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Date:         Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:18:02 -0400
Reply-To:     Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: How do I wire up backup lights?
Comments: To: joel walker <uncajoel@BELLSOUTH.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <71D739301C8C473591F670166D4519F1@gp207joel>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Thanks Joel,

Really appreciate your help!

I went to Autozone and took the advice to return the driving lamps and get fog lamps instead.

I also ran into the manager there who who looked at my wiring diagram which we modified and he hooked me up a parts I needed and refined my diagram on how to wire the fog lamps using a relay like the one you discussed as well as putting in an inline 15 amp fuse and on/off switch.

Basically this is what we came up with: ( to connect fog lamps to rear backup light signal to activate and have a remote rear on/off switch to activate the lights)*

From the Backup Black/Blue Wire on the rear light housing, run a tap splice to a line with the relay in it. Then just before the relay add a wire for the on/off switch which is connected to the battery positive to charge the line when the switch is on. (will be located in the back of the van so when I am camping I can activate it without the van being in reverse. The power is only active when the van is not in reverse and when the switch is ON.*)

After the relay the wire will run out to an inline Fuse with a 15/20amp fuse in it. Leaving the Fuse holder will be the wire running to the white connector for power for the Fog Light, which will be run into a coupler and fed to the other 2nd lamp housing to the white wire.

From the Black wire on the 1st Lamp housing I will run a coupler and a wire over to the 2nd Lamp Housing to another coupler which will then run a body ground in the back of the Van's engine bay.

This should work correct?

Regards, Robert NY

On Sep 21, 2009, at 3:29 PM, joel walker wrote:

>> Do you recommend anywhere that I can learn more about electrical >> automotive wiring? >> I am really a novice at it and want to learn more so I am not so >> anxious when dealing with it. >> I need to learn how the signal flows with the current, then to the >> relay, to the on/off switch and to the lighting. > > try this guy first ... > http://www.danielsternlighting.com/ > > then there's a book on boat wiring. yup. same deal ... 12 volts. and > a lot of the same sorts of systems. > http://www.amazon.com/Boatowners-Illustrated-Handbook-Wiring-Charlie/dp/0070710929 > > and probably lots others. here's one ... > https://www.firstchoicemarine.com/p-2809-bennett-dvd-12-volts-made-easy.aspx > > > RVs also have similar setups ... > http://www.dasplace.net/ > http://www.rverscorner.com/wiring/ > http://www.rverscorner.com/wiring/tools.html > > or you can just google "12 volts" and such ... > http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/01152.htm > > can't help much with the 'flow' of the stuff. i'm never sure which > way it goes ... negative to positive or backwards. but i know it'll > bite whichever way it goes! ;) > i always think of it like water pipes ... cause i used to work with > the municipal water works. ;) > have to provide big enough 'pipes' or they'll 'burst' (melt). and so > on. and a battery is a pump, to me. > and every light that the electricity flows through lowers the > 'pressure' for the next light ... > and it seems to work ok for me. :) > > the big tricks i've learned over the years are ... > > 1. use a slightly bigger wire than you think you actually need. if > it calculates out to a 14 gauge wire, use a 12 guage wire instead. > > 2. use fuses!!! and put them where you can get to them easily! the > more you try to hide them, the more often they will blow out. :( > > 3. use relays! don't run the amps through the switch. if you do, > it's a sure way to melt a switch. or get a shock when you flip the > switch with wet fingers. :( > > 4. always, always, always think about sharp metal edges next to > wires. the edges WILL cut the insulation and then you'll have a > direct sort to the metal and something is gonna melt. :( so put a > grommet or something to separate the wire from the metal edge. > > 5. if you have to run a single wire from the back of the bus up to > the dash, run THREE wires at the same time. separate colors if > possible. why? cause sure as shooting, you'll want/need those other > two wires sooner or later. in fact, run four wires. :) > > 6. try as much as possible to follow the colors of wires on the car > already. > that is, on german cars, try to use brown wires for all ground/ > negative wires > and red for all positive/power wires. just makes it a lot easier > later on when you need to figure out what the hell you did years > ago. :) > > 7. try to use connectors as much as possible. they're cheap and easy > to use. and they make things easier in the long run. always use > connectors for stuff like lights and things that MIGHT someday need > to be taken off. cause as soon as you wire something directly, > you'll need/want to take it off to do something else. :( > > 8. use as much heat shrink tubing as you can stand. ;) it's really > great stuff. > > 9. when buying electrical tape, buy the good 3M quality brand. this > is where you do not want to scrimp and shortchange the project. > > 10. whenever possible, put a switch in the circuit so you can shut > the damned thing off! ;) > > hope it helps. good luck! > joel > > > > >


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