fog light wiring question for the gurus!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: lennon, mi
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
i have an 01 xj with NO factory fog lights...
there is the pigtail behind the bumper, and the pigtail for the factory switch, but nothing for fogs in the PDC.
i bought a 3 hole bezel, with the factory fog switch off of ebay, put it in, plugged in the pigtail and nothing...not even the backlighting on the switch.
changed out the blue bulb in the switch...the backlight now works.
apparently,in these switches (rear wiper, defrost, fogs) if a bulb is burned out, then the switch WILL NOT work!!!
got out the multimeter, and tested the wires at the pigtail....i did this with the headlights on... i have 12 volts on the orange illumination wire, aside from that, neither the purple or blue wire had juice.
i plan on installing some aftermarket fog lights, and using a relay to supply them.
now my question,
could i tap the orange illumination wire to use as the 12volt supply to the purple wire of the switch, then use the blue wire as the trigger for the relay??
wires of the foglight pigtail are:
pin1-black-ground
pin2-purple-12v source
pin3-blue- 12v out(to relay)
pin4-orange-switch illumination
in theory this would work since the voltage required to trigger the relay is so low and i'm sure that the illumination bulb is not using a ton of power.... just looking for some other insight....
so what do you think??
there is the pigtail behind the bumper, and the pigtail for the factory switch, but nothing for fogs in the PDC.
i bought a 3 hole bezel, with the factory fog switch off of ebay, put it in, plugged in the pigtail and nothing...not even the backlighting on the switch.
changed out the blue bulb in the switch...the backlight now works.
apparently,in these switches (rear wiper, defrost, fogs) if a bulb is burned out, then the switch WILL NOT work!!!
got out the multimeter, and tested the wires at the pigtail....i did this with the headlights on... i have 12 volts on the orange illumination wire, aside from that, neither the purple or blue wire had juice.
i plan on installing some aftermarket fog lights, and using a relay to supply them.
now my question,
could i tap the orange illumination wire to use as the 12volt supply to the purple wire of the switch, then use the blue wire as the trigger for the relay??
wires of the foglight pigtail are:
pin1-black-ground
pin2-purple-12v source
pin3-blue- 12v out(to relay)
pin4-orange-switch illumination
in theory this would work since the voltage required to trigger the relay is so low and i'm sure that the illumination bulb is not using a ton of power.... just looking for some other insight....
so what do you think??
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: lennon, mi
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
checked power at the plug (illumination had power, thats it.) there are no relays, nor is there a fuse in the pdc....there are spots for them, but there is no wiring to plug the relay into ....just empty slots.
the headlights have to be on in order for the orange wire to be powered.
the headlights have to be on in order for the orange wire to be powered.
Last edited by vtfd330; Dec 10, 2010 at 10:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: lennon, mi
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0

fuse would go inside the red box. location is the same,slot numbers may vary....15amp fuse....apparently jeep doesn't want people to know what the mini fuses do!!! haha
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: lennon, mi
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
being as i do not have the connections for the relays or fuse in the pdc, its irrelevant...
so....
any insight as to whether the orange illumination wire would work for a feed to the switch to trigger a relay??
so....
any insight as to whether the orange illumination wire would work for a feed to the switch to trigger a relay??
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: South Deerfield, Mass
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
could i tap the orange illumination wire to use as the 12volt supply to the purple wire of the switch, then use the blue wire as the trigger for the relay??
I did this in mine (Got factory fogs but they didn't come on the Jeep) Works perfectly fine, BUT when you have the dimmer all the way down, there is not enough power to engage them, the dimmer must be about a quarter of the way put for them to come on. HOWEVER, if you do have the dimmer up a little bit and then put them on, you can then back it all the way down and they will stay on.)
Hope this helps
Matt
I did this in mine (Got factory fogs but they didn't come on the Jeep) Works perfectly fine, BUT when you have the dimmer all the way down, there is not enough power to engage them, the dimmer must be about a quarter of the way put for them to come on. HOWEVER, if you do have the dimmer up a little bit and then put them on, you can then back it all the way down and they will stay on.)
Hope this helps
Matt
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,197
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From: Aberdeen, MD
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO I-6, 703 Injectors, Brown Dog Super Engine Mounts
i would not use the variable voltage dimmer circuit to power the switch/relay. Your best bet is to run a power wire from a selected fuse in the fuse panel.
I think i used the radio circuit so it would be a switched power source, and would turn off with the ignition. Choose a memory (always power) circuit if you want the option to be able to use them with the ignition off.
Just put a jumper wire on the side of the fuse opposite the hot side. Choose a 5-10amp circuit so the switch is protected.
I think i used the radio circuit so it would be a switched power source, and would turn off with the ignition. Choose a memory (always power) circuit if you want the option to be able to use them with the ignition off.
Just put a jumper wire on the side of the fuse opposite the hot side. Choose a 5-10amp circuit so the switch is protected.


