rocker switch wiring for lights

[yak67]

Okay, up front, I'm not an electrical guy at all, so my question is this. I want to convert my headlight switch to a rocker style switch. How do I go about doing this? Looking at the stock switch there are several wires going into it. How do I wire all that up to a rocker switch? Thanks

 

[Viperwolf1]

It won't be that simple. The stock switch can handle a lot of current and has internal circuit breakers. You'll need to add circuit protection and headlight relays (or get a really big, high current rocker switch) first. Also the stock switch provides power to the brake switch and dash and dome lights.

The big black-orange wire is the 12V power. It needs a fuse or circuit breaker.
Red-yellow is switched power out to the headlights.
Brown is switched power out to the park lights.
Red is constant power out to the brake switch.
Blue-red is switched power out to the dash lights.
Green-yellow is 12V power in to the cigar lighter.
Blue-white is 12V power out to the cigar lighter.
Black-blue is switched power out to the dome/map lights.
Yellow is constant power out to horn.

 

[yak67]

It won't be that simple. The stock switch can handle a lot of current and has internal circuit breakers. You'll need to add circuit protection and headlight relays (or get a really big, high current rocker switch) first. Also the stock switch provides power to the hazard flasher, brake switch and dash and dome lights.

If all I'm wanting power to is my headlights, parking lights, and dash lights, would that make it more simple. Plan on having my dome light on it's own power. The hazards are wired through there? So are the turn signals too?

 

[Viperwolf1]

If all I'm wanting power to is my headlights, parking lights, and dash lights, would that make it more simple. Plan on having my dome light on it's own power. The hazards are wired through there? So are the turn signals too?

Hazards are not (my mistake) and neither is the turn signal switch. I listed it all above.

 

[yak67]

so would these work for what I'm wanting to do?

http://www.4x4mods.com/Product/Jeep/Rockerswitches/rockerswitch40.html

am I right that I could hook up my head lights, parking lights and dash lights to that same switch? should there be a relay between each item served and the switch? Help please;D

 

[Viperwolf1]

so would these work for what I'm wanting to do?

http://www.4x4mods.com/Product/Jeep/Rockerswitches/rockerswitch40.html

am I right that I could hook up my head lights, parking lights and dash lights to that same switch? should there be a relay between each item served and the switch? Help please;D

They'll work. If you use headlight relays you can run them (relays), the dash and the park lights on the same switch. The relays will take most of the current load off the switch and the rest of the lights don't use much current at all.

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

You'd also lose the rheostat for the dash lights ("dimmer"), so your intrument panel will be at full brightness all the time.

 

[yak67]

in the system, where would the head light relays go? between the fuse block and head lights, or fuse block and switch, or am I way off on both of those? as I said, electrical is not my thing, unless it's all layed out with directions, thank goodness for Centech, I do have good wiring to work with, only a couple few years old.

 

[Viperwolf1]

in the system, where would the head light relays go? between the fuse block and head lights, or fuse block and switch, or am I way off on both of those? as I said, electrical is not my thing, unless it's all layed out with directions, thank goodness for Centech, I do have good wiring to work with, only a couple few years old.

Between the dimmer switch and the headlights. These wire colors may not match the centech colors though.

 

[yak67]

has anybody done this?