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99DurangoV8
Dodge Dakota
7/29/2001
18:12:31
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 Subject: Auxilary lighting help
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Message:
I put some lights on my Westin Safari Bar this weekend. Here is the situation
I put 2 each 3A Racing 55W Platinum series lights on. They came with a harness, with relay plug, 30 amp relay, 2 foot lead and switch. I wired them according to the instructions:
The two lights are plugged into the harness, which has a ground for the lights, ground for the relay, power lead with 15 amp fuse to the battery and a wire to the swich. Also, there is a red wire from the switch that goes to the low/high beam light wire.
Yesterday I touched the red wire from the switch to the positive bat. terminal and the lights worked for about 5-7 seconds, then the fuse blew. Today, I went through 15 fuses and still no lights. Bulbs are good. I am thinking the relay is shot. I tried different grounding locations and as soon as I would ground the relay wire, fuse would blow.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Boomer
Dodge Dakota
7/29/2001
19:01:08
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
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Message:
When you find out let me know, because I helped my friend wire his Hella 530's on his 94 Dak and they do the same thing.
I did bypass the fuse, but almost started a fire from the current draw. Maybe it's a bad relay, but I don't know.
Please......Anyone.......
Boomer
97 CC, 5.2,
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Bruce P
Dodge Dakota
7/29/2001
21:39:01
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
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Message:
I am trained in electronics... Here is an approach I would take assuming you have no DVM (Digital Volt Meter)
1) Disconnect all lights from the ckt
2) reconnect the rest of the ckt with the relay
3) verify that the relay will 'pick' each time you turn on the lights. (A click should be heard and felt at the relay.)
If this test is successful: (fuse does not blow)
try connecting each light, one at a time and try again until the problem is located. (the fuse blows) I have had the wire into a foglight 'melt' due to the lamp heat and short to ground. (5-7 seconds seems pretty short for this to happen though)
If this test is NOT successful: (fuse still blows)
You have eliminated all lights as the problem and need to scrutinize the relay and associcated circurity.
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99DurangoV8
Dodge Dakota
7/31/2001
05:26:40
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
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Message:
Bruce, thanks. I get the click each time, but it is associated with the pop of a blown fuse. Is it possible for the relay to be bad?
You are correct, I don't have a DVM or ohmmeter.
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Blizzard
Gen III
7/31/2001
07:06:40
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
IP: Logged
Message:
Yeah ... I'd say the relay is shot. It should NOT blow fuses with no load attached to it. Unless you have a short in your hot wire to the relay. Only other reason would be that you have your lights fused at too low of current. Check the rating of the lights too, and fuse them a tad above the current rating.
Good luck!
'01 QC 4x4
5.9L, 3.92 LSD, loaded
www.geocities.com/blizzzzard69
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Bruce P.
Dodge Dakota
7/31/2001
17:02:25
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
IP: Logged
Message:
NO... extreeemly unlikely that relay can cause this problem. Typical relay failure mode is to stick either open or closed... in over 30 years I have NEVER seen a relay have an internal short.
Instead, since the fuse blows when the relay is 'picked' look for the wire(s) to the (now disconnected) lamps to be shorted to ground somwhere. (I am assuming that all connections have been verified to be correct to the relay)
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Blizzard
Gen III
7/31/2001
18:05:16
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
IP: Logged
Message:
Personally, I have seen a relay develope a dead short. Granted, it was only once, but it did show the same symptoms that he's seeing.
Let us know what you find out, Kevin ... our curiousity is peaked!
'01 QC 4x4
5.9L, 3.92 LSD, loaded
www.geocities.com/blizzzzard69
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99DurangoV8
Dodge Dakota
7/31/2001
20:15:36
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
IP: Logged
Message:
Men, I have exorcised this demon. Turned out the ground wire inside the passenger side light (had to take it completely apart) was loose. Bruce, you were right on the money. The relay connections in this kit can only go one way since the harness has a plug on the end for the relay. I just worked from the start by disconnecting both lights and trying one at a time until I eliminated everything but the passenger side light. Took it apart and saw a loose ground, tightened it an voila, light.
I wired the switch into the fuse box under the hood where the fog light fuse would go since I don't have fog lights, now I can use them whenever I want, 18 fuses later.
Now, I am going to go blind some lowriders.
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Blizzard
Gen III
7/31/2001
21:24:59
| RE: Auxilary lighting help
IP: Logged
Message:
Cool!
And LOL @ "blind some lowriders". You do realize those lights are for "off road" use only, right?
hehehe ;o)
Good job
'01 QC 4x4
5.9L, 3.92 LSD, loaded
www.geocities.com/blizzzzard69
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