You can have one or the other, but not both!

[AbnRgr]

I recently installed a 50" dynamic under the hood light strip and three six-LED pods as Raptor lights at the top of the grill. I tapped into the parking light's power wire coming out the back of the driver side headlight unit. Independently, both work and look great. The problem is with both wired to common power and grounds, they both will illuminate. Unfortunately, once the light strip has completed its starting sequence and goes to constant illumination, both items die. I can turn the vehicle key on and off and restart both, but with the same result. Any ideas? Perhaps wiring them to different power sources?

Sponsored

 

[GPSMan]

I recently installed a 50" dynamic under the hood light strip and three six-LED pods as Raptor lights at the top of the grill. I tapped into the parking light's power wire coming out the back of the driver side headlight unit. Independently, both work and look great. The problem is with both wired to common power and grounds, they both will illuminate. Unfortunately, once the light strip has completed its starting sequence and goes to constant illumination, both items die. I can turn the vehicle key on and off and restart both, but with the same result. Any ideas? Perhaps wiring them to different power sources?

Did you post this before?

I've heard this exact story before.

 

[AbnRgr]

No. I do not recall reading anything similar. Do you remember, was there a fix?

 

[Hillbilly]

Shouldn't be an amperage issue because the fuse should blow. You are sure all connections are 100%, no question, solidly connected? What kind of connectors did u use on the parking light? If you used the squeeze type that cuts into the insulation, I'd throw those as far as I could and make a proper splice.

 

[Red Thunder]

I t is possible that the computer automatically shuts power of for high amperage and you are resetting with cycling key.

 

[Daveo89]

I t is possible that the computer automatically shuts power of for high amperage and you are resetting with cycling key.

There's some thread floating around suggesting just this. I have no experience with modifying the Maverick's electrical outside of a dash cam, but the understanding seems to be that the computer is sensitive to loads being added. I suggest if OP is starting to pull more than a few amps to have whatever circuit wanted run a relay and pull the power directly from the battery/or the battery through a fuse tap in the box.

 

[AbnRgr]

I have verified good positive and ground connections. Before using a 90 degree connector, I striped the insulation away from a small section of the powered wire to assure a bare wire connection. Again, both work well, but only one at a time.

 

[Maverickman74]

Are you using a relay? If you aren't do that. That's a age old mistake, people been skipping on relays since the Roman Empire. That power you tapped into was never designed to run anything more than the lights it does from the factory. A relay( those lil black cubes with 5 prongs on em) uses a taped wire to throw the switch on a bigger shorter direct to battery wire. Basically a lil tiny Renfield in a box throwing his big switch after doctor Frankenstein hits him with a cattle prod. The relay only uses a tiny fraction of the energy of the tapped/control wire. Then you can run whatever you want within the power range of the relay. Also while it may act like a fuse, it isn't. So put a fuse in-between it and the battery as well.

 

[Exranger]

Are you using a relay? If you aren't do that. That's a age old mistake, people been skipping on relays since the Roman Empire. That power you tapped into was never designed to run anything more than the lights it does from the factory. A relay( those lil black cubes with 5 prongs on em) uses a taped wire to throw the switch on a bigger shorter direct to battery wire. Basically a lil tiny Renfield in a box throwing his big switch after doctor Frankenstein hits him with a cattle prod. The relay only uses a tiny fraction of the energy of the tapped/control wire. Then you can run whatever you want within the power range of the relay. Also while it may act like a fuse, it isn't. So put a fuse in-between it and the battery as well.

Great advice! We called them Bosch relays back in the day. The 3M blue connector should only be a temporary repair. Check out the solder seal crimps available for a corrosion proof connection.

 

[fossil]

Are you using a relay? If you aren't do that. That's a age old mistake, people been skipping on relays since the Roman Empire. That power you tapped into was never designed to run anything more than the lights it does from the factory. A relay( those lil black cubes with 5 prongs on em) uses a taped wire to throw the switch on a bigger shorter direct to battery wire. Basically a lil tiny Renfield in a box throwing his big switch after doctor Frankenstein hits him with a cattle prod. The relay only uses a tiny fraction of the energy of the tapped/control wire. Then you can run whatever you want within the power range of the relay. Also while it may act like a fuse, it isn't. So put a fuse in-between it and the battery as well.

ordered three when I ordered the Tremor first accessory purchase.

used two for HID light upgrade on my big truck. without the relays the HID warm up was double.
third one runs my washer fluid heater. I love it when the fluid steams a little coming out of the nozzles

 

[AbnRgr]

I didn’t think that the LED strip and grill lights would draw enough amps to cause a problem. Again, start up with both is not a problem. It is keeping them on That is.

Actually, I have two wiring harnesses with relays that I’ll be using for a 10” light bar and two 3” LED pods I’m mounting in the lower grill. I also have a two gang, five pole switch panel I intend to mount to the left of the steering wheel for controlling these. This will be my first use of relays.

I want both the strip and Raptor lights to come on with the OEM parking lights. Can I achieve that by tapping into the parking light hot wire where your diagram shows a grounded switch?

Thanks to all that have replied.

 

[Maverickman74]

Great advice! We called them Bosch relays back in the day. The 3M blue connector should only be a temporary repair. Check out the solder seal crimps available for a corrosion proof connection.

Yeah Bosch makes em along with a millioon other companies. Quality and price may vary. Really they are the same thing as is on the side of most starters. They also used to put em on the fender of alot of old cars. Those are much larger, but pretty much the same thing. But thats the way to do it.

 

[GPSMan]

I didn’t think that the LED strip and grill lights would draw enough amps to cause a problem. Again, start up with both is not a problem. It is keeping them on That is.

Actually, I have two wiring harnesses with relays that I’ll be using for a 10” light bar and two 3” LED pods I’m mounting in the lower grill. I also have a two gang, five pole switch panel I intend to mount to the left of the steering wheel for controlling these. This will be my first use of relays.

I want both the strip and Raptor lights to come on with the OEM parking lights. Can I achieve that by tapping into the parking light hot wire where your diagram shows a grounded switch?

Thanks to all that have replied.

It's not a high amperage issue.

But with computers, maybe it's not the correct amperage issue.

 

[Black MavRick]

I recently installed a 50" dynamic under the hood light strip and three six-LED pods as Raptor lights at the top of the grill. I tapped into the parking light's power wire coming out the back of the driver side headlight unit. Independently, both work and look great. The problem is with both wired to common power and grounds, they both will illuminate. Unfortunately, once the light strip has completed its starting sequence and goes to constant illumination, both items die. I can turn the vehicle key on and off and restart both, but with the same result. Any ideas? Perhaps wiring them to different power sources?

There is a YouTube video that shows a guy who had the same issue with the light strip. Turned out to be related to the canbus controlling the headlight assembly. He changed the power source to the side marker light on the front fender and his issue was solved. His goal was to have the accessory light strip on only when the headlights were on.

 

[commadorebob]

There is a YouTube video that shows a guy who had the same issue with the light strip. Turned out to be related to the canbus controlling the headlight assembly. He changed the power source to the side marker light on the front fender and his issue was solved. His goal was to have the accessory light strip on only when the headlights were on.

Are the markers tied to the headlights or do they run all the time? Never thought to look.

Sponsored