2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Fog Lamps Power Always Hot

[KBrennan]

I was up grading the fog lights to a pair of Hella 500 FF lights (55 watts each) on my 99 and now they are always on, even with the switch off and disconnected. I tried pulling the relay that is for the fog lights but they were still hot. I had to pull the 15 amp fuse to shut them off. The Haynes book says there are two relays for the fog lights. I only found one. Any thoughts on the location of the second as this must be the problem or any ideas on what I should be looking at? Also if anyone has a decent set of schematics for the Fog Lights that would be a great help. The Haynes schematics are too generic.

 

[B.G. Smith]

The ground side is switched on the 99 as you probably already know. Pulling the relay should put the lights out BUT if the new lights are grounded through the mounting bracket it ain't gonna work unless you can isolate the ground from the housing of the light. bg

 

[KBrennan]

So I can not ground the light out on the housing I have to use the return wire as the gound?

 

[B.G. Smith]

So I can not ground the light out on the housing I have to use the return wire as the gound?

Correcto. bg

 

[KBrennan]

Now aint that the craciest thing. Last time I ran into a circuitlike that was in the Navy and we hated them. We were always chaseing grounds. Thanks, I will give this a try.

 

[B.G. Smith]

If it is hard to isolate the ground on the lights, can use a relay and still make them work from your light switch. bg

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Never did unerstan the change from switched hot to switched ground. There was this dude named Kirchoff (kirchoff's laws) who said its the same in the end… But ground is ground is like a Supreme Being - ever present always the same—never switched. Just my 2¢ - unswitched of course!!!!

 

[KBrennan]

I went with a relay and all is working now. After all that head scratching I a bit more bald on top. Thanks for the help. Now to post my next head scrathcer. When I had the bumper off I found an electrical conector with about 6 wires going to it under the right (Passanger) side headlight. Followed the wires and they join up with the wire loom for the head light. Any idea what that was for?