Mounting Fog lights

[Thomas Porter]

Thoughts I'd share my experiences today...

I mounted two 8 inch 100-watt fog/flood lamps on the bull bar of my Delica L300 today, installed a breaker, a relay, and a lit switch.

So...word to the wise. Do not remove the entire winch shield, you don't need to. Just remove the top panel to get started. Be careful not to break the little retainer clips that hold it onto the bull bar supports. Yes, and don't try this when the vehicle is cold - you may crack something...fortunately for me, I had a heated shop to work in today - blizzard outside.

I found that the metal supports underneath the winch cover are a perfect place to drill into for mounting these big foggers. The spacing was right and it's good and solid.

Once the mount holes are drilled through the metal supports, replace the cover and go underneath and mark with a permanent marker through the holes you just drilled into the metal, onto the underside of the winch cover.

Once you have the marks made, remove the winch cover top panel again, turn it upside down to see your pen marks. They will likely fall on the intersection of a plastic support bar on the back side of the panel.

Carefully grind the moulded plastic crossmembers flush with the underside of the panel. Once this is done, put the panel back on the vehicle again and retrace the holes through the metal from underneath.
Once this is done, you can remove it again and safely drill out the in the plastic to match the holes in the metal.

Now is the important piece of info - you must manufacture a spacer that goes between the metal of the brace and the underside of the plastic panel. If you do not, you will tighten up the foglamp bolts from below and the suction down will crack the cover you so carefully marked and drilled.
I made spacers by taking two 1-1/4" washers stacked on top of each other for each side.

I had to grind down the bottom washer a bit to match the slope of the metal support bracket underneath the plastic cover plate. Worked out beautifully I might add.

Now, once the washers/spacers are complete and in place atop the support brackets, carefully replace the plastic winch cover and temporarily use long bolts through the cover, washers and supports to keep everything lined up until you get the lights on.

Oh yeah... I also took the extra precaution to put a piece of foam rubber between the plastic of the cover and the new foglamp base cups to prevent vibration and improve bulb life.

This may not make any sense... I should have taken pictures step by step - but you never think of this when you're experimenting. If I do it again, I'll document the whole thing on camera.

Lastly, you should use an inline fuse or breaker from the battery to the relay - this will be your failsafe if you have a short somewhere. I also installed a relay with a built-in fuse as well. With 4WD vehicles, you can never be too cautious about wires wearing. Use as many fuses as you like and be sure to insulate wire leads from abrasion with something like Lumex or foam...

Also, use a lit switch so you can see that you have your foggers on. I, like many others, couldn't be bothered going into the lighting circuit on the fusebox. I wanted to have the option to have the lights on independantly from the headlights. With the kind of candles we're putting out with this unit now, it was smart to be able to operate them separately from the headlights - don't want any problems with the law...

Anyhooo, if you've got some questions, I'll help you out where I can.
Cheers,
Thomas Porter
http://www.smarterphoto.com

[Green1]

it was smart to be able to operate them separately from the headlights - don't want any problems with the law...

actually... the law states that the headlights MUST be on when the foglights are... (it's a really bad idea in dense fog, and extremely unsafe, but that's what the law says... )

[Adrock]

I was wondering that myself. Might as well just go high beams while we're at it.

[argo]

Fog lights must be wired so that they automatically shut off when high beams are turned on.

[Thomas Porter]

My foggers are only for off-road and for setting up my campsite in the dark. Can't see using them on the highway unless it's really bad out.
Just a simple switch on the dash - on or off. I'm not about to monkey around with other wiring regardless what the fuzz says.
TP
P.S. I can roast a squirrel at 40 yards...

[argo]

Why you no good scofflaw flatlander scoundrel !

Use caution,Those PA squirrels are pretty robust

[Thomas Porter]

Just put a CARR light bar on the top of the cab, right up near the windsheild, with four 110 watt lamps on it. I have room for two more but I think that may be overboard (okay MORE overboard). Besides, I'm kindof thinking about a flashing orange LED bar in the centre for extra fun.
I haven't wired it all up yet, waiting for a warmer day. Anybody else pushing 1000 watts in their front auxiliary lighting? If so, recommendations for wiring relays, isolator blocks, switching servos, etc.
I want a simple, rugged wiring setup but I want it to be safe.
I'm hoping to put a fused relay in for each pair of lights, using an inline breaker too, then straight to the battery.
Thomas
P.S. Argo...what's a dingleberry? Is it a real place or are you one of our true hippie van drivers that lives in it and has a special "garden" he tends in the forest...hoothoot.

[Flex]

[Thomas Porter]

Photos finally, sorry about the delay. haven't posted pix before.
Thomas

[Fanny Bay Delica]

That is a sharp Deli my friend!!!!

[Thomas Porter]

Hey folks,
Any wiring gurus out there?
I'm curious, does anyone have mulitple fog lights on their Deli?
I've just mounted four more 110watt auxiliary fogs on the light bar today.
I want to know how much draw guys are getting when running the whole array.
I have 440 watts on the roof and 200 out front before I turn on the actual headlight.
I am curious about your rig Bruce. How have you dealt with the draw/wiring/relays etc?
Have you run everything at once for any length of time? Are they just for looks maybe?
You've got a pile of them on there from the photos.
Thomas

[crushers]

Photos finally, sorry about the delay. haven't posted pix before.
Thomas

nice ride!!

[Thomas Porter]

Well, I learned what happens when you switch on 700 watts of lights at once. Your breaker lights up light a Christmas tree in Chernobyl.
Sooooo...I'm going to put a 100 amp inline breaker in there tomorrow.
Not cheap, but buring your Delica to the ground isn't cheap either.
The real bitch of it is there's painfully little room in the battery compartment for a big breaker box. It will have to go under the dash at my feet somewhere.
Will keep you posted may fire some pix off when done.
Thomas
P.S. I guess I won't be putting in the other four lamps I wanted.

[crushers]

you might want to read up on the regulations about any lights higher than your head lights, in some provinces it is illegal to have them mounted there, in some they have to have lense covers installed at all times when driving public roads.
just something to consider...
in alberta it is illegal to have them uncovered... in ontario it is illegal to have them there at all (yes, i know. many people do it and get away with it...problem is we are driving units tht catch cops attention and if you live in BC flaunting the law might not be a good thing...)

[Thomas Porter]

Hey Crush,
I have covers too. They look ugly though. I will keep them in my tool box in case I get stopped.
Not too worried though - I was doing the install at Truck Outfitters and who should roll into the next bay beside me but the police!
They were in shock and amazement when they looked over the van. They knew what I was working on but they were more interested in watching a movie in the back of van while their radio was being repaired.
I love Saskatchewan, I know 2/3 of the police here and they just want to go for a ride in the Magic Bus.
Thomas