fog wiring questions....ashtray light not working anymore

[Losiracer2]

I recently found a sweet deal on Lexus fogs at the JY and installed them on my CB7. Two problems.

1. my ashtray light doesn't light up anymore
2. My switch from Autozone has a LED light that signals when its on. It comes on when all the lights are off except for the fogs. But when keep my fogs on and turn on my parking lights/headlights the LED in the switch goes off, even though the fogs are still on.

I wired my foglights like this: black wire from each fog is grounded onto the fenders. Red wire from each fog (2 wires) run through the firewall and directly to the switch. I ran a power wire to pin #1 in the fusebox from the switch. Then I grounded the switch onto the cigarette lighter ground wire. Here's the thing, the cig lighter had 2 black wires coming from it, I cut one of them and spliced it onto the switch's ground wire, but that wire I spliced no longer connects to the lighter anymore so now there's only one black ground for it. Is that why the Switch LED doesn't light up anymore or is it something else?

[preludeman92]

I'd bet the wire you tapped at the cig ligher is not actually a ground.

[4GAccordH22]

^^^ What he said.


You should probably be running a relay as well.

[preludeman92]

And a fuse or two.

[Losiracer2]

oh so the Cig lighter doesn't have a ground there? then what are those two black wires? i thought it was the ground? hmm, where else could i ground the switch then? i'm kinda a newb to this...

[foamypirate]

Your lights are definitely pulling too much current through that switch... You need to hook up a relay ASAP.

[Losiracer2]

Well i'm not noticing any detrimental current losses from anything though, I've got an Escort radar dectector that tells me i'm running at 14.7 v during driving. But doesn't running through pin #1 kinda act like a relay/fuse? i'm confused.

[Losiracer2]

oh the lights are kinda plugged into some connectors, I cut the wires off after the plugs for the foglights so do those act as a the relay?

[JARHEAD293]

lmk when u r ready for a real harness with relays fuse and all

[Losiracer2]

I mean i've got 16 gauge wire running from each fog, I soldered the connection from black to black and red to red, then wrapped each really well w/ electrical tape, so the only reason i'd have to worry about a fire is if they touch right? or should i wire a 15amp fuse on the power wire running from the switch to the Pin on the fusebox?

[tn_accords]

your best bet is to just get a fog light wiring harness from your local auto parts store and just wiring it in that way according to the instructions provided. don't tap into any wires in the car.. run new ground wires.. its always a sure ground.

[Losiracer2]

never mind everyone, i fixed it. Apparently, I did this very late at night, and didn't notice that the wires weren't completing a circuit so therby not lighting up the ashtray and the LED for the switch when the parking/headlights were switched on. It works now, I spliced a ground wire from the switch onto the ground to the cig lighter. so basically i spliced 3 wires with one of those twist on type cone shaped connectors. everything works great now! so thanks for everyones input.