hooking AM lights to brights

[bassrocker032]

Well I installed as most know some rectangular lights into the slot beside my stock fog surrounding. Well I can't legally have all 3 set of lights running at the same time so I want to hook the rectangular AM lights to my brights so I'll always have 2 sets of lights on. So what I'm wondering is how to hook up my AM fogs to my brights so they only come on when my brights do. Any help?

[keithvibe]

you will need to wire it with a relay using the wire that normally is connected to your switch inside the car that wire is wired to the highbeam wire.something like, instead of the switch it's switched by the highbeam stock wire

[keithvibe]

I don't know why you just didn't do the foglight headlight mod where the stock fogs stay on with your highbeams... you just keep making things more difficult

[bassrocker032]

I didn't know about a mod that makes the stock fogs stay on. Also the AM driving lights are brighter than my stock fogs so I was going to wire them to the brights. I just want to get them to where i don't have the use the switch that came with them cause 6 forward facing lights is illegal. I want to hook it up to where I have my headlights and fogs come on like they're supposed to, then just by flipping the switch to turn on the brights, my AM lights come on as well so I don't have to fool with two switches everytime I pass a car going the other way.

[06pvibe]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »you will need to wire it with a relay using the wire that normally is connected to your switch inside the car that wire is wired to the highbeam wire.something like, instead of the switch it's switched by the highbeam stock wireLegally, you still need an override switch in there, so that the driving lights can be canceled with the high beams on. It's a good idea anyway.bassrocker, to do that instead of hooking up the switch power (as in the diagram) directly to the fuse box as shown, you would want to use a tap (tap into) the power to the high beams which can be taken from the switch, which is a tight place to have to tap a power lead from... or I'm sure from somewhere under the dashboard.That way, only if the high beams are on AND the override switch will they light. No high beams, no power to the relay and no lights. See?If you don't know already, the relay is a switch that triggers a more powerful switch. Closing the internal switch in the relay by adding power to #85 is the low draw (current,) which then closes the other high power internal switch (connects #30 to #87,) and powers the accessory... in this case, your lights which draw a substantial amount of power. Trying to wire them directly would draw too much current (amps) from the factory wiring harness and you will ,elt it... perhaps start a fire. You don't want that.Here's a pic of the same kind of relay I installed in our Vibe for the aftermarket horns I installed. It's mounted to an existing "tapped" hole. Get a short 6mm screw or bolt and no new holes need be created.

[keithvibe]

You may not be able to pass inspection. Highbeams count as four forward facing lights when on. Depending on the person doing the inspecting, sees you have added another set of highbeams they may fail you. Just a forwarning

[bassrocker032]

Yeah, but also I could just have the switch turned off so when they turn on the brights, they dont come on, then I could say I use them for off road use only. Thank you for the advice. I may just end up leaving it alone as is and turn them on when I have my brights on, then just turn them off, then turn my brights off so there's never 6 lights on at one time.

[keithvibe]

you should just send me your headlights and I can install HID projectors... you wouldn't need all the other crap that you have added... lol

[bassrocker032]

lol, I've thought about that but what do I do in the meantime for headlights? lol

[keithvibe]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...oriesh ... ..oriesBuy a set of junkers^^^ send me your good ones. then sell off the junkers

[06pvibe]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »You may not be able to pass inspection. High beams count as four forward facing lights when on. Depending on the person doing the inspecting, sees you have added another set of high beams they may fail you. Just a forwarning Yes Keith, but w/H4's in the mix, especially in the Vibe, only one filament is active, so only 2 are working w/high beams. 'Clear to me the first time I drove my wife's car in the dark and thought my headlights went out when switching to high beams and why I went against the grain and did the indie fog light mod. I haven't even done, or had to do that in my Mazda3, but the usable light on high was so bad I couldn't see what was right in front of me. And I'm quite sure the Vibe does not have an "active" reflector system installed.Bassrocker, As one who has owned and LOVED his driving lights, "passing" lights, actually (don't look them up. You will not likely find them anywhere) I think driving lights are a good idea even with HID projectors. BUT, I would still suggest reinstalling the round ones and mounting them as close to the outer, upper grilles as possible.Round lights traditionally throw a much better pattern than any other configuration, and are more efficient because of that.If you were willing to take on the task, you might take a piece of 6"-8" PVC pipe (a lighter-weight schedule 40 would so nicely,) back-cut them so there is a relatively flat mounting surface, then cut holes in the upper outside corners of the stock grilles to install them. Epoxy, plastic-weld glue or better still a plastic weld gun would do for the installation of the "buckets." Cut/sand/file the PVC until it matched the outer angle of the grills and paint them black or gray.I just checked my wife's car and there should be plenty of room for the housings.Just a thought.....?

[bassrocker032]

I get what you mean about the round ones being installed as close to the upper grille, but i'm not fully understanding the PVC. I know you mean to mount the lights onto the pvc, but where could I put the pvc to line it up where you're talking abut?Also should I consider mounting the round one behind the actual upper grille? I haven't looked to see about clearance but it should be plenty of room. Just throwing that idea in the mix, I'm thinking that's what you might mean 06 but that why's i'm asking.

[06pvibe]

Sorry. We had inventory at the store today and being a department manager I had to be there by 3AM, an hour and a half earlier than usual... bed by 6-6:30PM. No time to reply then.I'll be the first to admit this is a sucky rendition, but this is kinda' what I had in mind.... I wish my wife would allow me to try this on hers, but it'll never happen.Take a length of pipe... maybe 6" overall. I'm just guessing but there is plenty of room behind the grill. Looking at the pipe from the side (on the horizontal,) cut a horizontal slot in it halfway down and maybe 2-3" in. From the top, cut a vertical slot so that it meets the horizontal cut just made. What's left would be your mounting surface for the light bracket and allow access to make adjustments. Again, I can only guess what the actual measurements might be here. you would have to determine them as you go.You would then need to cut holes in the grilles by removing them and placing them level on a surface. In other words, block up the lower most portion of the grills so they are on the same plane as they would be in the car, only laying down. You could then determine where the pipe would go to be plumb with the grills, or level when the grills are installed. I would try using a fine toothed hole saw to make sure the holes are "round" in relation to the grills. This might prove difficult though since the grills are not solid material.Then you could mount the pipe in them, trim the front flush, paint them as you wish and reinstall w/the new lights. I'm pretty sure the grills are sturdy enough to support the weight. They are pretty meaty.Of course you must also realize that this mod would be non-reversible w/o a new set of grills.

[bassrocker032]

I understand. What i'm thinking is getting the pvc like you said and cutting out a big enough hole in the grille to fit the round lights I have.I'm going to cut the PVC at the front angled to match the flow of the grille. I'll then cut the back side of the pipe to where I can mount the light there. That way, the mount is not visible from the front of the car except just the lights surrounding. I'll put a small circle of plexi on the back of the inside part of pvc so it has a flat mounting surface. I also may either leave my rectangular lights or fab some of the stock things that went there out of plexi and paint them black so it looks like it did stock. I'm still pondering all these ideas out though. But 06vibe, I fully get what you're saying but do you get my idea for the PVC cut at an angle to match the front flow of the car while also having a flat mounting surface on the back? Seems like it'd be a little more fun to fab from scratch also.