I got a set of PIAA 520's and I do not like the switch they put in the kit. I think it will look trashy to have to use some tape to holt the switch to the dash. I want to swap the switch to a regular toggle. I opened up the box around the PIAA switch, and there isn't anything special about it. Has a little circut baord that runs the power through a resistor and to an LED and back out and that' it. Should be pretty siple to switch to a run of the mill toggle.

I just wanted to see if any of you guys have swapped out the 520 plug for something else and what poles you put which of the three wires on?

 

Ive got 4 520's and 2 510's in and on my TDK bumper. I threw the push button switches right in the garbage. I just tapped into the existing wire down where the front factory bumper use to be that had the fog lights. Now, I just use the same factory activation that was there to activate the old factory fog lights, which is in your light switch. Now, if your truck didn't have factory fog lights, then theres no factory fog light wire in the front, therefore I can't help you.

 

I was planning on putting my lights on the factory fog switch, but I decided it would be nice to control the lights seperate so I think I want to add a seperate switch to control just the PIAA lights by them selfs.

 

how much load will the factory fog switch handle? ive been wanting to run my other lights off that switch.

 

I have not the slightest clue. It couldn't hurt it to run another set of lights. The switch isn't controlling the power to the lights, it's only activating the relay.

 

All of the PIAA equipment takes care of the load from all the lights. Just using the factory wireing as basically the on off switch. Just follow the PIAA directions if you are going to use PIAA. I call PIAA and asked them the same question. They said they get this paticular question all the time. They told me that the factory wireing doesn't really handle any load at all when there equipment is installed. Not 100% sure on how all that works, but it does. I still don't quite see how it doesn't take the load from the lights, but its been functioning for 4 years.

 

It's very simple. The factory switch is not carrying the "power" to the lights. The power to the lights is going through the relay. The switch is only closing the circut inside the relay to allow the power to make it's way to the lights. If the power went through the switch it's self, it would cause the small wires to catch on fire. Or you would need heavy gauged wires and resistors ran to every switch in your truck.

Think of the relay as the light switch. And think of the factory swith as your fingers. You fingers do not carry the power to the light, but they do operate the lever (relay) that closes the circut to send the power to the lights.

Does that make sense? I tried to make something everyone could relate to but not sure if it cameout as clear as mud.