ok I am in the process of wiring my roof rack lights on my XJ and I cannot figure out how to make it work with a double throw toggle switch. the reason for the double throw is to make it so the 2 outside lights are on for the one position and all are on for the other. I want to run it to the battery. any suggestions? the lights are 100 watt each.

 

almost forgot, there are 5 lights total on the rack.

 

double throw...

you mean an on-off-on switch, a three way?

i hope you dont mean an on-on switch....

so the switch looks like this??

 

once you get the switch i can help you wire it, but you need 3 relays to start with and follow this relay wiring diagram...

2 lights to every relay.

12ga wire atleast running into the relay from your batter, 12 ga wire going from the relay to your lights, 12 ga wire for your ground at the relay, 12 ga wire for your ground at the light.


ignore the switch wiring for now, once i know what switch you have i will help you wire it.


btw. fuse your main power from the battery!!!

 

yea it will be the on-off-on.

 

okay that is easy let me draw you up a diagram right quick

 

hope this helps.


remember your fuses!

 

hey i just got a light bar! how did u get your wires inside??

 

drill a hole in your firewall, get a rubber grommet so your wires will not chaff. then loosen your fender so you can run the wires up the part of your fender that connects to the A pillar (use a thick piece of rubber tube to run them in so the fender does not chaff them here either) then run them up your window under the molding then along your gutter mount to where you need them.

i run CB coax on one side and roof light wires on the other and you would never know

 

thanks 96xj you've helped a lot!

 

awesome! can u give some more pics of your wires goin from light into the pillar?

 

Don't you need to put a diode between the outer lights relay and the switch?

 

on the fuses thing, i do recommend putting a fuse from your 12 volt source coming into the switch as a safety measure! (should have added that in on the diagram)

 

okay i see what you are saying, Because if you connect both "up" and "down" positions even when you are in the down position all 3 relays will be activated due the relay being a connecting point for all 4 total wires.


i got it now, thank you for pointing out my mistake!!!


to fix this, you can use a diode, which will allow current to travel easily one way down the wire but restrict it from traveling the opposite direction on the wire.

or you can grab a 5 post relay in stead of using the 4 post like i drew in the picture.

let me make a diagram depicting what i mean (check back in the morning for those)

 

Because the power would bleed to the other relays from the outer relay prong, like having it wired all together, it seems to me that without a diode either way you have the switch every relat will get power, just a different path