Safe Electrical Connections For lights

[Lexington]

Hello All

I recently installed some custom headlights with LED strips. Currently they are connected to the battery. They only down side is the power to the Bluetooth device stays on even when the car is off. I’d like to connect it to another power source so when I turn the car off the power to the blue tooth goes off too. A friend suggested I connect it to the fuse for the cigarette lighter. A other said connect it to where the off road lights go but I don’t know where that is.

I know with modern cars you have to be careful where you connect aftermarket electrical product so you don’t accidentally interfere with power to the computer.

Any advice where I can safely connect my LEDs strips besides the battery and goes on and off with the car would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[jbtvt]

The exposed side of all the fuses in your box have a small metal piece that you can hit with a voltmeter and check for power when the key is on or off. Cigarette lighter fuse should be a good bet, if you don't regularly run high-draw appliances through the circuit. Just need to make sure that whatever is in your circuit won't blow the fuse with the additional amp draw from the lights.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

There's empty fuse slots that you can use, this one in particular only comes on when the key is turned (may depend on year)

A fuse tap would work well there

 

[honda250xtitan]

oh boy, in for pics of said 4runner burnt to a crisp.

 

[lewdog998]

I route all my accessories through the Flux capacitor circuit.....its good up to about 1.21 gigawatts...

If you need more power, try routing through the warp drive.

 

[Lexington]

The exposed side of all the fuses in your box have a small metal piece that you can hit with a voltmeter and check for power when the key is on or off. Cigarette lighter fuse should be a good bet, if you don't regularly run high-draw appliances through the circuit. Just need to make sure that whatever is in your circuit won't blow the fuse with the additional amp draw from the lights.

Thanks. I occasionally charge a cell phone with a 2A charger but that’s about all I use the cigarette lighter for. I’m also waiting for the tech specs from Morimoto on the maximum draw. Once I have that I will give it to my mechanic so he can check it with the 4 Runner electrical diagram chart.

My guess is it probably doesn’t draw that much power since it’s not a off road light.

Here’s another question for you. When you hook up off road lights to the switch panel left of the steering wheel. If you have it turned on and you turn off the engine does the lights still stay lit or do they go off when you remove the key?

 

[AMLOR]

I route all my accessories through the Flux capacitor circuit.....its good up to about 1.21 gigawatts...

If you need more power, try routing through the warp drive.

And I thought I was the only one using this trick...
In a pinch an SP9100 is a good option to keep things from overheating and burning up the flux capacitor and/or spreading to the warp core...
Just sayin...

 

[lewdog998]

And I thought I was the only one using this trick...
In a pinch an SP9100 is a good option to keep things from overheating and burning up the flux capacitor and/or spreading to the warp core...
Just sayin...

Yeah...I guess your right.
Its always a good idea to keep some spare dilithium crystals in your tool kit just in case.

 

[Saker]

…….When you hook up off road lights to the switch panel left of the steering wheel. If you have it turned on and you turn off the engine does the lights still stay lit or do they go off when you remove the key?

If you are speaking of the illumination on the switch itself, the illumination on the switch will go off when the rest of your switches go off.
If you are speaking of the off road lights going off when you turn off the engine, then that depends on where the switched hot is connected to.
If it’s connected to a constant hot = they will stay on.
If it’s connected to a switched hot = they will turn off.

You may need an electrician to do your work!

 

[Lexington]

If you are speaking of the illumination on the switch itself, the illumination on the switch will go off when the rest of your switches go off.
If you are speaking of the off road lights going off when you turn off the engine, then that depends on where the switched hot is connected to.
If it’s connected to a constant hot = they will stay on.
If it’s connected to a switched hot = they will turn off.

You may need an electrician to do your work!

Yes I understand this. What I don’t know is what is the default setting for the 4Runner switch or if this is something you have to select or set up when you install?

 

[srsrogerissrs]

Yes I understand this. What I don’t know is what is the default setting for the 4Runner switch or if this is something you have to select or set up when you install?

What switch are you talking about? An oem switch? Adding an aftermarket switch?

 

[Lexington]

I finally got a call back from the local Toyota dealer. They told me it should be fine connecting it to the off road light switch but of course they want to see it first to make sure. They also said that when you turn the key off the power should go off too.

 

[Lexington]

What switch are you talking about? An oem switch? Adding an aftermarket switch?

I would assume it’s a aftermarket switch. I’m talking about this area here.

 

[srsrogerissrs]

So you want to add a switch? Use the existing garage door switch? go to mars? become a masterchef? be the president?

 

[Lexington]

So you want to add a switch? Use the existing garage door switch? go to mars? become a masterchef? be the president?

