Tapping into badge lighting

[SillySaxon]

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_9q...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_9q...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_9q...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_9q...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_9q...it?usp=sharing

[soundman98]

sorry, i've been sidetracked the last couple days and haven't made it on here..

the third image looks to show the most detail. if you were to connect to pin #10 on connectors 3 or 4, that would be the signal wire for the relay that controls the badge lighting(always meter it out first-- that pin should have +12v whenever the badge lighting is activated). by connecting to those pins, that should put you in front of the 1A fuse, which should make adding the relay easiest-- adding a relay after the fuse would very likely overload the fuse and burn it out. off the top of my head, most relays have about a 0.25-0.5A current consumption, so it would be more overhead then the fuse should allow.

just know that the above is the relay activation wire.. pin 12 on harness 3 or 4 is the wire that is actually feeding the badges via the relay, but from what i recall, the badges dim out instead of just turn off, so it is possible that the is a computer controlled function, and adding a relay to pin 12 could cause issues with a chattering relay due to the dimming feature.

[SillySaxon]

So if I were to wire up some 12v LED strips, the best bet would be to wire into pin 10 on connector 4. I'm assuming i'd be wiring the positive wires to that pin and i'd be grounding the LED strip to pin 14 on the same connector 4?

From what I can understand it looks like the red wire coming out the relay has a switch, i'm assuming that's what would turn on the badges.
So perhaps the positive LED wire coming from pin 2 on connector 5?

I'm no electrical engineer but i'm trying to make heads of this. I'm planning to add puddle lights which come on with the badges.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by SillySaxon

So if I were to wire up some 12v LED strips, the best bet would be to wire into pin 10 on connector 4. I'm assuming i'd be wiring the positive wires to that pin and i'd be grounding the LED strip to pin 14 on the same connector 4?

correct. as a general rule, just try not to go over 24" of strips.. though i would feel better adding a relay across those wires and getting power stright off the battery.

Originally Posted by SillySaxon

From what I can understand it looks like the red wire coming out the relay has a switch, i'm assuming that's what would turn on the badges.
So perhaps the positive LED wire coming from pin 2 on connector 5?

i really wouldn't recommend connecting anything to any connectors after connectors 3/4. after that, there is a 1 amp fuse on each wire, and the power draw of the original led badges and relay is unknown. it is safest to assume that they draw 75% of 1 amp, leaving little to no room for add-on's.

Originally Posted by SillySaxon

I'm no electrical engineer but i'm trying to make heads of this. I'm planning to add puddle lights which come on with the badges.

i'm not either, i just have an addiction to led's get yourself a volt meter, even a $5 one from harbor freight, and i'll do my best to walk you through whatever you absolutely need to know to get it done.

i've never minded helping people willing to work, just don't make me do all the work for you

[SillySaxon]

Originally Posted by soundman98

correct. as a general rule, just try not to go over 24" of strips.. though i would feel better adding a relay across those wires and getting power stright off the battery.


i really wouldn't recommend connecting anything to any connectors after connectors 3/4. after that, there is a 1 amp fuse on each wire, and the power draw of the original led badges and relay is unknown. it is safest to assume that they draw 75% of 1 amp, leaving little to no room for add-on's.



i'm not either, i just have an addiction to led's get yourself a volt meter, even a $5 one from harbor freight, and i'll do my best to walk you through whatever you absolutely need to know to get it done.

i've never minded helping people willing to work, just don't make me do all the work for you

Ok this all makes sense.
As for the relay you mentioned. I don't know anything about those. I'm assuming it would be something that has power going in directly from the battery and then having the switch run by the relay that already exists inline on the badge system.


I found the relay below.
From the wiring schematic I think I would wire the +12v wire (red) to the battery power,
Then, the Power to Accessories from the Bosh relay (red) to the LED strips
Then, the green "To Switched Power" would connect into the red wire pin on the existing relay for the badge lighting.

[soundman98]

exactly. for future reference, any automotive relay will have the pins labeled as "85, 86, 30, 87, and sometimes 87a.

85 would connect to pin 10 on the oem harness(switched +12v)
86 would connect to pin 12 on the oem harness(ground)

that is the 'activation circuit'.. now, technically the order of these 2 don't matter, just as long as one is connected to a switched +12v and the other is grounded.

pin 30 would connect to the fused wire from the battery(constant power)
pin 87 would connect to the accessory you want to power(output of relay)

otherwise, at the power levels that i would expect the final setup to be at, a cheaper non-automotive relay would work(they aren't labeled the same way, but i can walk you through the terminals on those if needed), though i prefer the automotive ones because they are easier to connect to, and usually have a mounting tab that makes it easier to mount them somewhere in the car.

[SillySaxon]

Originally Posted by soundman98

exactly. for future reference, any automotive relay will have the pins labeled as "85, 86, 30, 87, and sometimes 87a.

85 would connect to pin 10 on the oem harness(switched +12v)
86 would connect to pin 12 on the oem harness(ground)

that is the 'activation circuit'.. now, technically the order of these 2 don't matter, just as long as one is connected to a switched +12v and the other is grounded.

pin 30 would connect to the fused wire from the battery(constant power)
pin 87 would connect to the accessory you want to power(output of relay)

otherwise, at the power levels that i would expect the final setup to be at, a cheaper non-automotive relay would work(they aren't labeled the same way, but i can walk you through the terminals on those if needed), though i prefer the automotive ones because they are easier to connect to, and usually have a mounting tab that makes it easier to mount them somewhere in the car.

Awesome, you really helped me understand this.
Is a 20A relay necessary? What's the best way to calculate what Amperage fuse I need for attached accessories?

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[soundman98]

add up the current rating of each of the devices, and then that is the fuse rating needed. i wouldn't expect it to be much more then 2A..