Receiving Helpdesk

how do you wire a light bar to high beam headlights

by Danny Kohler Sr. Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

Start by taping one end of the power wire to the metal bumper support. Leave at least one foot of wire hanging after the tape to leave enough slack for the connection to the lights. Route the power wire toward the fuse box that contains the high-beam relay. Conceal the wire in existing wire looms as much as possible as you route the wire.

Part of a video titled How To Connect Light Bar To High Beams - YouTube
2:22
16:35
So what I've done is is if I go down into the lower position. Now they're tight into the high beams.MoreSo what I've done is is if I go down into the lower position. Now they're tight into the high beams. Right. Just like that so I can click the high beams on you know the temporaries are the full ons.

Full Answer

How do you wire high beam headlights to a car?

Start by taping one end of the power wire to the metal bumper support. Leave at least one foot of wire hanging after the tape to leave enough slack for the connection to the lights. Route the power wire toward the fuse box that contains the high-beam relay.

How do you wire a high beam relay light?

Start by taping one end of the power wire to the metal bumper support. Leave at least one foot of wire hanging after the tape to leave enough slack for the connection to the lights. Route the power wire toward the fuse box that contains the high-beam relay. Conceal the wire in existing wire looms as much as possible as you route the wire.

Can you wire a high beam light into an existing circuit?

If you choose to wire your lights into the existing high-beam circuit, they will only operate when the high beams are on. Wiring the driving lights in series with the existing circuit may result in excessive amperage draw across the circuit, which may cause a fire.

How do you energize a headlight relay?

Then ground the correct terminal of the relay (typically called "terminal 85") to a good ground. This will energize the relay dependent on if you have the in-cab control switch on the battery side, or the highbeam side.

How do you connect high beams to spot lights?

0:538:14How to wire LED light Bar or Driving Lights to High Beam STEDI Smart ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd there's a couple of adapters. Here so these are specific to the spotlights. You've got there'sMoreAnd there's a couple of adapters. Here so these are specific to the spotlights. You've got there's either gonna be a certain end or plug size onto the light that you need a couple of cable ties.

Can I wire a light bar directly?

You'll most likely be wiring your LED light bar relay's power lead directly to the battery, but you won't necessarily use the same battery's negative terminal as your ground. You can ground your wiring to the vehicle's chassis, as long as it offers a clean connection between your circuit and bare metal.

How do you wire a light bar without a relay?

How To Wire LED Light Bar Without Relay1: First, find a place to mount your light bar. ... 2: Next, take a piece of wire and wrap it around the screw on the back of your LED light bar with one end sticking out far enough so that it can be connected when needed later on but still hidden at most times if possible.More items...

How do you tap into headlight wires?

0:061:30Automotive How To - Use a Wire Tap To Connect Accessories ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou put the tap on to it okay and then you take your new wire. Put it right down in here until itMoreYou put the tap on to it okay and then you take your new wire. Put it right down in here until it stops. And then take your pliers. And you drive the splice right into the wires.

Do you need a relay for LED light bar?

Is It Recommended To Use a Relay For LED Light Bar? Your car's battery should be connected to an LED light bar only using a relay. If you don't want the Relay, you will have to be more cautious and check all connections more often. The wires will not work correctly if there is no power going through them.

Why do I need a relay for light bar?

Relays can be used to switch a low-current trigger to high current, switch a circuit on or off, reverse polarity, and much more. When adding LED lights, such as off-road light bars, driving/work lights, or other auxiliary lights to a vehicle, you must add a circuit to power the light adequately.

How do you wire a light bar wiring harness?

4:3328:16How to Wire an LED Light Bar Properly (Project Night ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere's our connector we're gonna go connect to the light bar. This is really simple the wiringMoreHere's our connector we're gonna go connect to the light bar. This is really simple the wiring harness just plugs right into the light bar connector just like that.

How do you make a wiring harness for a light bar?

