Deadhorse High Beam Aux Lights

[SINBIN]

I've done more searching the forums than working on the 4runner that I suppose I will beat this horse again. 2003 4runner sport V8

Got the new 30" light bar..front bumper cover off.. Light to be mounted in the lower valance. When it comes to wiring the relay into the high beams is where I'm having the issue. I only want the light bar to be on IF the high beams are on. Still having the ability to turn off the light bar when high beams are on and when I dim high beams with light bar on light bar goes off too. I think the DRLs will make this more difficult.

My bar came with relay, switch and wiring harness so before I cut it apart was hoping for some help. The harness has pins 85 86 and 30 go to switch and I simply connect harness to battery and good ground. Pin 87 and 86 go to light bar, pin 30 goes to battery + and pin 86 to ground.

I did see someone wired to low beam to achieve this but it was OLD thread and didn't explain how he did it.

 

[SINBIN]

So maybe I figured it out... If I run the power to the switch from the high beam + side this will accomplish it. Might cause an issue with the drl tho...powering the switch when all the headlights in an off position.

Nope... I do believe these are switched ground so tha won't work...

 

[SINBIN]

So tried both high and low beams to no avail.. any suggestions..

 

[EdmundGTP]

(deleted suggestion as it appears you've tried it, or something similar. rest of my post still applies)

Why you would want to wire it up this way, I have a hard time understanding.. :noidea::noidea::noidea:

Most people either wire light bars in so that they can be turned on ANY time, or so that they can be turned on when the Accessory power is on and or the truck is running.

 

[gaterose]

IIRC the high beams on the 4Runner (much like the interior lights) are activated when the ground circuit is completed rather than the positive circuit so it'll be a little more work to get your idea to work.

I believe the easiest way may be wiring the light backwards so that the ground must be complete for it to come on (rather than the positive being complete like in a typical setup). I'm not sure about the fuse though, I suppose it would still remain on the positive side even though that is never disconnected.

 

[SINBIN]

I suppose that's an interesting way of looking at it. Wire the negative from the switch to the negative side of the high beam?

That would complete the circuit and send the 12v to the relay? Maybe, I will try that without burning something up.

This is actually pretty common wiring setup in Australia. Its required by law to have it setup this way. Having it this way leaves just the high beam switch to hit when on the backroads of Maine and there happens to be oncoming traffic.

 

[gaterose]

I suppose that would work, I was talking about wiring the negative side of the relay to the negative high wire but wiring it to the switch may work better.

 

[SINBIN]

Well in the end I wired the negative from the relay to the negative side of the headlight bulb.. Works like I want now except..... The lightbar can be turned on or off whe the headlights are off. I assume this I the DRL and I will just live with that. I leave the headlights in all the time anyway so it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for the help.

I might write this up as a how to for future users.. Of course leaving out all the ways I couldn't get it to work.

Cheers
C

 

[gaterose]

Would it change anything if you wired the plus side of the switch to the plus headlight?

I'm not sure why the relay would remain grounded/active when the high beam isn't on if the ground is switched as others have said.

 

[sigepbiker]

Having it this way leaves just the high beam switch to hit when on the backroads of Maine and there happens to be oncoming traffic.

Hope this picture helps. One of the other guys with AUX lights drew it up, but it's using the FJ switches.

It may work to tap a line from the high beam at the light connector and feed that through a second relay. Put that second relay between your AUX light relay and the switch.

When the High beam is on, it closes the relay and lets your AUX lights be turned on. When the High beams are off, that relay opens and turns off your AUX lights.