Kc Light Problem

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:23 pm

Well I wired my light on the roof rack last weekend... problem is they didnt work when I flipped the switch... I did everything right. went back and checked... everything was good. the only thing I could think I did wrog was the inline fuse. so I cut them and used a different guage wire. still Didnt work. Could the different guage have een the problem the second time? I already had 2 lights plugged to the battery is 6 to many? I could have sworn of heard of people with waaay more stuff hooked up to thier batteries with no problem. NOW THE IMPORTANT QUESTION... could it have been the lights themselves? I did have them up on the rack for almost a month beofre actually wiring them. At the time I didnt think that would be any warm... bad idea? I will probably go to a local shop and just have them do the install to save me some trouble. Do you think they could tell me if the lights are bad before I pay them for 2+ hours of labor? Thanks guys.

NewOldTimer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:24 am

Always apply the KISS rule with wiring.
KISS = Keep it simple stupid!

There are 2 things that will primarily keep your lights from working.

1) No power. Check continuity, make sure all of your connections good.
Verify that you have continuity thru all points of intersection; switches, relays, terminations, etc.

2) Improper grounding. Verify that you have a good ground, ESPECIALLY at the lights.
If the mounting point is used as the ground, make sure that point is actually a chassis ground.
Just because your rack is mounted to the roof doesn't mean it's grounded.

Personally, all of my power connections run "directly to the battery" (fused of course).
and all of my ground points run directly to the frame, or the closest chassis ground.

My guess would be you're lights aren't grounded properly.

Zack A · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:53 am

Did you use a relay?

Posted via Tapatalk

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:06 am

I told my dad it was grounding! but he assured me it was fine becuse it was metal! I also thought the powder coating on the rack caused a little bit of the problem for the ground. so it must actually come in contact with the car? and no I did not use a relay.

Zack A · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:17 am

If you have 6 lights and no relay...it's just a matter of time before your jeep goes up in flames.

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:24 am

So if I do have a shop do my lights this time should I tell them to wire a relay?

Zack A · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:58 am

Where are you located around fay.?

Posted via Tapatalk

NewOldTimer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:14 am

CoopaTroopa wrote:

I told my dad it was grounding! but he assured me it was fine becuse it was metal! I also thought the powder coating on the rack caused a little bit of the problem for the ground. so it must actually come in contact with the car? and no I did not use a relay.

Powder coating will act as an insulator, so...... no ground.

If your lights use the mounting stud as the ground, simply use a wire brush mounted in a drill to remove
the powder coat from the top and bottom surface, as well as in the mounting hole.
This should fix your problem.

NO RELAYS!!!! :shock:

Since you have 6 lights, I'm figuring 4 facing forward, & 2 back.
You should have MINIMUM one (1) relay per pair of lights.
Relays are very inexpensive, less than $10 each for a 40 amp (which is minimum I'd recommend. I use 60 - 100 amp myself).
Use your switches to activate the relays, and don't forget fuses!!!

infernicus · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:37 am

This is how I wired my lights.
Using a relay, and multiple options for turning on the lights.
viewtopic.php?p=478384#p478384

Zack A · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:05 pm

We might be able to help out getting these wired properly. I'm not to far from you. Ill PM you later today.

Posted via Tapatalk

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:06 pm

Zack A wrote:

We might be able to help out getting these wired properly. I'm not to far from you. Ill PM you later today.

Posted via Tapatalk

Wow that would be great! And I'm near the haymount area of fay. I'm sure we could find a place to wheel while your here too!

Zack A · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:54 pm

Sent you a PM

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Sun Feb 27, 2011 8:48 pm

wired! Thanks again Zack!

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:20 pm

Well finally got back home and its dark so you know what that means! :twisted:

HAHA of course I sat in the drive way and took pics :ROTFL:

no lights

By null at 2011-02-27
headlights

By null at 2011-02-27
bumper and headlights

By null at 2011-02-27
bumper, headlights, and outside roof

By null at 2011-02-27
bumper, headlights, outside and inside roof

By null at 2011-02-27
Highbeems too :ROTFL:

By null at 2011-02-27

NewOldTimer · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:38 pm

CoopaTroopa wrote:

Well finally got back home and its dark so you know what that means! :twisted:

HAHA of course I sat in the drive way and took pics :ROTFL:

What about the wiring job?!? :shock:

No pics of the awesome wiring job?!? :shock:

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:36 pm

i could pop the hood and pull off some trim in the morning to show where the lights sre wired to and from. would go out now with a flashlight but these dang t storms suck :evil:

infernicus · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:35 pm

Yah, rain is no fun..
Definitely take some pictures, I'd like to see how it turned out and you ran everything.

JadeCrew · **Joined:** Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:41 am **Posts:** 12

If your lights use the mounting stud as the ground, simply use a wire brush mounted in a drill to remove
the powder coat from the top and bottom surface, as well as in the mounting hole.
This should fix your problem.

source:
http://www.automd.com/pitcrew/

Zack A · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:12 pm

The front lights are ran from the grill to a relay in the engine compartment then to the switch. Cooper already drilled the hole in the roof on the right side so we ran two power and one ground from the basket down the B Pillar of the jeep. Grounded at the bottom of the B Pillar under the trim. Then ran the two power wires from the roof under all the trim to a set of relays under the dash panel then to the switches. Power wires of the relays came from the battery threw the grommet into the jeep.

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:57 am

Here are the pics... finally! haha sorry it took so long.

By null at 2011-03-04

By [URL=http://profile.im

By null at 2011-03-04ageshack.us/user/null]null[/URL] at 2011-03-04

By [URL=http

By null at 2011-03-04://profile.imageshack.us/user/null]null[/URL] at 2011-03-04

By null at 2011-03-04

By null at 2011-03-04
there ya go :BANANA:

if I reaaally have to pull the trim off adn show you guys exactly where the wires are I will after school today... but I think you get where the wires are going.
Does anyone else have there switches in that location? I like it becaise I can remember: left=outside lights;right=inside lights; bottom is bumper.

Kc Light Problem

Who is online