PIAA Fog lamp Wiring.

[Darkbloodmon]

Reaching out since im out of my element on this one. I snagged a steal of a deal on a Road Armor Stealth Bumper for my 03.

I'd like to wire the PIAA fog set that came with it to my factory lamp connectors. They sell a harness kit that supports lamps up to 85 watts for this fog lamp set but it uses a stand alone independent switch.

I currently have a cheap amazon LED fog set that was plug and play to the OEM male fog lamp connectors. My line of thought in making the PIAAs work was to snip the pig tails off the cheap amazon lamps and wire the power and ground into the female connector(Pig tail snip) for both lamp pairs (PIAA) and just plug my factory connector into it. I was looking over the wiring for the fog lamp relay and wiring system in my FSM. The Fog lamp circuit has a 15amp fuse.

Anyone foresee any issues with this? I'm keen to learn.

Side note for those with keen eyes. This bumper is for 06+ trucks with the later model headlight design. I still have some adjustment on the brackets to slide it down a bit to clear, if not; I'm no stranger to cutting and tucking some metal.

 

[Ozymandias]

Incandescent lights? I'd think twice going back to the stone age.

Just had to drive a friend's truck with these candles. Jeeezh..

 

[CVR222NV]

Incandescent lights? I'd think twice going back to the stone age.

Just had to drive a friend's truck with these candles. Jeeezh..

I agree with Ozy. I purchased my Buckstop Bumper with 4 Rigid LED's - two flood on the outside holes and two spots in the center holes. Mine are 2"x4" and throw some serious white light down range. I'll never go back. My fogs were plug and play to the original fog light harness on my truck. The spots are wired to my Switch-Pro switch. Looks like Rigid has round lights and I'm sure that there are other manufacturers out there although I went with Rigid because of their use and reputation on offroad racing trucks.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

As luck would have it none of the fog lamps work, just the cheap light bar does.

Seller: "They worked before I took the bumper off"

I'll be needing some new lamps anyways....

Looks like Rigid has round lights and I'm sure that there are other manufacturers out there although I went with Rigid because of their use and reputation on offroad racing trucks.

Any recommendations besides rigid? A full four set is looking to run me alot more than what I got the bumper for ($750). Not looking to go crazy with lights. The meat and potatoes for me is the bumper and I still have some fab work to add on to it recycling sections of my current grille guard.

I'll start scouring market place for rolled mall crawling jeeps being parted out with decent lights.

 

[Ozymandias]

There is very little crap available in this area from what I have learned.

Check out for example the Nilight Brand if you find something adequate there. I've several of them and they are good.

It would help to know the diameter of the desired light.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

There is very little crap available in this area from what I have learned.

Check out for example the Nilight Brand if you find something adequate there. I've several of them and they are good.

It would help to know the diameter of the desired light.

4", PIAA had a typo from their website should be 3 - 15/16"

 

[CVR222NV]

As luck would have it none of the fog lamps work, just the cheap light bar does.

Seller: "They worked before I took the bumper off"

I'll be needing some new lamps anyways....



Any recommendations besides rigid? A full four set is looking to run me alot more than what I got the bumper for ($750). Not looking to go crazy with lights. The meat and potatoes for me is the bumper and I still have some fab work to add on to it recycling sections of my current grille guard.

I'll start scouring market place for rolled mall crawling jeeps being parted out with decent lights.

I have Rigid lights out the front, in the bed, and out the back. While I don't have any detailed knowledge on the trail experience with other manufacturers they do seem to be pretty robust to Ozy's point. I just don't have any experience with these manufacturers. Looks like you need a winch!

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Looks like you need a winch!

Not sure if I need one or just want one. If a 12K lb winch spontaneously appeared in that spot, I wouldn't be able to resist finding an excuse to use it and id eventually get myself in trouble. I did pick up a nice industrial moving strap bundle from a fab company that was rotating some equipment out.

Priorities for now are getting it mounted and lighted. It being used I've got to find alot of the pieces, specs, and hardware.

 

[Ozymandias]

Okay so you are looking for 100mm - 10cm Lights then.

I think most lights labeled as 4" are actually 10cm.

Even HELLAs I see for just 40$ each.

Endless possibilities https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-m&q=led+fog+4"+round&oq=led+fog+4"+round&aqs=heirloom-srp..0l1

 

[CVR222NV]

Not sure if I need one or just want one. If a 12K lb winch spontaneously appeared in that spot, I wouldn't be able to resist finding an excuse to use it and id eventually get myself in trouble. I did pick up a nice industrial moving strap bundle from a fab company that was rotating some equipment out.

Priorities for now are getting it mounted and lighted. It being used I've got to find alot of the pieces, specs, and hardware.

Yeah it depends if you do much off roading. Winches are like insurance. There when you need it. If you do get one I would stuff as big a winch in there as possible. Mine is 16,500 Warn. Our trucks weigh a lot! And get a heavy duty snatch block to double your line pull.