3:308:20How to Make Your Own LED Light Bar Wiring Harness - DIY - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we'll plug that in. And you can see first part of our wiring harness already coming together nextMoreSo we'll plug that in. And you can see first part of our wiring harness already coming together next we're gonna do the same. Thing one wire for ground to the battery well the negative to the battery.

Why is my light bar draining my battery?

Is your light bar draining your battery? One of the main reasons that a battery gets damaged is due to sulfur crystals that grow on the plates, this is called sulfation and prevents the electrons from flowing through the affected parts.

What color is the high beam wire?

Re: Wiring Diagram Wire color for high beam High beam has a white line. Bright White. Low beam has a red line.

How do you tap into a wire without cutting it?

0:002:48How to tap into a wire without solder or special connectors | CrutchfieldYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd slice the jacket open our goal here is to expose about three-quarters of an inch to an inch ofMoreAnd slice the jacket open our goal here is to expose about three-quarters of an inch to an inch of the wire strands inside the jacket without cutting through the wire.

How do you use a wire tap?

0:321:42How to use a Snap Lock: CURT 58280 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipInto the open channel of the snap. Lock. Now insert the new tap wire into the terminated channel ofMoreInto the open channel of the snap. Lock. Now insert the new tap wire into the terminated channel of the snap-loc. Making sure the wire is touching the blocked end of the channel.

Why use a relay on LED lights?

Even with the lower power draw of an LED, it’s still a better idea to use a relay instead of running full current through a simple switch. Relays are usually rated to handle a much higher load than switches, which means they won’t overheat or potentially fail while being used. They also typically offer a lower voltage drop and can be combined with a single control switch that will allow you to turn a number of lights on and off at the same time, making for cleaner installation.

Why put a fuse on a relay?

Putting a fuse between your relay and the battery will also protect your vehicle’s electrical system in case anything unexpected happens while your lights are on. A fuse is cheap, and it will sacrifice itself before any power surges make their way to your lights or spread through the rest of your truck’s wiring .

Can you wire a relay to a car?

You can wire an aftermarket switch inside the vehicle that will trigger your relay. For a cleaner installation, you can also tap into the wiring harness for your vehicle’s high-beam headlights, and send power to the relay once those are activated.

Can you ground a car wiring?

You can ground your wiring to the vehicle’s chassis, as long as it offers a clean connection between your circuit and bare metal. You’ll want to test that ground with a simple multimeter before making it permanent to ensure a strong contact. 4. Decide on an Auxiliary Switch or Factory.

Can you wire a light bar relay to a battery?

Make Sure Your Grounds Are Good. You’ll most likely be wiring your LED light bar relay’s power lead directly to the battery, but you won’t necessarily use the same battery’s negative terminal as your ground.

Almboss

I have been thinking about how i can wire my light bar to my high beams and just do away with the stand alone switch that it came with. Is doing a piggy back fuse the only way to go about it? Could this cause any problems with drawing to many amps though the high beam circ? Quote

smcgillis10

I have been thinking about how i can wire my light bar to my high beams and just do away with the stand alone switch that it came with. Is doing a piggy back fuse the only way to go about it? Could this cause any problems with drawing to many amps though the high beam circ?

Spurshot

I have a 3-way switch on mine. In all cases, the accessory power must be on. When the rocker is in the up position, the light bar is on. When it's in the middle position, off. The bottom position is tied to the high beams. I tapped the high beam wire by the radiator to trigger 1 relay. The top position of the switch triggers a second relay.

JDuncan

I have a 3-way switch on mine. In all cases, the accessory power must be on. When the rocker is in the up position, the light bar is on. When it's in the middle position, off. The bottom position is tied to the high beams. I tapped the high beam wire by the radiator to trigger 1 relay. The top position of the switch triggers a second relay.

