wire harness for Aux switches?

[sharpsicle]

Factory Aux’s have built in fuses and replays. Why would I need to run double relays?

The AUX switches do not have built-in relays in the sense you're referring to. Sure, the physical switches in the cabin drive relays to power the wires so all the amperage isn't going through the buttons inside the cabin, but that doesn't mean the same thing as battery +12v being relayed to the final accessory. In the end the wire ends you connect to are fused only and should be treated as such. Having the AUX wire drive a relay so the accessory can be powered direct from the 12v source is very common, and in many cases necessary.

Relays on your light accessories are never a bad idea, especially if the light kit already comes with them. I would never recommend cutting an existing relay out of a supplied harness. The most common reason relays aren't used is because of the hassle of adding them to the circuit. Humans naturally like to do things the simplest way possible, even if that ends up pushing the limits of a circuit.

If the harness already has them, then that hassle is mostly gone, and there's no reason to cut them out. Why butcher the harness needlessly?

But in the end here, you've clearly already hacked up your wires, so just keep going with it and forget about trying to match the connectors. Can't undo what's already done. I do think you're looking way too far into this for something you'll likely never touch again once you finish it.

I might as well just hack the the perfectly good harness..

I guess I'm not sure what you expected here. One way or the other you're dealing with cut wire ends, either cutting the AUX wires to put on connectors or cutting the harness to attach to the AUX wires. No way around that. If you're dead set on using deutsch connectors, then you can get them easily through the links I provided and attach them to the AUX wires. Or you can wire the lights directly to the AUX wires. Or use a distribution system like @ShadowsPapa showed. The choice is yours.

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[Mr._Bill]

All these posts, and he is just looking for a simple pre-made harness to connect the lights. Like many do, he modified the harness to remove the switch and relay that were not needed for his first set of lights. He is just trying to avoid doing that for the second set.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Factory Aux’s have built in fuses and replays. Why would I need to run double relays?

The fuses for the aux switches are to protect the switch wiring. Fuses protect wiring, nothing more or less. You need what they have.
I've been at auto wiring since the early 70s and know why they did what they did - but it would take more than my usual 10 paragraphs to cover it all. Just trust - it's needed, and treat those aux switches as if there are no relays and no fuses.

See this bracket I made here? How many relays do you see?

But wait, there's more!
Here are three more relays........

And then there's this - with........... drumroll please............ relays, transistors and switches.

The above all control the snow plow lighting, turn signals, park lights and DRLs.
There's a reason for everything here. I scoured the tech docs and schematics as it looked like some engineer was on crack or listening to Helter Skelter on constant replay.

Treat the Jeep's aux switches as if you are going through a simple switch and that there are no relays. It's the easiest way to think about it.
The aux switches are electronic devices, not what you think of as a switch.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

All these posts, and he is just looking for a simple pre-made harness to connect the lights. Like many do, he modified the harness to remove the switch and relay that were not needed for his first set of lights. He is just trying to avoid doing that for the second set.

The switch may not be needed, but I'd likely still keep the relay in place.
For a harness for a specific set of lights - it's best to ask the seller/maker/vendor of the lights. Jeep won't sell such a thing. It's going to be light brand specific, is it not?
Ready made to connect to the truck's wiring? Not likely.

I'd probably keep the relay in play.

 

[Mr._Bill]

I left the relays in my light harnesses, but pulled out the switch and use the Aux wire to trigger it. I did that because I have a separate battery to feed accessories. The main battery feeds just the relay while the accessory battery feeds the lights. If I didn't have the extra battery, I would have also been looking for a simple pre-made harness to connect them with. If you stay within the Aux Switch circuit limits, that's all that is really needed.

 

[sharpsicle]

I left the relays in my light harnesses, but pulled out the switch and use the Aux wire to trigger it. I did that because I have a separate battery to feed accessories. The main battery feeds just the relay while the accessory battery feeds the lights. If I didn't have the extra battery, I would have also been looking for a simple pre-made harness to connect them with. If you stay within the Aux Switch circuit limits, that's all that is really needed.

