got it all wired in and the switch worked fine and the LED light on the switch came on. Here's the problem...the switch still works just fine, but the LED on the switch is not coming on. Is it just simply a bad ground issue? From my understanding the new rocker switch will work just fine without the ground on the switch it's just that the LED light on the switch won't come on if it isn't grounded. Is this correct? If the rear lights come on fine with the switch, is it just a bad ground on the switch causing the LED on the switch to not light up?
Old 07-27-2011, 03:05 PM
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Yea, bad ground on switch.

Unless your ready for that switch to eventually melt down, I highly reccomend wiring in a relay.
Old 07-27-2011, 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by ezdaar
Yea, bad ground on switch.

Unless your ready for that switch to eventually melt down, I highly reccomend wiring in a relay.
I guess I should clarify. The wiring diagrams I looked up involved relays and pulling power from the battery terminal instead of some other wire (power) on the truck. Therefore, there is already a relay wired in and in line fuses on each wire ran to the power source (battery).

Do you think it is still just the ground on the switch and was your comment regarding the relay just a general statement or directly related to my LED light on my switch issue?
Old 07-27-2011, 05:35 PM
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I have a gauge for that
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Your switch should be on the lower current side of the relay, not the high current line which goes in between the relay and the lights.

LEDs in those switches are pretty finicky, as in they sometimes burn out quickly. You probably just need a better ground though.
Old 07-28-2011, 01:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Atomic
Your switch should be on the lower current side of the relay, not the high current line which goes in between the relay and the lights.

LEDs in those switches are pretty finicky, as in they sometimes burn out quickly. You probably just need a better ground though.
My switch has a leg going to the battery and a leg going to the relay and then a ground to the truck body in the engine compartment. Does this sound right?
Old 07-28-2011, 01:30 AM
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I have a gauge for that
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What is the pin number on the relay the wire from the switch is going to? If its 85 or 86 its fine, but if its 30 or 87 you need to address that...
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