I had some KC daylighters on my F250 truck I traded in for my 2004 CTD. I kept the lights. I'd like to put them on my dodge. I got a grill guard & am ready to hook em up.

Which battery do I hook up the hot wire to?

I would like to wire the relay switch to my "bright" light wire, so I can control the daylighters with the dimmer switch as well as the relay switch. I've heard it is a bear to wire it up that way. Something about a weird ground system.

For those that have set it up that way, How'd ya do it.

Any other ideas/suggestions appreciated.

thanx,

David

 

If the '04s are still running the switched ground system for the lighting, this shouldn't be hard.

You'll need a relay to switch power from the battery, doesn't matter which battery you use. They're running in parallel, so you're basically pulling off of both of them. You'll wire up the four pins of the relay as follows:

Supply side (30) - to battery (+12V)
Load side (87) - to lights
+ Coil (85) - to battery (+12V)
- Coil (86) - to the ground switched on with high beams and also to your switch in the cab. (Gives two paths to ground)

This will turn the daylighters on when the high beams are on, or you can turn them on independent of the high beams with the switch in the cab.

If you only want them on when the high beams are on, and want to use the in cab switch to control whether or not the daylighters are active you need to change the wiring on 86. For this scenario, put the in cab switch between pin 86 and the switched ground for the high beams. This way when the switch is open, only high beams come on. When the switch is closed, both high beams and daylighters are on.

JM

 

Justin,

thanx for the info. I want the daylighters to only come on when the high beams are on, but want the option to turn them off so only the high beams are on. I think that is what your option 2 was. I need to look at the relay to see the pins you spoke of. ( I have all the stuff when I took it off my ford).

My biggest confusion is where to connect to the high beam wire? from the switch in the cab. I'm thinking the hot wire from the switch needs to connect to the high beam wire/connection somewhere.

As you can tell, I don't monkey around much with my truck.
BTW... I saw where you had Rancho 9000's. How do you like them. I put them on my F250, liked them alot.

thanx,

David

 

Without having a 04 wiring diagram, I'm not sure where you can pick the switched ground for the high beams. If you don't have access to a wiring diagram, you can find the wire close to the headlight and then trace back closer to the cab. Or you can just tap it near the headlight and run the wire back to the cab.

Be aware that in this situation, your in-cab switch is only going to be switching ground and not +12V. It will only serve to interrupt the path to ground from the relay, so that the relay does not close when the high beams are turned on.

As for the Rancho 9000s, I like them so far. The adjustability on the rear is nice as it really helps firm up the back when loaded, but keeps the ride softer when I'm unloaded (or at least as soft as it gets with a short bed and overloads).

JM

 

You can not tap the light switch for your high beam power! All the power to the lights inside the cab is low voltage. The low voltages runs to the Intergrated Power Module, where it is turn into 12 volts. This unit set under the Front Control Module on the drivers side wheel well and is difficult to get to.

The easiest place to get 12V High Beam power is to pull one of your headlights assemblies out and tap the High Beam wire. I pulled the Driver side, the wire is White with a Light Green stripe.

If you need the "Headlight removal instructions" email me and I will send them to you.

I just did all this with the 3 KC Daylighters I put on the Ghost Rider! You can check out my photo album for pictures. It took me a while to realize that inside the lights are low voltage. Go to the headlight and make it easy on yourself!

 

Big Bob-

Are the 04s still running a switched ground for the headlights, or is it switched +12V? Just curious as I may be doing some wiring work on a friend's 04.

JM

 

I tapped the high bean power as Bob suggested to trigger the relay coil. The switch is in the cab between the tap from the high beam +12 and the relay coil so that I have the option of having them on with the high beams on. Can't have them on with out high beams, but that's OK.
Main power still comes from the battery
The only issue is that I have daylight running lights (not sure if US trucks have these, but would assume so) and there's still power there when running during the day (ie. automatic daylight light setting, light switch off) so if the cab switch is on then the landing lights will be on in the daytime !
I need to check the actual voltage at the daylight setting and maybe put in a zener diode, but if with the cab switch off, it's not a problem.

 

AggieJustin,
I don't know. With the way I wired my lights it didn't matter.

The 2 outside PIAA's are their Ion Crystal Fog lights that run off the factory fog light switch. It controls the power to the relay.

The 2 inside PIAA's are their Super White Driving lights. I have them wired to come on whenever the running lights are on. I also have a switch inside to disable them. These lights really fill in the center light pattern of the low beams! They are great!

Then of course I have 3 KC Daylighters at 150 watts each and 385,000 candlepower each! These really light up the road! They are wired to come on with the high beams, but also have a switch inside to disable them. These light are unbelievable on the dark, lonely, unoccupied roads!





Sunglasses anyone?

 

I need sunglasses just to look at that pic with the lights off....I doubt you'll even hit anything on the road. The force of the lights will knock it out of the way. LOL

 

Bob,

thanx for the instructions. It don't look to bad to remove. How are your kc's holding up? Mine used to burn out about once a month. I used them quite a bit going to and from my deer lease. But... KC always replaced them.

thanx again,

David

 

David,

I had KC Daylighters on the White Obsession for 3 year before I sold it and never had a Daylighter burn out! Are you sure you had them wired right? They have always performed flawlessly!

 

Bob,

Well.... I thought Ihad them wired right. I also had a set of KC's all seasons 57 series fog/driving lights hooked up as well(on a different relay). They worked great. I think one bulb burned out in the time I had them on the truck.

Maybe my ground was not good enogh for 150 watt bulbs ? I hope they work better on this truck.

Quick question... Do you know if I can get a relay at radio shack or somewhere? Maybe it was not quite right.

thanx,

David

 

David,

You can get them at Radio Shack or any Auto Parts Store. I think it needs to be a 30 amp relay.