I mean you can totally do that. But nothing is going to be pre-made to plug into the truck's AUX wires. One way or another, you're doing a little work.

I even linked some deutsch plugs that he could attach to the AUX wires so he could plug them directly into the supplied harness for the lights. Didn't like it. I mean at that point, I'm at a loss. The point I was making was that the over-modification of the supplied harness already defeated the entire idea he was trying to develop, and at that point you might as well just finish it how you started it with manual wiring.

I'm 100% here to help find a solution, but if adding the requested plug type to the AUX wires or adding a distribution block aren't options he's willing to explore, then there's literally nothing else I can suggest outside of manual wiring.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I mean you can totally do that. But nothing is going to be pre-made to plug into the truck's AUX wires. One way or another, you're doing a little work.

I even linked some deutsch plugs that he could attach to the AUX wires so he could plug them directly into the supplied harness for the lights. Didn't like it. I mean at that point, I'm at a loss. The point I was making was that the over-modification of the supplied harness already defeated the entire idea he was trying to develop, and at that point you might as well just finish it how you started it with manual wiring.

I'm 100% here to help find a solution, but if adding the requested plug type to the AUX wires or adding a distribution block aren't options he's willing to explore, then there's literally nothing else I can suggest outside of manual wiring.

I think the confusing bit in this, or at least part of it was:
"wire harness for aux switches".
Right off the top - there is no such thing.

I'm seldom a fan of pre-made harnesses. They are too often cookie cutter made for the masses.
I generally make my own solutions.
But in this case, people really need to ignore the aux switch details, and think of them as switches, ignore the relays and such. Those are nothing to do with anything.
If I was adding lights to the front and those lights were a fair load, I'd likely use the relay provided and just take their switch out of the equation and use the lead for their switch and run it to the aux switch lead.
Using a relay means the power to the light doesn't go through some light-duty switch or through several feet of wiring.
Heck, I even put relays in my SX4s headlight system. The power for the head lamps goes 12" to relays, then direct to the lamps. Almost no voltage drop. That way I could use the stock 18 gauge wire through the switch and to the relay coil.

My take -
wire from low amp aux switch (3 or 4) to lighting relay coil.
Place relay between battery and lights physically.
Wire from "battery" source to relay.
Wire from relay to lights.
This way you use the low amperage aux switch where you can, saving the high amp switches for later or where you really NEED a higher amp switch/source.
The relay that comes with the lights means you can use aux switch 3 or 4 and save 1 and 2 for high amp needs.

But then............... I've done this for a living...........

 

[wvuviv30]

I don't need a wire harness that is replaces the factory installed Aux switches... I was looking for a simple, pre-made solution that utilizes the factory installed wiring for the Aux switches. There is a single power wire near the battery... I need to go from that power wire (will solder & heat shrink) that plugs into the KC SlimLites.

BajaDesigns seems to be the only manufacture that sells an "upfitter" wire harness, but they don't use the same plugs as KC. It takes the power line from the factory switches and plugs into their lights, depending on the lighting requirements, some are just wires and ones with bigger draw have a relay inline. The pair of KC lights draws 8 amp (4 amps per light) and are within spec of the factory system (40a and 15a).

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I was looking for a simple, pre-made solution that utilizes the factory installed wiring for the Aux switches.

I think that's where the confusion may be coming in. Don't even mention the aux switches - all you need is a harness with a single feed wire.
They won't be utilizing the factory installed aux switches because only a certain percentage of all Jeeps even have that. It's an option. Since they will be selling to the masses, not people with aux switches, skip the "that utilizes the factory installed wiring for the aux switches" part.
Pretend you don't even have them - because that's how the sellers of lights have to think. Most Jeeps don't have that, and with a diesel - aren't those batteries on the left side? Where do the aux switch wires come out under the hood on a JT with a diesel?

You simply want a basic wiring harness with a lead for ground and a lead for power. Ignore the aux part. Not everyone has that - I'd bet only about 1/4 of all non-Rubicon JTs even have them.

It takes the power line from the factory switches and plugs into their lights,

My bet is they are simply giving you a bare harness. They aren't considering "factory switches" because those are not standard, and many people choose to skip the factory aux switches and use their own, or some after-market solution.

