Questions about installing Fog Lights

I purchased a pair of fog lights for my 73B. I am considering 2 different ways on doing the wiring install. Would love your input/suggestion please:

1. Tap into the high-beam wires so that the fogs are controlled through the headlight switch (my HB on the actual lights don't work)
2. Use an auxiliary switch (pull power directly from the battery OR stereo power???) and run to the fogs.

Do I need to consider an inline fuse given the amount of draw?


Many thanks.

Russ

I would suggest using a relay to power the lights. You can use a fresh lead off of the battery to the relay with an appropriate size inline fuse. Then you can use an auxiliary switch on your dash to power the relay/lights. I suppose you could use the high beam wire to power the relay, but that brings up the question of why don't your high beams work?



Do a quick google search and it will bring up all sorts of ways to hook them up.

Such as:

Hi Russ,

My suggestion would be to power them through a relay, which is triggered by the ignition (meaning they are on all the time the car is running) so they act as DRL's. Using a relay will take the strain off your switches (in this case the ignition switch). Power to the relay could be from a fused circuit from the starter.

You can use whichever switch you want to trigger the relay - headlamp / high beam / seperate switch - but the relay will save putting the amperage to run the lights through the switch wire.

Here is a photo of my fog light relay. The relay closest to the fuse box is for the fog lights and triggered by the blue wire (3rd down on the fuse box- which is ignition) and powered by the lowest separate fuse (also a blue wire) which takes common power from the starter.

Hope this helps, Marsh.

Wow, glad I asked the question. Thanks for the info.

I wired them through the fourth relay in Limey's relay kit. After a problem when I blew a fuse and lost all my lights, I put a separate fuse on the fog lights. Everything is fine since. I put a lucas switch in the console [its a '74] and used, in part, the unused GT rear window defrost wiring to power it.

Don't know about Canada, but in some of the states they have to be wired such that when the high beams are on the fog lamps are off. My Tahoe came wired that way.

When I added relays and fog lights to my wife's Scirocco I set them up so that the fogs came on when the low beams were on. That way they couldn't be on with high beams. I used four relays total, two per side. One pair were for the high beams, and one pair were for the lows/fogs. Not sure this is precisely kosher, but never had problems with the law or other drivers.

On the GT I don't have overdrive, so I used the overdrive switch for fogs. It's set up so the fogs are on when the stalk switch is pulled rearward. Although it's possible to have the fogs on with the high beams on, I never do it because it's easy to remember that both column switches go rearward for fogs and low beams, and both go forward for highs and the fogs off.

I take it I can get a relay at any auto parts store? Is there anything I need to ask for other than a 12v car application?

get limey's relay kit, great product, great instructions great service. I used the extra relay to power the fog lamps, mine are hooked up to turn on with the low beams and off with the high beams. The relay kit takes all of the high energy from going through the switches which will help them last longer

X2 what Gary said. I used the 'kit' and a separate switch for the fog lights. My steel dash had an unused toggle switch. I would think that on a 73 you could use one of the blanks in the consul. I never liked the blanks anyway. Wire them separately without any regard to the headlights and use any combo you like. There is a legal standard that states what combination of light you can use, but don't know it . My guess is that you can't use fog/driving lights with high beams. That's a guess though.
I had a slight problem with the relay kits fuse holder, I suggest you upgrade the fuse holder and add another for the fod lights. There is NO DOWNSIDE to the relays, everything works better and will last longer.

If you have never done this before, it does make a lot of sense to buy Eric (Limey's) relay kit, unless you are a diegard DIY type....well worth the money I'm sure. A lot easier than researching how, then putting together what you need on your own.