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Fog light help

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 59Apachegail, Jul 14, 2013.

  1. 59Apachegail
    Joined: Apr 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,504

    59Apachegail
    Member
    from New York

    I have very old fog lights with glass lenses (70s?) The halogen bulbs plug in via a wire to the housing. I had them wired to my repop fuse block that was supposed to prevent a short but I got a cab full of smoke as I left the gas station a few weeks back.

    Does anyone know how how large a fuse I need to avoid this or am I supposed to have a transformer in between the accy and the power?
    ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1373843401.356338.jpg ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1373843418.826655.jpg

    As you can see from the picture the fuse block cooked even after the fuse blew. Luckily I didn't have anything else connected to it.
     
  2. A 30 amp fuse should be more than enough,,that's what I have for mine. HRP
     
  3. mashed
    Joined: Oct 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,473

    mashed
    Member
    from 4077th

    Auxiliary lights should be wired using relays.

    [​IMG]
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  4. Yeah,,a relay should be used. HRP
     

  5. Very old 70's .
     
  6. Morgan91
    Joined: Sep 12, 2010
    Posts: 560

    Morgan91
    Member
    from Australia

    Yeah use a relay and a 25-30 amp fuse, and try and find what's caused the short. No matter what size fuse you have a dead short will blow it.


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    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  7. That might be the dead short and you always need a relay with any high powered halogens.
     
  8. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    You must obey Ohms law here, Watts/volts=amps

    so assuming that the bulbs are 55 watt, you have 110/12 = 9 amps. Throw in some wire run and connection resistance and call it 12 to 15 Amp draw, so 20 amp should cover it nicely. And the closer to the load the relay is the better off you are.
     
  9. I agree. You need a relay.
     
  10. 59Apachegail
    Joined: Apr 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,504

    59Apachegail
    Member
    from New York

    Thanks all,

    I will wire it and post my outcome
     
  11. mart3406
    Joined: May 31, 2009
    Posts: 3,055

    mart3406
    Member
    from Canada

    -----------------
    Yeah..'back in day', 1970's vintage
    fog lights were "traditional" on
    almost all '64 and older era hot
    rods and customs, don't cha' know!

    Mart3406
    ============
     
  12. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    So the ones I am running that were on my fathers 36 Chevy in 1945 are not traditional???
     
  13. Morgan91
    Joined: Sep 12, 2010
    Posts: 560

    Morgan91
    Member
    from Australia

    Think you missed the "very old 70's" bit they aren't saying all fog lights aren't traditional


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  14. Heck,for some of the younger guys here I would think the seventy's seem like ancient history. :D HRP
     
  15. 59Apachegail
    Joined: Apr 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,504

    59Apachegail
    Member
    from New York

    70s... Older than me :)
     
  16. Morgan91
    Joined: Sep 12, 2010
    Posts: 560

    Morgan91
    Member
    from Australia

    I'm 22 so 70's is before I was born haha


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  17. 59Apachegail
    Joined: Apr 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,504

    59Apachegail
    Member
    from New York

    Ok now I feel like the old one!
     
  18. 59Apachegail
    Joined: Apr 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,504

    59Apachegail
    Member
    from New York

    Bringing this one back from the dead before a whole year is up. I hate to be one of those people who brings dead threads back but I think it is worse when you never post an outcome so here goes:

    I finally got this one beat... Thanks to everyone for the help and feedback! I did something very close to what mashed posted. I picked up: a per-wired 30/40amp relay, a 20 amp fused switch, 20 amp inline fuse and wired it up. The battery power on Relay prong 30 went to my head light switch. The supply on the switch went to accy on the ignition. I am not great at wiring so these diagrams I found on google made it really simple for me to understand:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2014
  19. cool37
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,872

    cool37
    Member
    from SoCal

    I'm connecting a single fog light to a toggle...on the last diagram above..does the line at the "off" on the toggle to the ignition need a fuse as well ?
     
  20. cool37
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,872

    cool37
    Member
    from SoCal

  21. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
    Member

    It comes from the fusebox, in theory, from a fused circuit (typically Accessory circuit that only lets the fog light run with ignition on). The draw is only enough to run the indicator light and the relay.

    So an extra fuse inline won't hurt but is probably not needed. Just make sure your connections are good and the wires don't rub.
     
  22. cool37
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,872

    cool37
    Member
    from SoCal

  23. David Gersic
    Joined: Feb 15, 2015
    Posts: 2,730

    David Gersic
    Member
    from DeKalb, IL

    Your question doesn't make sense.

    In the diagram, power comes from the fuse panel, and is switched on/off by the toggle switch.

    What part of this are you asking about?
     
  24. cool37
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,872

    cool37
    Member
    from SoCal

    In some of the diagrams I've seen there has been an inline fuse from the power source to the toggle. I was assuming the power was coming from the ignition switch in the diagram.
     
  25. Jimmy2car
    Joined: Nov 26, 2003
    Posts: 1,707

    Jimmy2car
    Member
    from No. Cal

    No fuse is needed
     

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