How to Wire Fog Lights to a Toggle Switch?

Are you plan to wire fog lights to a toggle switch? If so, this short article will help you immensely.

Using fog lights instead of headlights is an excellent idea. Fog lights are brighter and handy in snow, rain, or fog at night. But wiring them with a toggle switch is a bit complicated, and you’ll have to use a 4-pin relay. Hence, in this guide, I’ll focus on wiring fog lights to a toggle switch with the help of 4 pin relay. 

In general, to wire fog lights to a toggle switch:

• Choose a good spot for fog lights.
• Remove the existing bumper cover.
• Complete the wiring process according to the diagram.
• Test the fog lights.

For an in-depth explanation, follow the below guide. 

4-Step Guide on How to Wire Fog Lights to a Toggle Switch

Things You’ll Need

• Two fog lights
• 4 pin relay 
• Wires
• 5A fuse 
• New front bumper
• Rachet 
• Philips screwdriver

Step 1 – Choose a Good Location 

First and foremost, choose a good spot for the fog lights. Choosing the right spot can go a long way to improve the visibility of the road. Most often, fog lights should be under the headlights. Hence, the front bumper is the perfect place for the fog lights. 

Step 2 – Remove the Old Bumper Cover (Optional)

Sometimes, the factory default bumper will have two brackets for installing the fog lights. Sometimes they might not. If so, you’ll have to buy a new front bumper. Hence, buy a new suitable front bumper for your vehicle. 

Here are a few simple steps to remove your old bumper and install the new one. 

• First, raise the vehicle using a jack or some other support.
• Remove the 10mm bolts that are holding the front bumper.
• Check and remove any other bolts too.
• Now pull out the front bumper of your vehicle.
• Mount the fog lights to the new bumper.
• Install the new front bumper on your vehicle. 

Important: After removing the old bumper, you can see an extra wire harness that can be used for fog lights. Or run new wires for each fog light. 

Step 3 – Complete the Wiring 

The wiring should be done according to the above diagram. It is a straightforward process that you can understand from the above diagram. However, for better understanding, I’ll explain the wiring process more. 

We will wire the 4-pin relay to the fog lights and the toggle switch in this wiring process. Hence, when you turn on/off the toggle switch, the fog light will react to those commands. 

First, run a wire from the toggle (positive terminal) to the relay pin 86. Then, ground the negative terminal of the toggle switch. Use any grounding point in your vehicle. 

After that, connect the positive battery terminal to the relay pin 30. Remember to use a 5A fuse between these two connections, as shown in the above diagram. 

Next, connect the relay pin 85 to the ignition switch wire (check the diagram).

Now it is time to connect the two fog lights. Hence, connect the positive terminal of the fog light to the relay pin 87. And ground the negative terminal of the fog light. Do the same with the other fog light.

Note: Here, both fog lights connect to the relay pin 87. Also, place the relay under the fuse box. That is the safest place for the 5A fuse. 

Step 4 – Test the Fog Lights 

Finally, test your newly installed fog lights. It is better if you check them at night time. That way, you can experience the true power of the fog lights. 

Important: The above fog lights installation process can get tricky depending on your vehicle model. Hence, if you have any trouble, check this video. 

Why Use Fog Lights and How to Use Them?

Even though this is a simple answer, most people don’t have a good idea about it. So, what benefits come with using fog lights? 

The benefit of using fog light is the clear visibility. For instance, fog lights will come in handy in following weather conditions. 

• Heavy fog
• Mist 
• Rain
• Heavy dust

In these situations, fog lights will come in handy remarkably. They will grant you visibility even in the heaviest fog. However, turning on fog lights should be done cautiously since it can disturb other drivers. 

According to the code, you should only turn on the fog lights when the road visibility is reduced to 100 meters or less. After visibility improves, remember to turn off the fog lights. As mentioned above, fog lights can seriously put other drivers at risk since they are too bright. That is why having a toggle switch is far more important than one might think. 

Mistakes that You Might Do When Completing Above Wiring Process

Many mistakes can happen during the wiring process. Because of inexperience, most people run the wires incorrectly. Here are a few things to remember when completing the wiring. 

• Use wires that have proper insulation. Otherwise, the wires will start a short circuit situation. 
• Don’t run the wires close to the vehicle’s metal frame. It might damage the wires. 
• Don’t run the wires too close to the exhaust. 

References

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