That’s just a generic pic I pulled off line. I’m not near my truck to take a pic. I just used that pic to show the area I was talking about. I should have made that clear, sorry.

Look, this is the first time I’ve installed a aftermarket light to my truck. I’m not familiar with all the different options and the proper terms for everything. I’m new to this. That’s why I’m here asking for help. I don’t know if Toyota offers OEM switches for this area. My guess is I have to use a aftermarket switch.

In the beginning I should have provided more details so people reading this have a better understanding of what I am trying to do. So let me restate my issue to be clear.

I had Kustom 54 make some headlights with LED halos and strips. Originally I wanted just to blackout the insides but saw the LEDs and thought it would be fun to try them out.

14-18 Toyota 4Runner Retrofit
The lights look very similar to the photos all the way to the right.

The LED halo and strip are controlled by a Morimoto XBT Bluetooth controller that supplies power and controls only the LED halo and strip. They are not connected to the headlights or high beams lights in any way.

https://www.morimotohid.com/core/media/media.nl?id=1718982&c=5129608&h=a63fdf0687276494bb84

The XBT controller is currently connected directly to the battery. So even when the engine is turned off it is still draining power but it’s relatively small. I checked the draw and I can go about a 7-10 days before it causes a issue with the battery. However the app that controls the Bluetooth is a bit buggy. After I turn the LDEs off I come back later to find that they turned themselves back on. This doesn’t happen often. Sometimes I forget to turn it off. I haven’t had time to figure out how much power they draw when they are on. So to avoid any unnecessary or accidental drain on my battery when I’m not in my truck, I want to connect the XBT controller to a power source that when I remove the key the power is cut to the XBT controller. This way I don’t have to worry about the battery.

I was told that I could connect it to the cigarette light fuse box or the slots for the off road lights to the bottom left of the steering wheel similar to the picture I posted. I think the latter would be the preferred method.

So if I connect the Bluetooth control here I assume I will need to buy a switch. I don’t know if Toyota sells OEM switches or do I just buy a aftermarket switch.

Once I understand what needs to be done I’ll take it to my mechanic or to the local 4x4 shop to do the work.

My primary concern is that I know with many of the newer vehicle that if you hook up the powers source in the wrong place is can mess up the car’s computer. I don’t this this is a major problem with 4Runners but I wanted to make sure before move forward on this. I know there are many people on this forum that have done similar things with hooking up light and that’s why I’m hear looking for guidance and help. I hope this clarifies things

Thanks

 

[srsrogerissrs]

Post #2 and #3 are your best bet. Find an ignition-on fuse and use a fuse tap to power your bluetooth controller. This option will not require a switch and turn the controller on and off with a car. Most people do this with dashcams and radars so you can search threads like those to find which fuses to tap. You can also take turn the car on, take a multimeter, touch the exposed leads on the fuse to find power, turn the car off, and touch it again to make sure it powers off when ignition off. There are also empty fuse slots if you have a non-kdss version that you could potentially use as well, I used a couple empty slots for my hardwiring. Buy a multimeter and make sure your accessories are fused, you'll be okay.

 

[Lexington]

Post #2 and #3 are your best bet. Find an ignition-on fuse and use a fuse tap to power your bluetooth controller. This option will not require a switch and turn the controller on and off with a car. Most people do this with dashcams and radars so you can search threads like those to find which fuses to tap. You can also take turn the car on, take a multimeter, touch the exposed leads on the fuse to find power, turn the car off, and touch it again to make sure it powers off when ignition off. There are also empty fuse slots if you have a non-kdss version that you could potentially use as well, I used a couple empty slots for my hardwiring. Buy a multimeter and make sure your accessories are fused, you'll be okay.

Ok I basically understand what you’re saying. I’ll talk to my mechanic or the 4x4 shop about this. So you’re suggesting to go the fuse route vs a light switch left of the steering wheel then, correct? Also, I don’t have a KDSS. So what is the better option, use a fuse tap or use a empty fuse box.

I also contacted Morimoto to ask what is the max power draw the Bluetooth controller can pull. My guess it’s probably not too much but just want to make sure.

Anyway, thanks for your post. It was helpful.

 

[srsrogerissrs]

Ok I basically understand what you’re saying. I’ll talk to my mechanic or the 4x4 shop about this. So you’re suggesting to go the fuse route vs a light switch left of the steering wheel then, correct? Also, I don’t have a KDSS. So what is the better option, use a fuse tap or use a empty fuse box.

I also contacted Morimoto to ask what is the max power draw the Bluetooth controller can pull. My guess it’s probably not too much but just want to make sure.

Anyway, thanks for your post. It was helpful.

You would just use the fuse tap in an empty fuse slot in the fuse box.