Wiring JDM GT-B Limited fogs

[Dead91silvia]

Ok, Now I know a lot of stuff and I bet there might even be a thread on this, but I have a feeling I'm going to do this completely different then everyone else... maybe... I suck at wiring new things. I can convert one thing to another, or fix stuff no problem, but knowing currants and all that crap I get lost. My last electrical class was in 2000 and I remember not paying attention thinking I would never need it... haha

I got the big rounds plugged into the stock USDM LGT fog harness, so those are not a problem. I was going to use a the JDM Fog selector switch, but I have a feeling it's not going to work like I want it to. I want to be able to run ALL the fogs at the same time! I will be using the mod that someone posted before about using the fogs with high beams also, but thats later. I want all these light to be as bright as they can without over loading.

So... I dont want some butt ugly aftermarket switches on my dash, but it would be nice to have all 3 set independent. I dont have any dead blocks on my dash. I COULD move my alarm light/reset to another spot and use another OEM Fog switch and wire the side and projector fogs to that switch, but then I'm thinking I would be able to run them independent if I wanted to.

Also, would wiring both side and projector fogs over load the switch and/or make the lights dim with having low power?

Another thing I was thinking might be nice, is the ability to turn them on, without having the key on, but then I'm used to not even shutting the lights off on my car so that might be a problem.

[anothernord]

That's a ton of current on the stock harness to run all six bulbs at once. Here's what I would do:

Make 2 separate relay harnesses that draw the main current straight from the battery. Each harness would be activated by 1) the stock fog light wires and 2) an extra circuit tied to another OEM fog switch. Then, have the big rounds and the outside fogs come on with one switch, and the projector fogs go on with another.

But there's tons of different ways to do it; just think about what lights you'll need at certain times. There's basically limitless possibilities, like having the big rounds come on with the high beams when they otherwise aren't being used to attract other drivers' attention, or have like a master "turn on sun" switch.

[Dead91silvia]

Yeah, I'm not messing with the big fogs at all, other then changing it to letting them stay on with the high beams on.

now would there be too much current going to the stock switch to run both sets of projector and side fogs? I though of running one set of fogs with the extra fog switch and using a aftermarket switch for the other set. I just dont want gadds of switches on my dash! haha

The other thing is, if I'm wiring them independent, I dont really know how to do that. I mean I know how to do the work, I just dont know where to start. Like I said, I just fix problems or convert plugs. Soldering is no big deal to me, but I dont know about relays and crap, other then replacing them.

[anothernord]

Look at how the factory lighting system is wires. Switches carry no load at all besides what it takes to run turn it's respective relay on, so forget about the switch. I can't teach you how a circuit works, but you can learn that on your own. You also nerd to look up how a relay works, understand what it does, then figure out how put it all together.

[camroncamera]

Dead, you may already be aware of this site, but I could suggest you have a look at http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/tech.html
Lots of really useful how-to info there on lighting and making relay harnesses.

BTW I'll be very interested in how this turns out - as I'm sure you know, I'm seeking a GT-B Limited bumper myself, and will also have to make such foglight arrangements should one come my way.

[Legacy89]

What you want to do is run the projector and the center round ones separatly with 2 relays and two swithches.
The small outside ones you should connect with the turn signal with a resistor and a capasitor so that they stay on while flashing.
I know there is a DIY or a thread about it somewhere but i can't find it at this moment.

[camroncamera]

Look at how the factory lighting system is wires. Switches carry no load at all besides what it takes to run turn it's respective relay on, so forget about the switch. I can't teach you how a circuit works, but you can learn that on your own. You also nerd to look up how a relay works, understand what it does, then figure out how put it all together.

When I get ready to do the wiring on my GT-B Limited round foglight setup - I would feel much more comfortable building a relay harness for each set of lights per switch... unless the car's factory wiring already has a relay in place for the stock fogs? Don't want to activate a relay with a relay, lol. I haven't dived into the wiring yet so I don't know yet what I'll need to build. I'm thinking a nice weatherproof box to hold an arsenal of relays

Like Dead91silvia, I'd like to be able to have two OEM foglight switches to run everything together... although I do like the idea of connecting the large round fogs to the high-beam switch! I don't know enough about wiring to know if I can connect BOTH an OEM foglight switch (via relay) and high-beam switch (via another relay) to the same set of big round Limited foglights, but I bet it could be done. In other words...
Driving in the city: high-beams OFF, Limited round foglights OFF. (high-beam switch in OFF position, foglight switch in OFF position. JDM Projector foglights on separate circuit, can be ON or OFF).
Driving in the country: hi-beams ON, Limited round foglights ON (high-beam switch in ON position, but foglight switch in OFF position. JDM Projector foglights on separate circuit, can be ON or OFF).
Driving in the fog (heh!): high-beams OFF, Limited round foglights ON (high-beam switch in OFF position, but foglight switch in ON position. JDM Projector foglights on separate circuit, can be ON or OFF).

I don't know, though, what would happen if the high-beam switch and foghlight switch are both in ON position. Fireworks (I hope not)? Heck, it'd be cool I guess if the high-beams were on but the fogs off
reference links:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13591
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=13570

[camroncamera]

Thinking about this more.... I think I've figured out how I'd like to control GT-B Limited Foglight operation. The large Limited round fogs share the same two-wire connector as the USDM foglights, so it makes sense to me that these lights are controlled by the USDM stock foglight dash switch. As linked here viewtopic.php?f=39&t=13570, the stock foglight switch can be modified to stay ON with high beams ON by grounding one of the pins on the switch harness. Here I'd add one small aftermarket switch to be able to turn this mod ON for Large Round Fogs+High Beams, or OFF for stock operation (Large Round Fogs go off when high beams come on).

As for the JDM Projector fogs which seem to each use a 3-wire plug, I'd like to add one basic aftermarket switch which independently powers these lights. In addition, I'd like to add a second aftermarket switch which gangs or ungangs the projector fogs to the high-beam switch. In other words, when projectors power switch (#1) is ON and projectors gang switch (#2) is switched to HI GANG OFF, the projector foglights will operate whether or not the high beams are activated. When projectors power switch (#1) is ON and projectors gang switch (#2) is switched to HI GANG ON, the projector foglights will only operate when the high beams are activated. And of course if projectors power switch (#1) is OFF, then the projectors would be off regardless of the high-beam activation.

I don't yet know about the outer non-projector foglights on the JDM projector units, but I suppose they'd be operated by yet another switch. So, all together I'm looking at four aftermarket switches to be installed on the knee panel below and to the left of the steering wheel.

I still want to fuse and relay everything for safety and performance.