 

[seafish]

PIAA incandescent lights weren’t even that high quality when their competition was other incandescents. I’d take something made by Hella any day of the week over some ancient PIAA flood lights.
That said some of the newer LED systems are bombproof.

 

[AH64ID]

Before you spend any money or time on lights I’d see about getting that bumper to mount up with the wrong body lines. It may be a moot point.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Even HELLAs I see for just 40$ each.

Endless possibilities https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-m&q=led+fog+4"+round&oq=led+fog+4"+round&aqs=heirloom-srp..0l1

I’d take something made by Hella any day of the week over some ancient PIAA flood lights.

I totally overlooked Hella, thank you.

Before you spend any money or time on lights I’d see about getting that bumper to mount up with the wrong body lines. It may be a moot point.

I've gotta figure out the hardware situation first. I looked up the install manual from the mfg. online and its all in SAE out of spite of "Import products", My head works in metric with this truck.

Never the less it will fit, as anything does when you have a cut off wheel and grind discs. I'm not a vain man when it comes to body work.

 

[Ozymandias]

And a welder

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Yes an '06 late model body style bumper for 3rd gens will fit on an '03 early body style with minor plastic trimming and no welding.

Anyone see any issue with my headlight wiring plan before I order something and set fire to my truck after wiring it up?

 

[User113]

Need more information to answer the direct wiring question.

On a nominal 12v system calculated at 15v, a 15A fuse is good for delivering 225W. But calculated at the nominal 12v is good for only 180W. I don't know what voltage the power is rated at for automotive bulbs, but there is probably some ISO or SAE standard somewhere that specifies.

The PIAA website lists the 13455 bulb as "H3 55W Halogen Single Bulb" and also indicates "H3 55W=85W Halogen Bulb." https://www.piaa.com/store/p/607-H3-Clear-Halogen-Bulb-Xtra-55w-3200K-Single-Pack.aspx I don't know what 55W=85W means, either.

If the bulbs actually draw 55W at 15v, then you'd be OK running all 4, but if they draw 85W, it might be too much.

If you go with LED lights, you will probaby be OK, since often the advertised power for LED bulbs are listed for the equivalent light output of halogen or incandescent bulbs. Also, on Amazon listings, the power listed in the titles are often for both lights in a pair.

If you really want to be safe, though, you should consider using the stock fog lamp signal to trigger a relay so you don't have to worry about it. That puts less stress on your stock power management system (TIPM, ECM, etc.) while retaining the convenience of using the stock fog lamp switch.

 

[Ozymandias]

Stock light circuits are regulated voltage from what I know, showing some 12.8V or so no matter what the Alternator does at the same time.
But maybe that's the newer ones, I haven't measured my circuits.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

I went with Hella Black Magic 3.2" Floods and 3.2" Spots. 40W on both the flood and spot pair.

If you really want to be safe, though, you should consider using the stock fog lamp signal to trigger a relay so you don't have to worry about it. That puts less stress on your stock power management system (TIPM, ECM, etc.) while retaining the convenience of using the stock fog lamp switch.

So I'd be using the included lamp harness with its relay triggered by the fog lamp switch wire? and just put a female plug to the OE fog lamp wire harness connector for the fog lamp set?

I'll read through the instructions for both lamps first and post the details when they get here. The links above to Hella are alot more detailed than PIAA on the specifications.

 

[User113]

If it includes its own relay, then that's the way to go. According to the web page it comes with a relay AND a switch. You most likely can wire it up still to use the stock switch even if the included instructions don't show you that option.

However, if you want to be able to turn the fogs separate from the spots, you might want additional switches.

 

[User113]

Stock light circuits are regulated voltage from what I know, showing some 12.8V or so no matter what the Alternator does at the same time.
But maybe that's the newer ones, I haven't measured my circuits.

That's probably only newer trucks. Ours are still somewhat primitive. B(+) is regulated, but only as needed for the desired charging voltage. I wasn't able to see anywhere that the IPM does any sort of additional voltage regulating.

The '04 FSM points out that the instrument cluster monitors the multiplexed headlamp switch and transmits a J1850 bus message to the "Front Control Module (FCM)" to control the "front fog lamp relay" (as if there's maybe a side or rear or bottom fog lamp relay too?). The relay itself is located in the "Power Distribution Center (PDC)" and the manual adds: "The common feed terminal (30) receives battery voltage at all times from a fuse in the PDC through a fused B(+) circuit." (Emphasis added.) Just to make things more obtuse, the Integrated Power Module (IPM) is a combination of the PDC and the FCM. "All of the current from the battery and the generator output enters the integrated power module via a stud on the top of the module." And that's why you can't control fog or other accessory lights directly from the headlight switch like you could on the really old school electrical systems. (Why didn't they do that for the blower motor instead of running ALL the motor current through the ignition switch?)