Wiring lights to aux switches, using harnesses?

[jharrell3623]

I strongly suspect those wattages are "incandescent light output equivalent watts" or some other such nonsense. I'd suggest you get an ammeter involved and test them to see exactly what they're using. You'll likely be shocked by how little power they actually use.

yeah well I can tell you , my 60 watt nilight 4 inchers were a real 60 watts. Almost 5 amps a light. They do not advertise them as equivalent for a reason. So they do not get sued , they are purposefully sending higher amperage/wattage to the LEDS to reach the Lumens of major brands. This is the reason they perform equally well but probably will burn out in a few years of normal use. However at the cost , does not matter to much. Baja Designs , KC , Diode Dynamics , Rigid and others may advertise the same wattage and advertise it as an equivalent but they are able to produce huge lumens with quality circuitry and better imaging and quality LEDS for half or even a quarter the AMP load. I know it seems crazy , My amber Auxbeam floods , literally two LEDS per light and 4.6 amps per light. Over 18 amps for 4 4 inch x 2 inch Floods.

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[swaing]

Thanks guys, I'm going with wire directly to aux switches, but using the length after the relays with the splits and connectors to the lights; might make it all the way to the lights with just a small length added with the fuse.

The harness from Nilight has three connections, one for the bar and two for the 3" ditch lights, just need to determine if all splits are the same gauge or if the bar light is the separate wire and bigger. I should be able to see any difference once stripped.

For the three pairs of amber lights (going together in the mod bumper) I'm assuming I can run the three sets of wires, that came with the lights (cut out/after the relays) and combine before at the 15 amp aux switch wire? I would be using their wires without the relays and on/off switches for the correct gauge.

So I just got the Nilight Nixmen Pro 5.7" Round lights (https://a.co/d/g1Wa41b). After reading all the previous posts I have successfully confused myself. Same harness as OP and I also have Aux switches. Planning on hooking up to Aux 2. I need this to be simple so, in Fisher Price terminology, how should this harness be dissected to make the most of it? Do I need to connect to the battery? I read about removing the toggle switch and using the red and black wires... I guess for the aux and ground?... But then what about the white wire? Do I cut before the relay? I also saw someone mention leaving the fuse in-line. I know the answer to these questions are dead simple so school me please. Included is my wiring harness. Cords to the bottom right go to the two round lights.

 

[cr117]

So I just got the Nilight Nixmen Pro 5.7" Round lights (https://a.co/d/g1Wa41b). After reading all the previous posts I have successfully confused myself. Same harness as OP and I also have Aux switches. Planning on hooking up to Aux 2. I need this to be simple so, in Fisher Price terminology, how should this harness be dissected to make the most of it? Do I need to connect to the battery? I read about removing the toggle switch and using the red and black wires... I guess for the aux and ground?... But then what about the white wire? Do I cut before the relay? I also saw someone mention leaving the fuse in-line. I know the answer to these questions are dead simple so school me please. Included is my wiring harness. Cords to the bottom right go to the two round lights.

Quickest way with minimal effort will be to connect the red wire’s eye terminal to the battery, ground the black wire’s eye terminal. That will provide power to the lights. Disconnect/cut off the three wires at the switch, tape up the white one, ground the black, and connect the red to the aux switch wire of your choice.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Quickest way with minimal effort will be to connect the red wire’s eye terminal to the battery, ground the black wire’s eye terminal. That will provide power to the lights. Disconnect/cut off the three wires at the switch, tape up the white one, ground the black, and connect the red to the aux switch wire of your choice.

Doesn't the aux switches have power? Wouldn't the above example, connecting to the battery and the aux switches, be connecting to two power sources?

 

[cr117]

Doesn't the aux switches have power? Wouldn't the above example, connecting to the battery and the aux switches, be connecting to two power sources?

The way I described uses the relay in the supplied harness. The wires connecting to the battery supply the power to the light, but that power is essentially "cut off" by the relay. When the circuit running to the switch is closed (when the switch is on), that power going back to the relay tells it to complete the circuit to the lights and they power on.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

The way I described uses the relay in the supplied harness. The wires connecting to the battery supply the power to the light, but that power is essentially "cut off" by the relay. When the circuit running to the switch is closed (when the switch is on), that power going back to the relay tells it to complete the circuit to the lights and they power on.

OK, I understand "that power is essentially "cut off" by the relay.".. somewhat, but... Is that just to keep the relay in the wire harness?

It seems redundant to get power from both the battery and from the aux switch too, I admittedly don't know enough to know if that's good or bad.

 

[cr117]

OK, I understand "that power is essentially "cut off" by the relay.".. somewhat, but... Is that just to keep the relay in the wire harness?

It seems redundant to get power from both the battery and from the aux switch too, I admittedly don't know enough to know if that's good or bad.

A relay is more commonly used in higher amperage situations, like for a winch or an air compressor. You generally don't want a large current running through those little toggle switches when the power is activated, hence the need for a relay.

That being said, you are correct. With LEDs like these, the amperage is so low, the current provided by the aux switches in the bronco are more than enough to run these lights. If you wanted to go the cleaner route (but more work), you can connect the two red wires coming off of the lights to a single aux switch wire and ground the two lights' black wires. You may need to add some additional length to the wires, since it looks like they may not be long enough to reach the fuse box area under the hood. If it were me, this is the approach I'd use since it's much cleaner, but understand that it likely requires a bit more cutting/splicing.

 

[Bigmoose]

Cut the harness and eliminate the relay. Those relays and connector is just great spot for corrosion.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

If you wanted to go the cleaner route (but more work), you can connect the two red wires coming off of the lights to a single aux switch wire and ground the two lights' black wires. You may need to add some additional length to the wires, since it looks like they may not be long enough to reach the fuse box area under the hood. If it were me, this is the approach I'd use since it's much cleaner, but understand that it likely requires a bit more cutting/splicing.

That's exactly what I did, I butchered the wiring harness down and spliced in the multiple red wires to the main wire in the harness and spliced in additional length to the red wires when needed and ran straight to the aux switches. I used "waterproof" shrink wrap connections and I grounded the black wires at closest best point I could use.

The wiring harnesses' wires are in the black plastic sheathing. I stripped the ground wires out to fit the hot wires in the sheathing and the other black wires zip-tied and running with, are my rock lights.

 

[Bronczilla23]

Ford has already put the switches, relays and fuses in place with the aux switch setup. If it were mine I'd chop those harnesses down until they're just power and ground and take advantage of all the OEM wiring goodness.

Bro, your Your comment should win some kind of award from Bronco6G. I was having all kinds of issues why my light bar won't light up- I won't go into details But I couldn't believe how simple it actually was- I've been wrestling with this thing for over a week, even made an appointment with a tech shop. All during your advice process I kept asking myself it can't be this simple. But it was!! I have light from my light bar!! Woohoo!! Thanks again bro

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