Four Lights/one switch?

[TacoDell]

The other day I bought one of those "PepBoy Special" remote light switch/harness... It works pretty bitchin' ( If I don't lose the freakin' remote... :doh: )... But what I want to know is if I can hook up 4 - 55 watt lights to the set up? I did it already but it popped the fuse after a bit. I was thinking of going to a 30 amp fuse instead of the 15 amp that came with the kit, seeing that I have doubled the load. But I was concerned the control box might not handle the load. I'm not sure if the remote box has a built in relay or what. It sounds like a relay when it comes on and makes a switching noise. But it came with a 15 amp fuse so does that nessitate it is only a 20 amp relay? I guess I could get another harness but really wanted all four lights to come on at the same time... call me lazy... (not to mention that two remote switches would be a pain in the arse)... I've run two 100 watt lights on a single 30 amp relay before and never had any issues. With a 25 amp fuse inline. Hmmm... I just don't know what the remote control box actually does... Or if it is a relay at all and what amperage? The instructions don't give specs... and that sucks... Any suggestion on this matter would be greatly appreciated...

[tbplus10]

Sounds like just a switch and not a Relay. I'd hook a relay into it and then you should be able to run another set of lights off of it. Dont put a larger fuse in thats just asking to toast something else and possibly start a fire.

[Valkyrie]

The old Ford starter relays work fine- solid & cheap.

[J-Man]

i hooked up 4 130w lights using 2 relays and 1 switch and all is good.

[tacd44]

[QUOTE=cbrRRman]The other day I bought one of those "PepBoy Special" remote light switch/harness... It works pretty bitchin' ( If I don't lose the freakin' remote... :doh: )... But what I want to know is if I can hook up 4 - 55 watt lights to the set up?

If you connect the remote system to a relay(s), you can run all of the lights you want. Connect a seperate positive wire to the relay. I recomend a 30 amp fuse for 4 55 watt bulbs.

[tacotoy]

heep relays work good too........ the ones for a 258. 80 amps lol

[TacoDell]

Thanks guys... But I swear this things got to be a relay switch as well... Can I hook this up to another relay if it is in fact a relay in itself? I emailed the Pilot Automotive Corp. to see if those folk have any specs they can share with me... Hopefully someone emails me back. I'm trying to use these cheapo lights to fill in the voids that my Hella 500's are lacking at... As well as for street driving... They are all fog style lights so that I get more corner/close up coverage. I mounted one set in the grille and the other near bumper height. I'm concerned that I might need a higher amperage alternator when running all these altogether... ? Anyone know where to get one at a good price? Thanks again...

[hytenor]

Thanks guys... But I swear this things got to be a relay switch as well... Can I hook this up to another relay if it is in fact a relay in itself? I emailed the Pilot Automotive Corp. to see if those folk have any specs they can share with me... Hopefully someone emails me back. I'm trying to use these cheapo lights to fill in the voids that my Hella 500's are lacking at... As well as for street driving... They are all fog style lights so that I get more corner/close up coverage. I mounted one set in the grille and the other near bumper height. I'm concerned that I might need a higher amperage alternator when running all these altogether... ? Anyone know where to get one at a good price? Thanks again...

just add a second 30a relay (one for each pair) and a 25 or 30a inline fuse. (or tap in 15a fuses to each relay. )

you won't need a new alt for 6 lights...unless you're running some sort of hi-amp sound system at the same time ;)

[TacoDell]

just add a second 30a relay (one for each pair) and a 25 or 30a inline fuse. (or tap in 15a fuses to each relay. )

you won't need a new alt for 6 lights...unless you're running some sort of hi-amp sound system at the same time ;)


Thanks... I went down to PepBoys and read the instructions for the Remote harness... Which I never got an instruction sheet in my kit... It states that the control box is indeed a relay but doesn't state the amperage... So while I was there I just bought another Remote harness... WTH :xdevil: ... At least it'll make all the lights independant... Here's hoping the key fob control is on the same frequency for both boxes... that'd be nice... And at least it's a clean/direct install so I don't have some bird nest of wires. LOL... Thanks for the advice just the same...

[hawaiianbro]

Do you guys think it would look tacky if i just had 6 pairs of rock lights on 3 switches?

I hate messing around with wires. And if something went bad it would be easier to find out where the short is.

Kaleo

[hytenor]

Do you guys think it would look tacky if i just had 6 pairs of rock lights on 3 switches?

I hate messing around with wires. And if something went bad it would be easier to find out where the short is.

Kaleo

6 pairs of rocklights?? LOL why??
6 lights total will do the trick. heck, I only have 4...well...3 at the moment cuz one bulb died ;)

you can wire all 6...or whatever...into one switch if you want. I have a right and a left switch since I don't need to have the pass side lights on when there's just me in the truck ;)

[hawaiianbro]

lol i ment 3 pairs of lights (6 total lights). They each come with their own relay's / switches / fuses.

