Wiring multiple PIAA's?

[crozhawk]

I have 4 PIAA 520's and I'd like to wire them up to one relay so I don't have to use 2 switches. Can I just wire them up in parallel or series?

 

[InterGalactic]

A better idea would be to jumper the appropriate terminals between the two relays, and just remove the second switch. I'll have to dig my PIAA harness out (not installed, I just don't have time to walk out to the parking garage to get it right now) but if need be I can take some pics to clarify. Basically you have 4 terminals. 2 of them will be for input power and ground (these are pretty obvious), and the other two are the triggering terminals. So if you just bridge each the two triggering terminals from relay 1 to the same terminals on relay 2, you can then remove the switch from relay 2 and the switch for relay 1 will control them both. That way you'll keep separate input, separate supply to the lights, separate fuses, and divide the power handling between the 2 relays.

 

[crozhawk]

A better idea would be to jumper the appropriate terminals between the two relays, and just remove the second switch. I'll have to dig my PIAA harness out (not installed, I just don't have time to walk out to the parking garage to get it right now) but if need be I can take some pics to clarify. Basically you have 4 terminals. 2 of them will be for input power and ground (these are pretty obvious), and the other two are the triggering terminals. So if you just bridge each the two triggering terminals from relay 1 to the same terminals on relay 2, you can then remove the switch from relay 2 and the switch for relay 1 will control them both. That way you'll keep separate input, separate supply to the lights, separate fuses, and divide the power handling between the 2 relays.

thanks,
that makes sense. there is 3 wires that go to the switch. i could just tap into those with the second harness right? --->then run the 12v constant and grounds and that should be it.

 

[purplehazek4]

In, cause i'd like to know too.

 

[InterGalactic]

I wouldn't even bother with cutting/tapping the wires from the switch. Those wires will be +in, +out, and ground for the indicator LED. What you should be able to do is just remove switch 2 entirely from the molex connector, cut the trigger wires from relay 2 (thereby creating a lead from each trigger terminal), and then tap the two leads into the same trigger wires on relay 1. This should essentially slave the trigger circuit on relay 2 to the trigger circuit on relay 1. You should be able test this without doing any permanent harness modifications as follows:

1) Remove the switch from its connector on harness 2.

2)Take a pair of wires, stripped at the ends, and shove one end of each into the trigger terminals on the base of relay 1. Shove the other ends into the same terminals on relay 2.

3)Temporarily hook up supply power and ground for both harnesses, and the trigger wire on relay 1. For testing purposes you can just hook the trigger wire directly to the battery+ along with the supply power. DON'T CONNECT ANY LIGHTS, just to be safe. Instead, use a voltmeter to check the plugs. Shouldn't be an issue, but it's a nice extra precaution.

4)Activate switch 1. You should see ~12V across each of the 4 plugs.

5 [optional])Unclench buttcheeks and have a beer, the worst is over. :cheers:

Note: This is, theoretically, how it SHOULD work. I make no guarantees that it WILL work, or that no damage will result from the testing. I will, however, back up the above procedure by saying that if you do happen to fry your harness or relay with it hooked up like this, I'll send you the one I have sitting around(one time only!). I'm building my own high current harness so I can run have a single switch and still retain independent control 3 pairs of lights. And so I throw 100W yellowstars into my 540 ion fogs. :satan:

Good luck, let me know if you have further questions.