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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 09:43 PM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
KC lights wiring question

hey yall- so i got the DIY kit from KC lights because i had two that needed wiring. (obviously). http://www.kchilites.com/accessories...-diy-2-lights/ anyways, i wired em all up, got the switch in, and.......nothing. weird as it sounds, this didnt suprise me. nothing ever works on the first try haha. anyways, i have a little power checker deal, so i used it to check power to the switch. good. then i checked the power to the lights. good. however, the lights didnt come on. the lights were good, checked em on the battery. im pretty sure the ground is good too, because i grounded my welder to the light mounts, where the lights are currently grounded. im no wiring expert so any help would be awesome. thanks yall!
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 10:05 PM
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From: I live in New Tripoli Pa out in the woods
Red face

Try running a jumper wire from the battery negative to the black wire coming from the lights.

I am betting you have a bad ground.

If these lights sat around or were on the truck not hooked up it is possible that connections corroded.

Maybe a bad connection where the positive wire is connected to the lights.

Try your ground connection if need be ground direct to the battery or make a new ground new hole new bolt copper never seize
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 10:09 PM
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Prolly a bad ground.
Do you have the switch grounded?
If you only have two lights all you need to run is a 30Amp fuse and a toggle switch rated for 30+ amps.. then some 8 gauge wire..
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 10:10 PM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
yea i was thinking bad ground as well. didnt have time to check the ground directly to the battery. by connections you mean inside the light? because i did test them on the battery and they fired right up. im 98% sure the positive to the lights is good. thanks for the reply!
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 10:11 PM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
Originally Posted by peow130
Prolly a bad ground.
Do you have the switch grounded?
If you only have two lights all you need to run is a 30Amp fuse and a toggle switch rated for 30+ amps.. then some 8 gauge wire..
yea the switch is grounded, and thats a good ground. theres a 20A fuse in the supply wire from the switch to the battery, supplied by the kit. heres the instructions i followed...more or less...http://www.kchilites.com/wp-content/...01-Harness.pdf
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 10:21 PM
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From: Spokane, WA
Whoa 20Amp?
My KC kit came with a 30Amp fuse inline, where it attaches to the battery.
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 11:03 PM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
well i might give the 35A fuse i have in my train horn a try, se if that does anything
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 11:12 PM
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From: Spokane, WA
Well thats not the problem.
Check the relays..
Check the relay grounds..
Check the connections from the KC's to the relays..
If all else fails, go to Napa and buy 20 feet of 8 gauge wire..
connect the positive one to both positive wires on the lights (in tandem) and the same for the ground... run the ground straight to the negative battery post, the positive to the switch, then to a 30Amp inline fuse, then to the positive terminal on the battery post..

if that doesn't work, then the lights are likely at fault.
And yes, the setup mentioned above is completely fine.. the switch provided with the KC lights is rated at over 30 amps, and will not melt, burst into flames, etc etc.
i've run my truck with the lights on with this exact same setup with no excessive wire heat, or melting.

if you want, i can make a diagram for ya.
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 11:20 PM
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yea the kit didnt come with relays so those arent in there. the lights work, tested em directly on the battery. ill try the grounds again tomorrow, if that doesnt work ill have to give the setup you mentioned a try.
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Old Dec 9, 2010 | 11:27 PM
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From: Spokane, WA
The setup you bought is EXACTLY what i just described, lol.
I would definitely inspect your grounds.
I always had issues with my grounds getting corroded and eventually moved the ground into the cab (when they were on my lightbar) and then onto the battery itself when i put em on the bumper.

Funny, me and bird just got into an argument about this setup.. It appears as though KC is selling the kit i've been using for a long time.
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Old Dec 12, 2010 | 11:07 PM
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From: Spokane, WA
following up, did you get it sorted out?
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 12:08 AM
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From: I live in New Tripoli Pa out in the woods
Red face

Yes it would be interesting to know how you made out??

When I said check your connections I meant all the connections you made.

In the old days I have had crimp on terminals corrode in the box here in damp eastern Pa only to cause things not to work at the worst times.
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 04:55 AM
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From: Bryan Tx,
You really should add in a 30 amp relay.
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 06:02 AM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
yea i went to the hardware store, picked up a 30A relay, added it in, moved the grounds to the frame and they worked. thanks for the help yall
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 11:51 AM
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Meh. It was probably one of the connections that got corroded. Because i know my lights work just fine without that relay lol.
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 11:59 AM
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From: Bryan Tx,
^ good luck with that.
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 01:23 PM
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From: I live in New Tripoli Pa out in the woods
Red face

I don`t know what you would need a relay for either.

unless you wanted to save on the weight of the wire to the switch.you could also then use a switch rated to pull in the coil . I wonder if there is a $$$ advantage to doing it either way.

I very seldom ever used relays hooking up lights
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 01:26 PM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
i used a relay because i didnt want that much power going through the cab and the switch, just taking precautions

Last edited by 87hillbillyoter; Dec 13, 2010 at 02:52 PM.
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 01:53 PM
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From: Bryan Tx,
Originally Posted by 87hillbillyoter
i used a wire because i didnt want that much power going through the cab and the switch just taking precautions
I always use relays for the same reason. Relays are meant to handle the load, most switches aren't and maybe it is just me but the switches that are rated to handle the load are bulky and ugly.
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Old Dec 13, 2010 | 02:52 PM
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From: N. Lake Tahoe/Chico CA
Originally Posted by yotarob2005
I always use relays for the same reason. Relays are meant to handle the load, most switches aren't and maybe it is just me but the switches that are rated to handle the load are bulky and ugly.
yea i know what you mean. oh and i meant relay not wire haha
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