Michael71009

What diodes are you all using? I just installed a 30" bar behind the grill on my 14 sierra. For now I just have it wired up through a wireless switch. The wireless switch just triggers the relay. I would like to have the bar come on with high beams or independently with the wireless switch. Same with my reverse pods.

xr4ticrew

2015 Denali HD. Already have a 2 way switch wired directly to the battery but would like to swap out to a 3 way so they can run with the high beams if in position 3. Anybody have success going under the steering column to tap into the BCM wire? This GMC only has 1 bulb for all. I see above someone tried #18 w/o success

Wiring Kit or Harness

Many companies supply a wiring harness, or loom, with spotlights. These are excellent as they take out most of there guesswork concerning wiring (fuses, cable gauge and length, reliable connections). Many of them also include vehicle-specific components to connect directly to existing headlight and high beam circuits.

Relays

If doing this without a kit or wiring harness, you’ll need to buy a 12V relay to control the spotlights as well as appropriate wiring and fuses. The beauty of a relay is that you do not need to use the full power required to power the spot lights to also power the switch.

Fuse Box

Find your fuse box and get the fuse diagram; you will need to find your high beam fuse. Fuse boxes are in the engine bay or under the dashboard.

Safety

Make sure your wiring is safely routed, secured, and insulated. The last thing you want is for any arcing or short-circuiting. Heat shrink and zip ties are useful here. Consult with or employ an expert if you are not confident in what you are doing.

Can you hook up a light bar to high beam?

Yes, as it is an accessory just like spotlights it can be wired exactly the same. Some allowances might need to be made regarding wire gauge and fuses.

Can you wire a light bar without a relay?

Yes, but a relay is a cost-effective way to safely power an LED light bar, driving lights, or spot lights. It means you don’t need to run a thicker, more expensive power wire through the engine bay to the cabin and elsewhere; you can use cheaper, thinner wires to just control the relay signal.

How do you find high beam wire?

Your fuse box should come with a fuse diagram to identify which fuse is for which component on the car or ute. Most spotlight wiring kits utilise the actual high beam globe and plug directly into the back of the globe, saving you the need to splice into any wires.

How to run a power supply in parallel?

To run the power supply in parallel, splice the new wire into the existing wire right at the base of the pin on the existing wire. Trim one inch of insulation from each wire with the wire trimmers. Twist the new wire onto the existing wire, then slide a piece of heatshrink tubing over the new splice so that it covers all of the bare wire, but not the pin on the existing wire. Warm the heatshrink with a lighter or heat gun until it shrinks and seals the new splice. Push the pin back into the harness connector and listen for a click as it locks in place. Give it a gentle tug to make sure it is secured. Plug the wiring harness into the fuse box, then mount the fuse box to the vehicle, if previously removed.

How to remove wire from a wire harness?

Locate the pin for the high-beam power supply wire -- double check your selection by verifying the wire color. Use a small pick tool to push down on the small locking tab on the metal connection pin, and pull that wire out of the wiring harness connector.

How to wire a fog light to a high beam relay?

Start by taping one end of the power wire to the metal bumper support. Leave at least one foot of wire hanging after the tape to leave enough slack for the connection to the lights.

How to connect a light to a bumper?

Remove the bolt that secures the ground wires. Slide the eyelet connect on the light's ground wire over the bolt, followed by the OEM eyelet connector for the ground wires at that location. Install and snug the ground bolt.

How to conceal wire in loom?

Conceal the wire in existing wire looms as much as possible as you route the wire. Make sure it isn't in any place that will be rubbed or pinched as you drive. Once you've routed the wire to the box, cut the wire so that there is only enough to connect it to the wiring harness for the fuse box with a few inches to spare.

How many lights can you have on a car at one time?

In most states, it is illegal to have more than four, forward-illuminating lights on at one time. Before wiring your new lights into the circuit for your high beams, make sure the low-beam headlights turn off when the high-beams are turned on.

What is a memory saver unit?

A memory saver unit will provide power to the on-board computer and the radio to prevent memory loss when the battery is disconnected. Follow the instructions included with the unit to install it properly.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9