It's posted in the Freebie section.

[hytenor]

lol i ment 3 pairs of lights (6 total lights). They each come with their own relay's / switches / fuses.

It's posted in the Freebie section.

ah, saw those. I wonder what kind of light pattern they throw.
I wound up using 'backup' lights that had more of a flood pattern to them rather than the usual 'fog' pattern that you see so often.

anyway...you can still wire them to how ever many switches you want and I'd just use 2 of the relays, one for each side of 3 lights. If they come with 15a fuses that should be fine for 3-55w bulbs. If you blow a fuse just bump them up to 20s. I use a 20a fuse for my front driving lights and they are 100s.

[ripkinC]

Be careful. I did this temp because too lazy to run more wire, poped the fues... but almost melted the inslation off the wire too. It could have caught fire if the fuse had not blown, the whole unite was hot as hell (not the switch, but everything else. Just make shure your wiring can handle the increase load.

[hytenor]

Be careful. I did this temp because too lazy to run more wire, poped the fues... but almost melted the inslation off the wire too. It could have caught fire if the fuse had not blown, the whole unite was hot as hell (not the switch, but everything else. Just make shure your wiring can handle the increase load.

good point. if you run all of them into one relay with only one main power lead to the battery it will need to be at least 12g wire and 10g would be better. Even if you run two leads and two relays I'd still use 12g. make sure the main ground is the same guage as the battery lead. the wires to the switch from the relay(s) can be small but I still use 16g for those on my setups.

[TacoDell]

Just in case anyone wants to know... I got an email back from the distributor and he said the control box is a relay. It's rated at 20 amps. And they are not programable. Though I haven't taken them apart yet to see for myself. But I did realize that I need to change my installation as I went direct to the battery. And now someone with the same frequency could turn my lights on when the truck is parked and unattended and I could come back to a dead battery. So I better wire it into the headlights to be safe. All this cause I was too lazy to run the wire through the firewall. I really got to stop being so lazy... :banghead:

[J-Man]

Just in case anyone wants to know... I got an email back from the distributor and he said the control box is a relay. It's rated at 20 amps. And they are not programable. Though I haven't taken them apart yet to see for myself. But I did realize that I need to change my installation as I went direct to the battery. And now someone with the same frequency could turn my lights on when the truck is parked and unattended and I could come back to a dead battery. So I better wire it into the headlights to be safe. All this cause I was too lazy to run the wire through the firewall. I really got to stop being so lazy... :banghead:
what do you mean someone with the same frequency could turn your lights on? Isnt it on a switch that you physically have to turn on?

[tbplus10]

Remote, just like driving down the street with your garage door opener checking the neighbors freqs.

[J-Man]

Remote, just like driving down the street with your garage door opener checking the neighbors freqs.
thats rad. Shit, what isnt remote now.

[Factor]

This makes me wonder about my Viper alarm system. I know I lock the damn thing but when I come back hours later and I "unlock" it it actually locks the truck again leading me to believe that it is being unlocked sometime while I'm gone.

[tbplus10]

Wouldnt be surprised. The band width for remote items isnt very large. My garage door opener kept opening from someone elses remote until I unhooked it.
Wanna see something else funny? Try your Tacoma key in your friends Toyota's, bet you'll find one you can unlock and maybe even start.

[TacoDell]

what do you mean someone with the same frequency could turn your lights on? Isnt it on a switch that you physically have to turn on?


Like tbplus10 said. Anyone using the same freq/code can can control your shit... Just like a garage door opener... It's always fun to see if anyone in your community is on the same code... LOL the rocker switch is like an alarm key fob... If it's at least connected to the ignition (the control box)... then you're ignition must be on in order to operate it... still it might suck if someone wants to play with your head when you're driving... LOL

[TacoDell]

Wouldnt be surprised. The band width for remote items isnt very large. My garage door opener kept opening from someone elses remote until I unhooked it.
Wanna see something else funny? Try your Tacoma key in your friends Toyota's, bet you'll find one you can unlock and maybe even start.

Yep... but isn't that kinda nice when you lock you're keys in the truck? LOL

[tbplus10]

I still got my credit card wallet key, luckily never had to use it, yet.

[TacoDell]

I still got my credit card wallet key, luckily never had to use it, yet.

Not recommended when the temperature is below freezing... Not an issue in Texas I'm sure... I still prefer the method of a hidden key up under the chassis...

[tbplus10]

We get ice once in a while in DFW.
When I was in Virginia I used lock deicer on the plastic key for my old truck, worked great. Without the deicer I'm sure I would've had plastic stuck in the lock too.
Hmmmm reminds me I should probably look to see if my spare key is still hidden under the truck. I havent checked it in about 3 years.