I do NV hunting and rolling around at night fairly often with nods. I am rigging up some IR lights on my truck and need a kill switch for all the white lights. I need to be able to kill the brake lights from lighting up when I use the brakes, internal lights, headlights etc... I've used suburbans in the past for work with this ability but I never looked how the kill switch was wired. I would rather use a switch verses pulling fuses for simplicity and for being able to easily transition from IR to white lights. Any 5th gen electrical gurus here that know what I need to do to accomplish this?
Need a kill switch for all lights
- Thread starter Moto69Joe
- Start date
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A lot of relays to do it properly.
I think the only lights that aren't already switch controlled are the DRLs, brake lights and the courtesy lights in the bottom of the doors (and the puddle lamps in the mirrors if you have them). You can switch off all the other lights in the truck manually. There's a DRL mod explained on here that can eliminate those and you could pull the bulbs in the doors and mirrors. This leaves the brake lights which you would have to interrupt near the brake switch at the pedal, preferably with a relay or a switch with a decent amperage rating.
If you've done this before I won't get into the liability you potentially create by having a "brake lights off" switch. I will only say that if anyone else drives this vehicle for personal use it would be advisable to make it a keyed lockout type switch so only you can turn off the brake lights on purpose.
Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking my main concern would be the brake lights but having the ability to lock out other lights from accidentally coming on while wearing nods would be a big plus. As for the liability piece...yes absolutely. The switch is going to be tucked away and may use some type of arming switch for this.
So after checking everything out I noticed dash lights are always on as is the radio. This is certainly two items I need to wire to the kill switch as they throw too much light for nod use. So I need to wire all of these items to one switch; brake light, reverse lights, dash interior lights, radio and possibly markers and headlights.
Brandon_Reed
Member
If you can kill the lights by pulling fuses why not use the ad a circuit fuse taps to intercept power?
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
rigtec
New member
Hi Moto69Joe,
I'm no guru but I think I see what you're wanting to do. Yes it can be done using two SPDT relays or one DPDT relay! The relays need to be located at the Driverside 'C' Pillar which is where the exterior lighting power junction buss is located. I would advise you to use one AOB Toyota Factory style dash switch for simplicity... Please excuse my chicken scratching diagram, it's really simple if you take your time and follow it!
On the relays you'll chose to use the #30 to #87A (Normally closed contact) terminals to break the lighting circuit at the junction. So your switch will remain turned off for normal on-road driving. When hunting you'll opt to turn the switch on; that will break the circuit to the... Stop lights, tail lights, back-up lights, marker lights...etc. I didn't mark the spot where you would need to add an additional relay to disable the headlights; figure you could just turn them off if needed... "See the three page wiring scheme below":
ABOVE: #5 wire w/BLUE trace shows the hot wire which feeds the tail relay from the main 140A ALT Fuse. From there (10A Tail Fuse) you see the #4 wire w/PINK trace going to the Rear Lighting junction located in the lower 'C' Pillar BELOW: This #4 wire is where you'll need to add a set of N/C relay contacts so that when you push the dash switch, these contacts will open; killing power to one portion of that junction.
BELOW You'll also need to add a second set of N/C (normally closed contacts) (see yellow trace and N/C relay that's sketched in) so you can kill the remaining portion of the power to that junction from the brake lights. Now the entire 'C' Pillar junction is dead as long as the AOB dash switch is on! You can energize both of these relays simultaneously using only one dash switch. Just find an available power source; preferably one that goes off when the ignition switch is turned off to prevent an accidental over night on mode... I like to use the center console power point socket below the headunit.
To do this, just run the Lt Green HOT wire from the power point socket to the Green/Yel AOB switch power-in (Common) terminal. Now run the RED/Green wire from the AOB switch to the #85 Term (Coil) on the relay. Locate the #86 Term and connect it to a suitable earth ground; now your trigger circuit is complete! You don't need to run two hot wires to those relays, just pull one Hot wire to one relay from the dash and use a pigtail jumper from one relay to the other relay #85 Terminal and again, ground terminal #86.
The remaining BLUE/Yel wire on the AOB switch is for illuminating the etched switch face icon to glow when you're using the parking lights (Optional). You can connect that wire to a neighboring switch on the dash (Green wire) that illuminates with the parking lights on, and connect the switch's BLACK wire to the (Gray wire) on the neighboring switch as well so the AOB switch will behave exactly as the factory switches do!
PS: you should be able to use the dimmer dial to dim the dash lighting when in stealth mode! I hope you will find this 'sketched up' diagram somewhat helpful and let us know how you're making out with this project,
'Best to you'! rig
Last edited:
spencenasty
New member
This for hogs?
Hi Moto69Joe,
I'm no guru but I think I see what you're wanting to do. Yes it can be done using two SPDT relays or one DPDT relay! The relays need to be located at the Driverside 'C' Pillar which is where the exterior lighting power junction buss is located. I would advise you to use one AOB Toyota Factory style dash switch for simplicity... Please excuse my chicken scratching diagram, it's really simple if you take your time and follow it!
On the relays you'll chose to use the #30 to #87A (Normally closed contact) terminals to break the lighting circuit at the junction. So your switch will remain turned off for normal on-road driving. When hunting you'll opt to turn the switch on; that will break the circuit to the... Stop lights, tail lights, back-up lights, marker lights...etc. I didn't mark the spot where you would need to add an additional relay to disable the headlights; figure you could just turn them off if needed... "See the three page wiring scheme below":
ABOVE: #5 wire w/BLUE trace shows the hot wire which feeds the tail relay from the main 140A ALT Fuse. From there (10A Tail Fuse) you see the #4 wire w/PINK trace going to the Rear Lighting junction located in the lower 'C' Pillar BELOW: This #4 wire is where you'll need to add a set of N/C relay contacts so that when you push the dash switch, these contacts will open; killing power to one portion of that junction.
