L series spot lights

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:18 pm

Anyone got any prefered circuits to take the 12v with ignition on for spot lights wiring.
What about the fuel pump circuit ?
This is the final wire I have to hook up to get the lights working, something that comes on with the ignition.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:17 pm

Cliff R wrote:Anyone got any prefered circuits to take the 12v with ignition on for spot lights wiring.
What about the fuel pump circuit ?
This is the final wire I have to hook up to get the lights working, something that comes on with the ignition.

I had one but re-did the wiring in my car, couldn't remember where it was that made everything work as it should.

I can tell you now that the parker lights is not the right place! If you don't have the headlights or parkers on but leave the spot light/driving light switch on, you'll be driving with the driving lights on... I've done it a few times!

I've been meaning to change it and find something more appropriate but it's something to do for later

Cheers

Bennie

alang · Post by **alang** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:28 pm

what about of the coil that comes on with the key ???

don't you have to wirer them of your high beam lights with a switch connected to a relay or are you going to run the led daylight driving lights

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:04 am

Never a good idea to share accessory power supplies with important things like ignition, ECU or fuel pump - just in case.

Get a lights on reminder if you must - get power direct from battery and you really should have spearate switch to be switched on only with high beam, inside at dash for RTA ADR's etc. I tapped into high beam direct sshhhh (another must do )and needed a few diodes in series to sap the 1.4 Volts found in high beam when on only low beam in my L Series

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:14 am

The common wire to the headlights comes on with the ignition.

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:51 pm

The wire I am fitting is the one that comes off a 12v source that comes on with the ignition, goes to the dash switch to disable the driving lights and finishes on pin 86 on the relay.
This is as per all of the diagrams and lots of discussion here on the forum under adding spot lights to a Subaru.
The common wire to the headlights does sound good to hook into. Now I have to find it via schematics etc.
I have always liked the L series for its set up with turning off the headlights when the ignition is turned off. Saves a lot of battery flat situations.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:36 pm

None of my L Series have done that - maybe the 89 TW mpfi did, but was driven daytime only, three times, test drive, drive home, test drive aborted - water in something. Actually don't think I have thought to check

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:41 pm

Ignore the diagram that comes with the lights, it only works with positive switched lights. You need to connect one wire from the relay coil to the headlight power supply, and the other from the relay coil through a switch, and then to the wire that grounds the headlight when hi beam is on. You must not use the grounding lug for the control circuit.

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Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:18 pm

Ok.

On the passenger side headlight there is a red/yellow wire for the supply and the red/white wire is grounded when on high beam. Dont connect anything to the red/black, its the low beam.

Simply connect 85 to the red/yellow wire, and 86 to the switch and then the other side of the switch to the red/white wire

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:31 pm

Gannon, you beauty, I was wondering if that wiring of the cab switch would work.

Guess I've got something to do during the week between other things

Nice diagram too, it certainly beats my "5 year old's drawing" one that I've got!

Cheers

Bennie

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:31 am

El_Freddo wrote: I was wondering if that wiring of the cab switch would work.

What other way is there to do it?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:34 am

My way

showthread.php?t=13859&highlight=driving+lights

Guys way (and looks like I learnt this trick with my fans as well, and forgot !)

showthread.php?t=20781&highlight=driving+lights

Gees, where was that diagram when I was stuck ?? I can see now that the above diagram follows same relay coil triggering I needed for horn relay hook up on both MY and L Series and that was to use both wires of the horn , not just the pos+ power side to relay 86 and a basic earth to 85 (usually a two inch long wire from 85 to the relay securing screw).
Your diagram uses both wires of the head light , a pos and a neg from the switching.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:46 am

steptoe wrote:Big problem at the mo is that you not included a separate dash control switch to isolate extra driving lights from std high beam circuit - against ADR's or the like, rego fail or even defect for roadside inspection. More drawing skills required

No I haven't! What is that black rectangle with the purple wires going through it labelled "Driving light switch"?

I spose I coulda been real smart and shown how to wire up a 'driving lights on' indicator light on the dash. It usually stumps people with positive switching

MTB92 · Post by **MTB92** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:50 am

The cab control is the driving light switch on the diagram Steptoe.
The headlights on the car are 'switched on' on when that negative wire of the headlights is earthed (earth switched). this is what happens when you turn on the high beam, so putting the switch there simply acts as an and gate. switch on + highbeam on = driving lights.

that is an excellent diagram, it shows really clearly how it all works, its more than just a wire diagram. you can also find wiring diagrams by googling, but none i have seen are as good as that. saved that one for later reference

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:01 am

, that's not what I meant to say. Gotta love when I blurt out an error on my part, somone goes and preserves it in a quote

Must be me not switched on !

Great diagram Gannon , once again!

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:09 am

A very excellent drawing indeed.
Other drawings on this forum show pins 85 and 86 reversed, ie, pin 86 with the light disabling switch and going to the 12v switching supply not going to the high beam supply. (hope that makes sense)
Does it matter ?
A seach on the forum shows lot and lots of info regarding wiring up Subarus with the negative wiring system. Problem is putting it all together.
Is someone interested/able to get it all togeter in one complete package (the drawing we have been looking at included) somewhere in the electrical section.
May help others in the future.
Once the minister for fun and finance arrises and the kids stop whinging at me I might get time to actually get to have a proper look at this.
Thansk everyone for your assistance.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:01 am

85 is traditionally the Earth or grounding terminal, but does not matter with basic relays - just power going over a coil to turn it into a magneyt to attract the switch contacts. It does not matter until you get to diode protected relays for electronic components connected like ECU etc , prevents feedback

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:12 am

steptoe wrote:, that's not what I meant to say. Gotta love when I blurt out an error on my part, somone goes and preserves it in a quote

So what did you mean to say?

Steptoe, but he has since edited his post to to try to save his dignity wrote:you not included a separate dash control switch to isolate extra driving lights from std high beam circuit

....is a fairly specific statement

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:52 am

Bugger !!
It would have been much easier to have tapped into the headlight wiring AT the headlights, ie, the yellow and red power wire for the switch.
I did have 2 wires coming from the disabling switch going out to the rear of the headlights but cut one off and pulled it back through to the cab as I was looking to get closer to the ignition switch for the power supply.
Now I will have to trace the yellow/red wire back inside the car.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:12 am

There are 2 relays behind the fuse box area (in a group of 4) that give supply to the headlights. One will have a the red/yellow wire on the load side of the relay you are looking for that comes on when ignition is switched on