Common Power? Common Ground?

[EHerrling]

I am putting in three LED switches in my OH console to control aux. driving lights, fog lights and back up lights. I am running all three switches to relays that will control the power for the lights. I am installing an aux fuse block under the knee panel and want to know if I can power all three switches off of a common power lead or do I need to run three separate leads? Also, can I attach all three grounds to a common ground? Finally, I am using 18ga wire to the switches for power, ground and the connection to the relay, but will be using 12ga for all of the power to the lights and relays. Is that enough? I am trying to save space and make my wiring job as easy as possible. Thanks in advance.

 

[Scrappy]

as long as you want the lights to work in the same conditions (I. E. all with key on only)

they can share power wires. and they can share grounds any way you want them to work. the wiring size sounds more than adequate for what you are doing.

 

[McLaughlin]

Don't know if the overhead console is like my 97 which has a metal bracket mated to the roof but if you do, you should be able to tie the grounds to a common point on the metal bracket and not even run a ground return wire.

 

[Pawpaw]

All grounds are common. There's only one ground in your truck... the truck itself.



Since you're only using them to trigger relays, there should be no problem with powering the switches from a single source.



Bob

 

[ohnoitsyu]

Regarding the 12 gauge to all the lights, we need to know how many lights and the power they require.