Rock light tapped courtesy lights blink

[irish_love]

Are you powering the rock lights directly from the courtesy light, or is that leading to a relay to power the rock lights? I just installed mine directly to the factor aux switch but plan to tap into the courtesy lights to the relay that came with the rock lights.

Sponsored

 

[culdbbi]

Are you powering the rock lights directly from the courtesy light, or is that leading to a relay to power the rock lights? I just installed mine directly to the factor aux switch but plan to tap into the courtesy lights to the relay that came with the rock lights.

No relay between courtesy light and diode. I'm not a wiring aficionado, as this is my first time wiring anything. But isn't a relay just a switch? I don't see why you need one, if the courtesy lights are on, then I want the lights on, if they are off, I want them off.

Like I said I don't know wiring, so maybe you need one and if you do if someone could point me in the right direction, I'm happy to try.

But that still doesn't get me 12v when I hit unlock before I open the doors, but maybe it stops flashing before it hits 12v? But if I have to open the doors to get the lights to come on, it might not be what I'm looking for.

I'm all ears for suggestions though.

 

[JRobes]

No relay between courtesy light and diode. I'm not a wiring aficionado, as this is my first time wiring anything. But isn't a relay just a switch? I don't see why you need one, if the courtesy lights are on, then I want the lights on, if they are off, I want them off.

Like I said I don't know wiring, so maybe you need one and if you do if someone could point me in the right direction, I'm happy to try.

But that still doesn't get me 12v when I hit unlock before I open the doors, but maybe it stops flashing before it hits 12v? But if I have to open the doors to get the lights to come on, it might not be what I'm looking for.

I'm all ears for suggestions though.

If you use a relay it'll just use a small amount of electrical draw from the courtesy light circuit to enable a second completely separate circuit from the battery...this gets you your 12v supply and as much current as your lights need without potentially overloading the foot well light circuit.

I'd recommend looking at some YouTube videos for aftermarket light wiring with relays, there's loads of videos out there.

 

[irish_love]

No relay between courtesy light and diode. I'm not a wiring aficionado, as this is my first time wiring anything. But isn't a relay just a switch? I don't see why you need one, if the courtesy lights are on, then I want the lights on, if they are off, I want them off.

Like I said I don't know wiring, so maybe you need one and if you do if someone could point me in the right direction, I'm happy to try.

But that still doesn't get me 12v when I hit unlock before I open the doors, but maybe it stops flashing before it hits 12v? But if I have to open the doors to get the lights to come on, it might not be what I'm looking for.

I'm all ears for suggestions though.

It may be different with LED lights, but "back in my day" when adding external lighting, the draw was too much to tap into the courtesy lights. You are correct in a relay being a switch. But the main purpose is a way to not draw power from the courtesy lights. Well, just enough to trigger the relay. You'd pull the power to the rock lights from the battery which would be 12v. Just a thought. I'm sure smarter people in here will chim in.

 

[culdbbi]

If you use a relay it'll just use a small amount of electrical draw from the courtesy light circuit to enable a second completely separate circuit from the battery...this gets you your 12v supply and as much current as your lights need without potentially overloading the foot well light circuit.

I'd recommend looking at some YouTube videos for aftermarket light wiring with relays, there's loads of videos out there.

My brain light is flickering with this information, but not quite on. Can I use 4 pin relay, or a 5 pin and not use 87a? I think I'm starting to understand.

 

[culdbbi]

It may be different with LED lights, but "back in my day" when adding external lighting, the draw was too much to tap into the courtesy lights. You are correct in a relay being a switch. But the main purpose is a way to not draw power from the courtesy lights. Well, just enough to trigger the relay. You'd pull the power to the rock lights from the battery which would be 12v. Just a thought. I'm sure smarter people in here will chim in.

I think this might be what I need, just have to learn something new.

 

[sharpsicle]

Amperage draw is not your issue here. The source voltage is. A relay will not fix this if you’re not confirmed to be tapped into the right wire. Everything relies on that, and adding more components to the wrong wire won’t fix it.

These lights don’t draw enough amperage to compromise the courtesy light circuit. A relay is only introduced in this situation to mitigate amperage draw issues. You don’t have that.

Everything you’ve explained points to having the wrong wire tapped. You need to fix that first, even if you do decide to put in a relay. I’m not convinced you aren’t tapped into something else like the door sensor instead, the observations line up with that.

