DIY: Fog Light Install and Wiring
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I've seen a lot of posts with people asking how to wire their fog lights, so I thought I'd just make a write up. Hope this helps somebody!
Here is the simplest way to wire them. You can just throw away the wiring harness that came with them if you'd like...That's what I did.
Connect the two positive terminals of the fog lights together and attach a wire to them that will go into the car (I routed the wire over my passenger tire and in through a rubber grommet). Next attach a wire to the positive terminal of your battery and wire in line with a 30Amp fuse (Amperage value may be different depending on how much current you draw.)
Amps = Watts/Volts
I chose 30 just because it's a common fuse even though it's overkill. You may also choose to use a circuit breaker instead of a fuse so that you can just reset it instead of buying another fuse. (you can get them at autozone or a hardware store.)
Wire both of these +12v wires to the corresponding terminals of your relay. It will be something like +12v supply and +12v output.
A small explanation of a relay: The reason for a relay is that most simple switches aren't capable of handling high current loads; A relay is. It is a double switch that, when turned on, closes the gate and allows high current power to flow from the source terminal the output terminal.
Next you will need to ground your relay and connect a wire that will supply the low current voltage to turn the relay on and off. You may choose to have this on/off wire connected to your headlights/parking lights, in which case just splice into the corresponding wire under the dash, or you may choose to have a switch so you can have your fogs on whenever you like (no headlights, low beams, high beams.)
If you choose to wire to a switch there are two options. You can either have the switch wired directly to the battery, in which case you'll need another wire to run to the engine bay, or you can splice into a wire that is only hot (carrying a voltage) when the car is on. I recommend the latter so you don't accidentally leave your fog lights on when the car is off and drain your battery.
As far as wiring the switch, simply connect two adjacent terminals (if the switch has terminals like the one below.) In the picture below the top wire doesn't actually need to be connected to anything. This switch works by connecting the bottom two pins together in one toggle mode, and in the other mode it conects the top 2 pins. So the pin that isn't going directly into the relay needs to either be wired to the battery or to a wire that is only hot when the car is on, as mentioned above. This supply voltage doesn't necessarily have to be +5V. It just needs to be what your relay is rated for. If you buy one at radioshack or some such store, there will be a wiring diagram on the back that will tell you.
After this is all done, you should be able to fire those puppies up! Good Luck!
Here is the simplest way to wire them. You can just throw away the wiring harness that came with them if you'd like...That's what I did.
Connect the two positive terminals of the fog lights together and attach a wire to them that will go into the car (I routed the wire over my passenger tire and in through a rubber grommet). Next attach a wire to the positive terminal of your battery and wire in line with a 30Amp fuse (Amperage value may be different depending on how much current you draw.)
Amps = Watts/Volts
I chose 30 just because it's a common fuse even though it's overkill. You may also choose to use a circuit breaker instead of a fuse so that you can just reset it instead of buying another fuse. (you can get them at autozone or a hardware store.)
Wire both of these +12v wires to the corresponding terminals of your relay. It will be something like +12v supply and +12v output.
A small explanation of a relay: The reason for a relay is that most simple switches aren't capable of handling high current loads; A relay is. It is a double switch that, when turned on, closes the gate and allows high current power to flow from the source terminal the output terminal.
Next you will need to ground your relay and connect a wire that will supply the low current voltage to turn the relay on and off. You may choose to have this on/off wire connected to your headlights/parking lights, in which case just splice into the corresponding wire under the dash, or you may choose to have a switch so you can have your fogs on whenever you like (no headlights, low beams, high beams.)
If you choose to wire to a switch there are two options. You can either have the switch wired directly to the battery, in which case you'll need another wire to run to the engine bay, or you can splice into a wire that is only hot (carrying a voltage) when the car is on. I recommend the latter so you don't accidentally leave your fog lights on when the car is off and drain your battery.
As far as wiring the switch, simply connect two adjacent terminals (if the switch has terminals like the one below.) In the picture below the top wire doesn't actually need to be connected to anything. This switch works by connecting the bottom two pins together in one toggle mode, and in the other mode it conects the top 2 pins. So the pin that isn't going directly into the relay needs to either be wired to the battery or to a wire that is only hot when the car is on, as mentioned above. This supply voltage doesn't necessarily have to be +5V. It just needs to be what your relay is rated for. If you buy one at radioshack or some such store, there will be a wiring diagram on the back that will tell you.
After this is all done, you should be able to fire those puppies up! Good Luck!
Last edited by Lord ET; 02-27-2008 at 02:30 PM. Reason: new drawing
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https://www.civicforums.com/forums/2...-s-p-help.html
the thread that inspired this write up, and some more questions that have been answered
the thread that inspired this write up, and some more questions that have been answered
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subscribed- got my fogs a few months ago and with college and work I have zero time to do it and don't wanna pay for a shop to do it. this looks like it will help when i get around to it, thanks.
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i was reading this...
http://forums.clubsi.com/ubbthreads....167244/fpart/1
is there any difference between wiring 7th gen and 8th gen?
http://forums.clubsi.com/ubbthreads....167244/fpart/1
is there any difference between wiring 7th gen and 8th gen?
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i've been following the instructions from here.. http://handaaccessories.com/civic/04-civfogex.pdf
the wiring instructions are fine except for the interior. the replica fog light switch harness is much simpler than the one in the pdf. here's the diagram
the only thing i'm stumped with is what to do with the positive lead?
the wiring instructions are fine except for the interior. the replica fog light switch harness is much simpler than the one in the pdf. here's the diagram
the only thing i'm stumped with is what to do with the positive lead?
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To the battery or power source (fuse box). That diagram is a little misleading compared to the one above. The difference is that imageshack img you posted of the instructions does not have the fuse going to the relay, but directly to the switch.
Just like in this picture:
Just like in this picture:
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so i unscrewed the fuse box and pulled it down. there's only 1 place the fog light 1 pin connector can fit (size wise and pin). i tried for a long time, but it just wont fully plug in. i just want to double check that's the place. i think it says U next to it. i think the plastic part of the connector is a little off. should i take it off of the fog light harness?
Last edited by yingjai; 04-13-2008 at 08:13 PM.
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That looks right, but take a look at the plastic panel you pulled off and look at what the fuse box map says- I think its accessory or fog... I cant remember with out running across campus to look (got paper to write tonight). Take a pic of the map and I'll point it out
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i think the brown plastic plug was off by 1mm, so the wire could not clip onto the pin on the fuse box. i took it apart and clipped the wire onto the pin directly. however, when i turned my lights on, nothing happened. even the led on the switch did not turn on. i grounded the 2 wires to the car and i thought the fuse on the harness was all i needed. is there another fuse i have to place onto the fuse box itself?
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bump.
the problem is not solved. i am not the only one with non-functional foglights since someone pm'ed me about this.
i have the whole harness hooked up to the fuse box and grounded inside and outside. i believe there is only 1 single pin slot that the foglight harness should fit (though mine did not have a perfect fit and i had to tear the plug apart). the fog light switch and the fogs do not light up no matter what. is there a fuse that i have to plug into the fuse box or is it just the one on the harness itself? or did i plug it into the wrong slot on the fuse box?
the problem is not solved. i am not the only one with non-functional foglights since someone pm'ed me about this.
i have the whole harness hooked up to the fuse box and grounded inside and outside. i believe there is only 1 single pin slot that the foglight harness should fit (though mine did not have a perfect fit and i had to tear the plug apart). the fog light switch and the fogs do not light up no matter what. is there a fuse that i have to plug into the fuse box or is it just the one on the harness itself? or did i plug it into the wrong slot on the fuse box?
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