Installing Fog Lights

[digital0129]

Hey Guys,
I have a 2003 Alero that does not have fog lights standard. I have done some research about this, and it seems best to just wire them into the tail lights. Does anyone on here have pictures or diagrams of what would be needed to accomplish this? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Justin081]

i just wired mine straight to the battery. power wire to the positive side of the battery, negative grounded to the body of the car and a switch to turn them on and off. took me like 30 minutes to do.

[NickAlero2000]

If you wanted to go through the trouble, you can figure out how they are wired in an Alero that has them, and wire them through the fuse box (which should have an empty fuse slot for you fog lights).
Hope that helped.

[spinalator]

On bikes I have wired aux lights, grip heaters, and such directly to the battery, but I use a relay so it will kill them with the key off.

[Gr1m]

if theres anything ive learned from the last 3 years working on cars,its this: anything is possible if you know how to wire up a relay.

[Justin081]

i never wired up any relay. is that bad? should i be using relays?

[CactusWill]

I'd parallel them up to the headlights.

[spinalator]

Originally Posted by Justin081

i never wired up any relay. is that bad? should i be using relays?

How To Vire Zee Relay Fir Zee German Moto

Why use a relay?
There are several reasons you should use a relay instead of just wiring your accessories directly to the battery. The most important reason is so that your accessories won't be ON all the time. Sure, you can put a switch in the circuit, but what's to keep a little kid (motorcycles attract kids, you know) from flipping the switch on your parked bike? Or forgetting to flip the switch off yourself? If either of those things happen, you might find your bike's battery dead the next time you try to use it.

What is a relay?
In simplest terms, it's a little switch that throws a bigger switch. The little switch gets "thrown" by your motorcycle's electrical system when you turn the ignition on. The little switch triggers a solenoid (or solid-state equivalent) which flips the big switch ON. The big switch side of the relay is the "power" side that will be used to run accessories you're adding to your bike. The way we'll wire it, the relay will be ON when the bike's ignition is on, and off otherwise. Thus your accessories will also be on only when the ignition is on.

Here's a photo of a typical relay. In this case, a Bosch micro-relay, part number 0 332 011 007. The US quarter is shown for scale. Relays like this are available from auto-parts stores, truck stops, electronics supply places, and so on. They typically retail from $5 to $20US.

You don't have to use a relay, but I have learned that it not increased my penis size, it made it foolproof, for the fool with too many accessories wired up to his vehicle and bike. In the past I would overload some circuits by splicing in, and one time chose a random wire behind the speedo, and then had no headlights 4 miles out in the country. Oops that was smart. After I limped back to the cabin with hazards on, I changed the fuses, and put a hot wire and relay directly to the battery, and all is good. Well so far. I am sure the audio installers have better reasons than that.

One example, I came back to the airport in the middle of -30 weather, and found that dumbass (me) left the heated seat on while I was getting fat and drunk in Cuba, for a week. Boosting a car with no winter clothes and a hangover sucks donkey balls.

[Justin081]

ic ... well relays would be nice for me then because i have left my fog lights on before. then someone in my house told me they were on so i went and shut them off so i didnt ever end up with a dead battery. but i am a forgetful person with things like they so this is good to know.

[meadus101]

I left my Fogs on, worked an 8 hours shift, came out and started my car.

[digital0129]

Originally Posted by Justin081

i just wired mine straight to the battery. power wire to the positive side of the battery, negative grounded to the body of the car and a switch to turn them on and off. took me like 30 minutes to do.

Where did you locate the switch?

[meadus101]

Mine is in the little change cubby, I'd like to find someway to like... Fiberglass it in there....


Anyone want that job? haha.

[Justin081]

Originally Posted by digital0129

Where did you locate the switch?

i just put the switch where the stock switch on the side air vent next to teh dimmer. drilled a little hole and mounted the switch.

[Justin081]

here is a pic of where i put it.

[digital0129]

Alright, well I just purchased a set of stock fog lights from ebay, as well as the drivers side vent with the fog light switch. I am also planning to hook the lights up with the relay, however I'm not terribly sure what I should use as the reference voltage for the relay. Can you guys send a picture or a description of where I can find a voltage source that is always on when the ignition is on?

I am also assuming a 20amp fuse and relay will be enough for the two fog lights, let me know what you think.

Thanks!

[jayson_waltz]

wire the power and ground for the realy that is running the fogs straight to the battery, good idea to put about a 20-25a fuse on the positive wire. then for the switch lead to the realy just run it into one side of the light switch. the run a wire from the other side of the light switch to any wire that is only hot with the key on

[NickAlero2000]

Originally Posted by meadus101

I left my Fogs on, worked an 8 hours shift, came out and started my car.

same here, when i had them
they're blue so im waitin to get projectors b4 they go back on

[digital0129]

Do you think it would be useful if I took pictures of the install process and made a how to? I'm planning on installed stock fog lights from a junkyard as well as putting the stock fog light switch in the drivers side vent. Let me know if you think it'd be worth it. Thanks.