BELOW You'll also need to add a second set of N/C (normally closed contacts) (see yellow trace and N/C relay that's sketched in) so you can kill the remaining portion of the power to that junction from the brake lights. Now the entire 'C' Pillar junction is dead as long as the AOB dash switch is on! You can energize both of these relays simultaneously using only one dash switch. Just find an available power source; preferably one that goes off when the ignition switch is turned off to prevent an accidental over night on mode... I like to use the center console power point socket below the headunit.
To do this, just run the Lt Green HOT wire from the power point socket to the Green/Yel AOB switch power-in (Common) terminal. Now run the RED/Green wire to the #85 Term (Coil) on the relay. Locate the #86 Term and connect it to a suitable earth ground; now your trigger circuit is complete! You don't need to run two hot wires to those relays, just pull one Hot wire to one relay from the dash and use a pigtail jumper from one relay to the other relay #85 Terminal and again, ground terminal #86.
The remaining BLUE/Yel wire on the AOB switch is for illuminating the etched switch face icon to glow when you're using the parking lights (Optional). You can connect that wire to a neighboring switch on the dash (Green wire) that illuminates with the parking lights on, and connect the switch's BLACK wire the the (Gray wire) on the neighboring switch as well so the AOB switch will behave exactly as the factory switches do!
PS: you should be able to use the dimmer dial to dim the dash lighting when in stealth mode! I hope you will find this 'sketched up' diagram somewhat helpful and let us know how you're making out with this project,
'Best to you'! rig
Outstanding response sir. So it appears everything I need to cut is in the lower pillar? That should make life a bit easier. Good call on the AOB switches. I already have some in the dash hooked to a spod for my various add ons. I'll do the "stealth mode" one and install it in the glovebox.
Yup. Got a dbal on the way for my suppressed SBRd blackout rifle.
spencenasty
New member
Atta boy, I'm gonna come down and play too.:AK47:
Have fun, give them all dirt naps.
stamonkey
New member
You hunt from your 4runner?
It's used for infil/exfil :AK47:
stamonkey
New member
Ah, we aren't so lucky here. Lots of hiking required.
WOWHi Moto69Joe,
I'm no guru but I think I see what you're wanting to do. Yes it can be done using two SPDT relays or one DPDT relay! The relays need to be located at the Driverside 'C' Pillar which is where the exterior lighting power junction buss is located. I would advise you to use one AOB Toyota Factory style dash switch for simplicity... Please excuse my chicken scratching diagram, it's really simple if you take your time and follow it!
On the relays you'll chose to use the #30 to #87A (Normally closed contact) terminals to break the lighting circuit at the junction. So your switch will remain turned off for normal on-road driving. When hunting you'll opt to turn the switch on; that will break the circuit to the... Stop lights, tail lights, back-up lights, marker lights...etc. I didn't mark the spot where you would need to add an additional relay to disable the headlights; figure you could just turn them off if needed... "See the three page wiring scheme below":
ABOVE: #5 wire w/BLUE trace shows the hot wire which feeds the tail relay from the main 140A ALT Fuse. From there (10A Tail Fuse) you see the #4 wire w/PINK trace going to the Rear Lighting junction located in the lower 'C' Pillar BELOW: This #4 wire is where you'll need to add a set of N/C relay contacts so that when you push the dash switch, these contacts will open; killing power to one portion of that junction.
BELOW You'll also need to add a second set of N/C (normally closed contacts) (see yellow trace and N/C relay that's sketched in) so you can kill the remaining portion of the power to that junction from the brake lights. Now the entire 'C' Pillar junction is dead as long as the AOB dash switch is on! You can energize both of these relays simultaneously using only one dash switch. Just find an available power source; preferably one that goes off when the ignition switch is turned off to prevent an accidental over night on mode... I like to use the center console power point socket below the headunit.
To do this, just run the Lt Green HOT wire from the power point socket to the Green/Yel AOB switch power-in (Common) terminal. Now run the RED/Green wire from the AOB switch to the #85 Term (Coil) on the relay. Locate the #86 Term and connect it to a suitable earth ground; now your trigger circuit is complete! You don't need to run two hot wires to those relays, just pull one Hot wire to one relay from the dash and use a pigtail jumper from one relay to the other relay #85 Terminal and again, ground terminal #86.
The remaining BLUE/Yel wire on the AOB switch is for illuminating the etched switch face icon to glow when you're using the parking lights (Optional). You can connect that wire to a neighboring switch on the dash (Green wire) that illuminates with the parking lights on, and connect the switch's BLACK wire to the (Gray wire) on the neighboring switch as well so the AOB switch will behave exactly as the factory switches do!
PS: you should be able to use the dimmer dial to dim the dash lighting when in stealth mode! I hope you will find this 'sketched up' diagram somewhat helpful and let us know how you're making out with this project,
'Best to you'! rig
What a fantastic post. I'm looking to do this same task on my 4th gen (2007)
I was just going to insert a SPST 10A switch at the taillight switch. This would still work I imagine.
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burninator
New member
I know I’m bumping an old thread, but Joe, did you ever get this working? I’m working on this project now myself.
