WARNING - H3 Off Road Lights - Possible Fire Hazard

[ree]

Originally Posted by evldave

Based on what I see, I'm hoping everyone does. I don't know where you come from, but all my offroad lights are wired full-time hot so I can have them on at night without having to start the truck (and hope I don't wear down the battery)

Can't you wire it to a circuit that's on when the key is in the run position, put the key in and turn it to run, but don't start the engine? Yes you have to put the key in, but you don't have to start the truck.

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by ree

Can't you wire it to a circuit that's on when the key is in the run position, put the key in and turn it to run, but don't start the engine? Yes you have to put the key in, but you don't have to start the truck.

Yes, that is the way you wire them. Wiring them to constant 12V POS makes no sense for practical purposes.

Aftermarket light manufacturers even vary on their wiring diagrams. Some are through a switched source and some just say 12V POS.

The grill lights that came on the H2 were wired hot all the time and when I put the PIAAs up there, I rewired the switch to be on a switched circuit. It's just a matter of common sense. I don't need the lights to be able to burn without the key on and more importantly the engine running (since now I have 8 - 85 watt and 4 - 55 watt lights).

But, H3.007, why don't you think the same thing can occur with the key ON. I've melted covers before. It get's gooey, makes a mess, cools down, hardens and then is a pain. It doesn't catch fire, it doesn't kill little children or blow up houses or even cause heart attacks. The true hazard is to your ego for being the idiot that hit the switch and melted your covers. Get over it, you are certainly not the first and most certainly won't be the last.

[ree]

Originally Posted by PARAGON

Yes, that is the way you wire them. Wiring them to constant 12V POS makes no sense for practical purposes.

I know this. It was sort of a rhetorical question to point out to evldave that you can get run the lights without engine wired to ignition switched. And for H3.007, if he's still afraid of a house fire, it'll eliminate that scenario.

Originally Posted by PARAGON

But why don't you (H3.007) think the same thing can occur with the key ON. I've melted covers before. It get's gooey, makes a mess, cools down, hardens and then is a pain. It doesn't catch fire, it doesn't kill little children or blow up houses or even cause heart attacks. The true hazard is to your [H3.007's] ego for being the idiot that hit the switch and melted your covers. Get over it, you (H3.007) are certainly not the first and most certainly won't be the last.

Redirected/fixed.

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by ree

I know this. It was sort of a rhetorical question to point out to evldave that you can get run the lights without engine wired to ignition switched. And for H3.007, if he's still afraid of a house fire, it'll eliminate that scenario.

I know this I was backing up what you were saying

Damn, people are awfully jumpy around here.

I was simply adding to your comment.

There, I edited it to make it clear to whom I was addressing.

[ree]

Originally Posted by PARAGON

I know this I was backing up what you were saying

I thought (now know) you knew, I know this.

Originally Posted by PARAGON

Damn, people are awfully jumpy around here.

I've been up since 3:30 (child issues) and am a little over-coffee'ed.

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by ree

I've been up since 3:30 (child issues) and am a little over-coffee'ed.

melted light covers?

[ree]

Originally Posted by PARAGON

melted light covers?

No. Something else...not sure what as 2 year olds aren't that good at explaining their woes.

[evldave]

Originally Posted by ree

Can't you wire it to a circuit that's on when the key is in the run position, put the key in and turn it to run, but don't start the engine? Yes you have to put the key in, but you don't have to start the truck.

I prefer to have at least one set of lights available when the ignition is off - I hate the chimes and sometimes at night it's nice to have some serious light.

That said, you should be able to manually wire the relay from an open ACC/IGN position on the fusebox. I can't remember what # I used, but there are quite a few available switched spots - just run a (12+ gauge) wire from the fuse box to the power input on the relay (ignore the schematic) - the switch in the cab would work, but the relay would have no power unless the switch was on.

[cestwick]

I am at home now and would have to look but I do know for a fact that roof mounted lights are on a "HOT" circuit but the Grille mounted lights are on a "Ign. on HOT" cicuit. I do not know why GM made one hot all the time and not the other or vis-versa but they did. If you want it to be keyed hot all you would have to do is switch the wire in the fuse box from the roof light terminal to the grille lights terminal..before you ask I do not have that info with me but can find out or someone esle on here might have it available..

Chris

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by cestwick

I am at home now and would have to look but I do know for a fact that roof mounted lights are on a "HOT" circuit but the Grille mounted lights are on a "Ign. on HOT" cicuit. I do not know why GM made one hot all the time and not the other or vis-versa but they did. If you want it to be keyed hot all you would have to do is switch the wire in the fuse box from the roof light terminal to the grille lights terminal..before you ask I do not have that info with me but can find out or someone esle on here might have it available..

Chris

Chris,

Are you sure the grille lights are not wired off the low beam headlights ie- the headlights have to be on to turn the grill lights on? Sometimes aux lights switch are fed this way.

[f5fstop]

Grille lights are controlled by the BCM, which in turn controls the RAP circuit. You could do some rewiring from the roof to the grille, but it would be more than one wire.
Roof has one wire coming out of the fuse box; whereas, the grille has two wires; not counting the BCM control circuit for the RAP relay.
It would be easier to do some cutting and butting of wires, than trying to rewire the roof lights to be the same as grille lights.