 

[culdbbi]

I found the bosch 5 pin relays, but thought this 4 pin with integral fuse might be worth waiting for, then I have less to deal with. https://a.co/d/3HkAHj0

Ok, I'm going to take this back up in the morning. Thank you all, who have commented so far. Maybe I'll understand my truck better if I learn this wiring thing.

 

[culdbbi]

Amperage draw is not your issue here. The source voltage is. A relay will not fix this if you’re not confirmed to be tapped into the right wire. Everything relies on that, and adding more components to the wrong wire won’t fix it.

These lights don’t draw enough amperage to compromise the courtesy light circuit. A relay is only introduced in this situation to mitigate amperage draw issues. You don’t have that.

Everything you’ve explained points to having the wrong wire tapped. You need to fix that first, even if you do decide to put in a relay. I’m not convinced you aren’t tapped into the door sensor instead, the observations line up with that.

I'm tapped right off the led footwell light, where I only have 2 wires, well 3 if you count the black, which I'm pretty sure is ground. So it's either yellow with purple or white with brown to choose from. I can't wrangle myself into the hole with the door closed to test without exposing some of the wire. I'm just not coordinated enough to pierce it, hold ground, press unlock, and read the reading. So I'll have to tap the white with brown wire and check it. I was going off what people had written on the wrangler forum about wire colors, so it could be that they are switched in the gladiator. Thanks for telling me a relay won't solve my problem.

Waiting for my account to be validated on the wrangler forum where someone had done just this thing, to see if they can give insight.

 

[sharpsicle]

A photo would really be useful here. There’s a ton of wires under the dash, and the connector I’ve seen used has a bunch of wires on it. Seeing exactly what you’ve done would help clear up some things.

 

[JRobes]

Amperage draw is not your issue here. The source voltage is. A relay will not fix this if you’re not confirmed to be tapped into the right wire. Everything relies on that, and adding more components to the wrong wire won’t fix it.

These lights don’t draw enough amperage to compromise the courtesy light circuit. A relay is only introduced in this situation to mitigate amperage draw issues. You don’t have that.

Everything you’ve explained points to having the wrong wire tapped. You need to fix that first, even if you do decide to put in a relay. I’m not convinced you aren’t tapped into something else like the door sensor instead, the observations line up with that.

This isn't all necessarily true.

Depending on the rock lights, they could draw several amps, and there are relays that can draw around half an amp. If the circuit is monitored by the vehicles computers and cutting power due to the high draw, this could fix that issue.

Depending on the voltage for the courtesy lights, if it is 6v, you can buy 6v relays that would solve the 6v to 12v issue as well.

I'm not necessarily saying a relay is required here, but it could end up being useful if other methods don't pan out.

 

[RJinPV]

I was looking at an Oracle Lighting Starliner YT video and they tap into the Yellow/blue wire for power. The wiring diagram shows that wire going to the dome lamp as well as the Yellow/violet wire. Maybe that is the one to tap into? Now it might just be a constant 12V source to power the reading lights. If so, then that is not a good one to use. If you look at the dome light operation it does dim which means it likely has a variable voltage input.

What the others are saying about a relay might be your only option. If the ye/violet wire is the one that is switched on/off with the dome light operation, and it really reads 6V with doors closed, then a relay will needed. The Ye/violet wire opens and closes the relay and you'll need to find a 12V source that can handle the rock light amperage for the relay to turn on and off.

 

[RJinPV]

The Yellow/Blue wire at the dome light is for reading lamps so it is likely just a constant 12v source that will turn the light on when the user pushes the lamp on.

If/when you verify the yellow/violet striped wire is the courtesy circuit that turns on and off with the courtesy light actions (dash dome light switch, key fob unlock with doors closed, etc), and it's really 6V before a door is opened, then a relay is going to be needed. Your rock lights probably don't work with a 6V input. The relay you found: ( "...... less to deal with. https://a.co/d/3HkAHj0") could work because it turns on with a 6V input.

By the way, which rock lights do you have? How many amps do they require?

 

[RJinPV]

Once the courtesy light wire input is verified and it is only 6v at key fob unlock, then here would be a diagram for incorporating a relay. Since you have the Aux switch option there is a 10 amp 12V source under the glove box. Check your owner's manual.

 

[Arcticelf]

Once the courtesy light wire input is verified and it is only 6v at key fob unlock, then here would be a diagram for incorporating a relay. Since you have the Aux switch option there is a 10 amp 12V source under the glove box. Check your owner's manual.

Any reason not to put the diode and switch on the line feeding into pin 86? That will reduce the power going through the switch as well.

Sponsored