So i eventually want to hook up some aux lights whenever i get a roof rack, but my question is would it be possible to have say.. 2 lights on each side of the rack. So a total of 8 lights, and have switches to control each side (one for the front, left, right, and rear). And a master switch to turn them all on at once, rather then having to turn them all on individually . obviously you would need a high amp relay for the master switch if its even possible. has anyone done this or does anyone have insight as to if it would even work?
Thank you

 

Good question. I want lights, eventually, all around. But I have plans for a custom dash and will have all the switches easily placed so I can just flip em all real quick.

 

It is definitely possible, and not too many additional wires if you keep the switches close together. I don't have any schematic software to give ya a visual, but you just have to put the master switch in parallel with each of the single side switches.

 

does anyone have a diagram for a setup like this? because that would be AWESOME

 

I'm afraid something like this is above what people would normally set out to do, so there aren't any floating around that I know of. Getting the switches to work like that would be very difficult and time consuming if you don't know what you are doing, a whole separate fuse block would make things easier too... This is something that you're going to have to plan out yourself, hey why no be the first tI plan out and make a write up or diagram to make this all possible!

 

looks like i might have to. Ive got an idea in my head i just need the materials and time...maybe some day ill get it then i might do a write-up (if i get it to work)

 

Haha, tons of theory. Hope SOMETHING gets done.

 

It will be a while but im gonna try my damnedest to get it done

 

You could accomplish this by having the 4 sub-switches close together, and then having the output from the master switch wired to all the outputs of the sub switches. IF you have each of the sub switches wired to relays and not directly to the lights, that is. Otherwise, you'll pull way too much current through the master switch and its wiring and fry the whole works. Assuming you're using halogen lights and not LEDs...

The reason for relays?
Eight 100 watt lights will pull 66 amps of current, which is 2-3 times what most automotive toggle switches will safely handle. Even 8 55 watt lights will pull 37+ amps, which is no small amount of current. I suppose you could safely run two lights directly through a standard toggle rated at 20 amps, but I prefer using relays. Most aftermarket "universal" automotive relays will handle 30-40 amps of current. Yet it only takes a fraction of an amp to trigger the relay, so you won't max out your switches.

Or, if you are using a relay for each pair of lights (highly recommended), you could wire up a master switch so that it's output is the trigger for the sub relays (either positive or negative trigger), but you would have to put a diode between each "jumper" wire so that when you just have one relay activated with a sub-switch, that current doesn't flow through the jumpers to trigger all of the other relays.

If it were me, I'd use the switch jumper method rather than the relay jumper method along with relays.

I don't want this to sound insulting, but the fact that you asked your original question in the first place, indicates to me that you may be an automotive electrical novice, which is fine. A lot of us here are, and I salute you for digging in and getting your hands dirty I would just suggest learning a bit about electrical loads and some conversion math before you tackle a project like this. I can tell you for every DIY light wiring job I've seen done correctly, I've seen 30 that were done wrong. Some dangerously so. Some that resulted in melted harnesses, blown alternators, and vehicle fires.

You might check out www.the12volt.com for some electrical knowledge basics, and check out my post to another reader with a similar idea here:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f59/of...8/#post1796429

Good luck to you, and again, kudos for rolling up your sleeves, asking the right questions, and spending some quality time working on your rig!

 

Wow very helpful stuff thank you. Yes I am a bit of a novice, I had planed on using relays for each switch and (here's where it might get sketchy) having the master switch break into four wires that splice back into the individual's near the relays. At least that's the way I have it in my head today... tomorrow on the other hand who knows. What I just wrote is different then what was in my head the day I posted. Which I don't even remember now.

 

Now that I'm thinking of it that won't work. Back to the drawing board I'll get it eventually

 

I was looking through switches at radio shack, hoping to find one that when switched to ON would connect the 4 wires, but when in OFF would leave them unconnected. That would be an easy solution. I'm working on another project, ill check newegg.com for the switch when I'm looking up other components.

 

Something like this. I'd have to have the switch in hand in verify the leads are unconnected when in the off position.

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...-SWITCH/1.html

Btw, a ON-OFF switch work would too, this is just the first 4PDT switch I found.

 

http://www.galls.com/style-SE080-gen...ion-switch-box

theres many more on this site for light controlls, ment for cop lights but you can use whatever lights you want, the lables come with 60 different ones not just the ones on the box in the picture... about the size of a CB or smaller....

 

http://www.galls.com/uniformstyle?as...og&style=SE082