Help me with the Install of my PIAA 540's

barc111

New member
I just purchased the PIAA 540's. In addition, I also purchased the Tacoma Fog Light Switch.

Here are my questions:
1) Do I hook up the main power to the battery terminal...or is it better to hook it up to a better location?

2) The PIAA switch has three wires..1 white that looks like it powers the switch (bare end). 2 a red, and 3 a black
Of those 3 wires...where do I connect them on the factory switch (and the factory switch has four plugs) so do I leave one blank?

I want the switch to light up when I have the parking and driving lights on.

Thank you for any help you can provide.
 
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check this thread

have a look at this thread

This has exactly what you need, including a diagram of the switch. I just installed mine a couple of weeks ago. I had the 540's also...

lights1.jpg~original


If you are going to use the tacoma switch and you want a clean install you will need the switch, a small white connector (that slides into the switch) and some small metal "ends" that connect to your wires then slides into the white connector harness. All the part numbers should be listed in the thread. It gets a little expensive, $30 for switch, $6 for harness and $6 per wire connector (you'll need four). But in the end it's the best "stock" look you can get. There is also an older fog switch you can use (also in the thread), looks very clean but not quite stock (but definitely cheaper).

You might be able to find a cheaper way to connect your cables to the switch without buying all those connectors, that is also discussed in that thread.

On my install I took the main cables and ran them to my battery. Then I connected the relay to the side of my vehicle's engine compartment. Then I ran the smaller gauged wires (for the switch) through the firewall. I connected them according to the diagram on that thread. I think it was from the diagram 1 and 2 i used a splicer to come off the center diff lock switch, this is only to light up the switch when the driving lights are on. I believe 3 went to the white wire of the PIAA switch. And 4 went to a fuse.

Hope that helps... that thread should clear it up for you. I know nothing about electricity and that thread helped me to do it.
 
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Sorry...but I am still confused. The stock PIAA switch has three wires. A Black and Red that runs from the on/off switch back to the relay, and another white power wire.

so on the new toyota switch, the white power wire goes to number four and then hooked into a fuse?

then where do the other two hook into? Are they used at all?
 
More or less, 1 and 2 are solely for lighting the switch. So I jumped off the adjacent switch (center diff lock) and connected its light to the fog light switch 1 and 2. 1 and 2 have nothing to do with the PIAA switch. Use a wire splice like the attachment, they are cheap. You will have to cut back the foam on the other switch to be able to connect to it. 3 and 4 I'm having a hard time remembering that's why I was trying to refer you to the thread. 3 and 4 represent the open and close that powers the relay, which in turn turns on the lights (if the key is on in the ignition). From memory... I think 4 went directly to a fuse and 3 came off the white wire from the piaa relay (the small gauge white wire, not the white battery wire). If I get a chance I will pop it open again and look but like I was saying, I know nothing about that stuff and that thread was able to help me out. If I can do it from that thread, then anyone can.
 

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I think I got it now...so

1/2 wired together and spliced into the diff.

3 Use the white (non-power switch)

4 Use the white (power-wire) to run back to a fuse

Leaving the black relay switch...which doesn't get used?
 
that sounds about right... when i first hooked it up... i didn't do anything with the black wire and it worked fine. After a while i figured i should ground it to something so i attached it to a piece of metal underneath the dash. i will eventually ask someone what i should or shouldn't do with that wire.
 
I got the idea from momo.75 on his thread

Some others contributed as well and it turns out to be a solid mount. Because of my Waag bar I had to make some modifications. Here are my brackets that I fabbed.

bracket.jpg~original
 

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