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Where to wire a relay?
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:59 pm
by lanyon
Hey guys,
i changed my fog lights to higher wattage globes which inturn burnt out the foggy button which cant handle the high current. Gotta new buttton now and a 40amp 12v relay. Has anyone wired a relay for this yet??
Can anyone tell me where i need or can wire it from??
im know i need to run a new power source to the relay, what kinda fuse would that need?
regards mick (lanyon)
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:57 pm
by kazbah
I've had a relay put in for the same reason.... I'll get some photos up of it if you like but it wont be until next week if you can hang on until then

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:44 am
by lanyon
if you can get those photo's to me that would be awsome thanks mate.
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:54 am
by Blasphemy
I had the same issue and I fixed it a couple of weeks ago. I wired in the relay behind the fog switch in the dash. Ã
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:02 am
by Nacho
I'd love some photos too please Karen!
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:19 pm
by lanyon
Hey Blasphemy,
did you have to run extra power plus earth. What type of relay did u use.
Good result?
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:33 am
by Blasphemy
I used two parts both available from your local dick smith. A standard 12v auto relay and a wiring harness. The harness isn't required, but it costs bugger all and makes the job neater and easier. Total cost of parts $8.43.
Available here:
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.store ... View/P8036
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.store ... View/P8035

The problem occurs when you're trying to put lots of current through a push button that's not rated for it. The solution is not running the current through the push button. This is where the relay comes in. The relay uses the smaller current to complete the heavier circuit. (If that makes sense.)
When the switch is pushed, there's a pair of wires that complete a +12 circuit. By running that pair of wires to the relay, you tell the relay to complete the heavier power circuit for the lights. No need to run any additional wires.
I've written a vague description of the pinout here
http://www.ftoaustralia.com/modules.php ... pic&t=6827
I'll take some pictures soon when I pull my dash apart, again.
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:30 pm
by Nacho
Where did you plug the relay?
This could solve my problem big time!
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 5:04 pm
by lanyon
Hey Blasphemy
the fog light loom has 3 pairs of wire a quick picture would help me out big time. i had a go at first but i wired it wrong(good to hear i dont need to run extra wires). So if u can please post a few pics ill be a happy lanyon

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:46 pm
by Bennoz
Relaying lights is a fairly simple thing to do - this pic might help. Its not specific to an FTO but it the theory applies

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:38 pm
by lanyon
thanks for the diagrams dude but that still doesnt show me how to wire it in with the switch . Plus blasphemy said he wired it in with the existing wires at the back of the switch with no need for a new fuse, power or earth so im still at squre one ???????
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:44 pm
by Blasphemy
Grab a multimeter, jam it into some pairs, flick the switch on and off, watch the voltage.
Photos tomorrowish.
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:24 am
by Nacho
Aren't the foglamp bulbs sealed inside the cluster?
Would it make any difference if you replaced the globes using the new HD globes with the same wattage as the stock bulbs?
I'm on my 2nd switch and it's not liking my fog lamps at all. I never changed em though since I had the car so someone must have replaced them prior to my purchase.
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:10 pm
by lanyon
nacho sounds like they have been changed, the switch cant handle the current drawn from the higher wattage globes. The switch cost me 70buks so it looks like these pics from blasphemy are gonna save a few dollars for us FTO owners. Money better spent on other silly modifications

So here it is...
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 11:25 am
by Blasphemy
I know I should have taken everything apart and told you which wire connects to which number on the relay, but I got lazy so you're just going to have to buy the wiring harness and refer to the colours.
Wiring harness -> Car wiring
----------------------------------
green -> red w/silver band
black -> red w/silver band and black stripe
red -> green w/white stripe
white -> black w/yellow stripe
blue -> unused
Disclaimer: I'm not saying this is the right way to do it, but it's the way that I've done it and it works.
The red with silver bands are the fog light circuit. If you were to connect those two together, they'd turn the lights on. You can simply cut those two off the switch connector. The other wires should be spliced.
If you'd like the fuzzy awkward pictures send me your email address because I don't have any hosting at the moment.
Best of luck.

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 4:21 pm
by lanyon
got the relay working today and this is how its wired(for pics send me your email)
relay pin# wire colour
85 red w/silver band black strip(+)
86 red w/silver band(-)
30 green/white strip(+)
87 black/yellow strip(-)
for pins 30 and 87 the wire remains connected to the loom but spliced off to its respective pin.
** WARNING wiring this way allows the fog's to turn on and off when your parkers and low beams are off, BUT the fog lights will always come on with your parkers and low beams which is what i always turn on anyway, wiring this way u will not be able to turn them off while your parkers and low beams are on******
No need to run extra wires or fuses.

Re: So here it is...
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:52 pm
by SchumieFan
Blasphemy wrote:
The red with silver bands are the fog light circuit. If you were to connect those two together, they'd turn the lights on. You can simply cut those two off the switch connector. The other wires should be spliced.
Thats what i did.... bad idea, the foggies arnt nearly as bright as they used to be.... so i added another 2 lights to try and boost the light.... bad idea! is that smoke comming from my steering wheel??? some pink wire on the colomn was getting very hot... luckily no damage. and this only happened when the lights were on so i just didnt have the car out at nite... i now have just completed the whole wiring circuit from the switch in the dash to the new lights in the front and have the stock foggies running off the parklight circuit.... no change in brightness in the foggies theyre as bright as ever.
BTW the new lights... i kinda upgraded the bulbs to 135W.... i spose running 6 bulbs.... 8 if your greedy off of 1 little wire then i spose yeah it was a bit of a big ask.
learn from my mistakes.... please

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:08 am
by Blasphemy
If you run lights that draw more power than the standard wiring is meant to allow, you might melt the wiring or start a fire if the line's not fused. Adding more lights would only worsten the situation. The only way the fog lights would be dimmer is if the relay isn't rated high enough. The standard relay is 30A which should be fine for most fog bulbs.
Beep sound when you turn the lights on
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:37 pm
by Lenny
Hi there guys,
Just got my FTO today and i believe that there used to be a 'beep' sound (the same that should come on when you open the door with the keys in!).
Mine does not do this and i am wondering how this is enabled again (probably a cut wire or the like).
I would also like to add the above mentioned relay to my switch, it is working fine but i am yet to investigate what voltage globes are being used in my foggies.
Also if i can get some hints on the usage of the aerial switch. Mine does not do anything at the moment and i am interested in the correct functionality of this. My aerial is at half mast permanently..
look forward to your responses

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:15 am
by Dr_Jones
The aerial if hooked up properly and still functioning should raise when the radio is on and the switch changes between half mast and full. I'd suggest yours is broken or not connected if it doesn't move ever.