Best solution - modify the harness you have. There's only one thing you need to do - take their switch out and run a lead up to your aux switch wires.

Sellers of lights have to market to the masses - they aren't going to create a harness for every occasion or every vehicle. They need to wire it for the lowest common denominator.
You'd be lucky to find anything ready to go with leads made specifically to connect to a Gladiator or Wrangler aux switch wire. Only a fraction of all Wranglers and Gladiators even have those.

LOL - I'm laughing at myself now - in the time I've been on the forum on this thread and a couple of others, I could have made you a harness using high-heat silicon insulated wire with marine grade sealed heat shrink and factory type crimped connections. And it would look factory.

 

[ChrisNLA]

LOL - I'm laughing at myself now - in the time I've been on the forum on this thread and a couple of others, I could have made you a harness using high-heat silicon insulated wire with marine grade sealed heat shrink and factory type crimped connections. And it would look factory.

I wired new fire trucks for over ten years for one of the largest companies in the business - I was just thinking oh wait - I probably have everything this guy is looking for just laying around.

At one point, I considered keeping a small stock of GXL wire, Deutsch connections (since a lot of light companies are using them), and high heat loom and other knick knacks specifically for churning out little odd and end requests like this, just because I enjoy it, lol.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I wired new fire trucks for over ten years for one of the largest companies in the business - I was just thinking oh wait - I probably have everything this guy is looking for just laying around.

At one point, I considered keeping a small stock of GXL wire, Deutsch connections (since a lot of light companies are using them), and high heat loom and other knick knacks specifically for churning out little odd and end requests like this, just because I enjoy it, lol.

And you have a Gladiator to use for any or all measurements, routing ideas, and more.......

I could probably learn 2 or 10 things from you, I suspect.
You have to be danged good, a perfectionist to wire equipment like that - it can't fail, period.

 

[ChrisNLA]

And you have a Gladiator to use for any or all measurements, routing ideas, and more.......

I could probably learn 2 or 10 things from you, I suspect.
You have to be danged good, a perfectionist to wire equipment like that - it can't fail, period.

Right! Hmm. I need to circle back around to this. Between my local Jeep community and also being involved in sports cars...this is still a thing....

I did an LS Swap in my '93 C1500 back when that was still cool to do. Did the electrical on it myself. Concrete company behind us borrowed me for a couple afternoons to install a new wireless remote system on their boom crane. That was different.

Oh for sure. The amount of wiring that goes into apparatus is incredible. I don't work directly with the electrical anymore but I'm still out on the floor daily and still see some wild new stuff. Good work is imperative on something that needs to run in the worst of conditions, non stop, for hours (hell, days in extreme cases) on end.

 

[sharpsicle]

I don't need a wire harness that is replaces the factory installed Aux switches... I was looking for a simple, pre-made solution that utilizes the factory installed wiring for the Aux switches. There is a single power wire near the battery... I need to go from that power wire (will solder & heat shrink) that plugs into the KC SlimLites.

That's exactly why I linked this earlier 18 posts ago in post #10. It's 100% what you're talking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Deutsch-2-Pin-Connector-Housing-Terminals/dp/B0166WDCVO

Wire that male end plug to your AUX wire and ground, then you can connect it to your KC light harness. No modification of the KC harness required as you stated it already has female deutsch connectors on it. If this doesn't work, can you explain what about it is bad so we can point to other options?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That's exactly why I linked this earlier 18 posts ago in post #10. It's 100% what you're talking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Deutsch-2-Pin-Connector-Housing-Terminals/dp/B0166WDCVO

Wire that to your AUX wire, then you can connect it to your KC light harness. No modification of the KC harness required as you stated it already has deutsch connectors on it. If this doesn't work, can you explain what about it is bad so we can point to other options?

And there are a couple of ground studs right there by the aux switch wires, too.
In fact, I'm confusing myself a bit now as this has so many possible simple and clean solutions without spending any real money.
The extension you listed could be used to get the aux and ground extended forward and then connect from there.
I'd take their two leads that would normally go to their switch, tie those together - now, no more switch in the harness.

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