Adding lights without switches?

[A Sober Animal]

So because the high beams on my 2020 JLU are pretty terrible, I'm looking to add in a couple of 6" KC Daylighters Spot lights (or something similar) that can be used to to compliment my high beams. My jeep does not have any aux switches, so I'm wondering if it's possible to just add in lights and wire them directly into the high-beam wires so that they only turn on when I am turning on my high-beams.

Is something like this even possible to do, or do I need some sort of switch bank to power the lights? The Mopar aux switch is $400, and I know I'd need to also pay for the flash install at a dealership afterwards, which would run the cost of adding in lights just shy of 1k. I also plan on adding a winch over the winter, but hoping I won't need a switch for that as well. Pretty new to all of this electrical stuff that needs to be done.

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[Chocolate Thunder]

No, you can’t wire auxiliary lights to your high beams. You’ll need a switch. You can wire a winch directly to the battery and that doesn’t require any external switch.

 

[JoeValkIS]

You can do that but you may get in trouble a lot until you unhook them. Typically, add-on lights are not DOT approved and if you were caught with them on (even just with high beam), you cuold get a ticket.

Also, you do not want to simply tie into the wires for the high beam lights. The added draw on the fuse may be more than it can handle and up sizing the fuse is not the right answer either as the wire may not be able to handle the added current.

If you want to add the lights to come on with the high beams, wire a relay in with the high beam circuit. The draw on the relay coil is fairly low and will not affect the overall operation of the lights. You would then wire the contacts side of the relay to a power source (battery, spare fuse, Aux fuse location (since you don't have the Aux Switches). that way, when the relay is energized, the lights come on and are powered from a good source (and properly fused for the application, hopefully).

Hope this helps you out a little.

 

[Htfan]

So because the high beams on my 2020 JLU are pretty terrible, I'm looking to add in a couple of 6" KC Daylighters Spot lights (or something similar) that can be used to to compliment my high beams. My jeep does not have any aux switches, so I'm wondering if it's possible to just add in lights and wire them directly into the high-beam wires so that they only turn on when I am turning on my high-beams.

Is something like this even possible to do, or do I need some sort of switch bank to power the lights? The Mopar aux switch is $400, and I know I'd need to also pay for the flash install at a dealership afterwards, which would run the cost of adding in lights just shy of 1k. I also plan on adding a winch over the winter, but hoping I won't need a switch for that as well. Pretty new to all of this electrical stuff that needs to be done.

I'm assuming you have halogen headlights because you described them as terrible. If so, why not replace them with aftermarket LED units or like many of us replace just the halogen bulbs with an appropriate LED bulb designed for halogen housings? The light output is significantly better with a decent cutoff so you are not blinding people.

Unless you are thinking of off road situations... Then I understand the need for additional spot lights.

 

[jlewissystem]

Not sure how "talented" you are with wiring, but i bet you could put together something with a relay and use the high-beam power wire as the "switch". I would think that you could wire-tap the power-wire on the high-beam and wire the rest. I have done similar wiring, but not this exact thing.

 

[A Sober Animal]

No, you can’t wire auxiliary lights to your high beams. You’ll need a switch. You can wire a winch directly to the battery and that doesn’t require any external switch.

Good to know about the winch.

You can do that but you may get in trouble a lot until you unhook them. Typically, add-on lights are not DOT approved and if you were caught with them on (even just with high beam), you cuold get a ticket.

Also, you do not want to simply tie into the wires for the high beam lights. The added draw on the fuse may be more than it can handle and up sizing the fuse is not the right answer either as the wire may not be able to handle the added current.

If you want to add the lights to come on with the high beams, wire a relay in with the high beam circuit. The draw on the relay coil is fairly low and will not affect the overall operation of the lights. You would then wire the contacts side of the relay to a power source (battery, spare fuse, Aux fuse location (since you don't have the Aux Switches). that way, when the relay is energized, the lights come on and are powered from a good source (and properly fused for the application, hopefully).

Hope this helps you out a little.

Can you elaborate a bit more about a relay? I have pretty limited electrical knowledge here, so not sure what you mean by this - would the lights essentially be wired to the battery and a fuse, and then when the high-beams come on they would come on as well, with the relay tied in to the high-beam wire?

I'm assuming you have halogen headlights because you described them as terrible. If so, why not replace them with aftermarket LED units or like many of us replace just the halogen bulbs with an appropriate LED bulb designed for halogen housings? The light output is significantly better with a decent cutoff so you are not blinding people.

No, I have the LED lights - the headlights are fine, but the high beams are terrible - I feel that they just extend the headlights upwards, providing no real additional distance. My hope is to add in long spot lights that would be helpful to spot deer when driving on remote roads/freeways.

Not sure how "talented" you are with wiring, but i bet you could put together something with a relay and use the high-beam power wire as the "switch". I would think that you could wire-tap the power-wire on the high-beam and wire the rest. I have done similar wiring, but not this exact thing.

Not talented at all - I would prefer to take a more expensive option and buy something versus having to complete complicated wiring/electrical work. The more I think about this, I may end up taking this into a shop to complete, just trying to understand what parts I'll need to bring in with me.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

For what you want I’d suggest you get a pair of Baja Designs Squadron Pro spot lights and install them independent of your headlights altogether. You can use any inexpensive switch that you like mounted wherever you want it. They’ll provide plenty of light far downfield. Note that these are NOT road legal and will blind anyone incoming unbelievably. But you’ll see deer 2 counties away.

 

[X99104]

I'm not condoning what you wanting to do but this would the diagram for a relay. Each light would need a relay. Better to run one switch to all of the relays instead of using your headlight wire.
Andy

On edit, this isn't a good idea with LED headlights since the resistance would possibly cause Light out warnings and possible fuse blowing.
Rough Country makes a decent 6 switch panel https://www.quadratec.com/p/rough-country/mlc-6-multiple-light-controller-wrangler-jl/lower-70964 It is a fairly easy install and isolates your Aux lighting from Jeep wiring. (No Warranty Concerns)

 

[Dkretden]

OP:

I have the aux switches and it still took me 25 questions on here to get myself ready to do a simple job. I am actually quite handy but when it comes to car electrical, I turn into an 8-year old. These JLs are not my old 1973 Ford Maverick.

if You are good with Vehicle electrical, you should add a switch block— it doesn’t need to be the Mopar one. If you are not good with vehicle electric- or just not comfortable doing it - you should pay a shop to do it for you. Then, you can likely ask those same 25 questions on this board about wiring the lights to the switchblock and wire the lights yourself. Switchblock=shop, lights to switch=you.

people on this board are amazingly talented and helpful. Ask lots of questions and folks WILL help.

as it relates to the winch, you don’t need a switch.... you can wire directly to the battery.... (the winch has a switch on it or the control unit) UNLESS you would prefer not to have a long wire, full of juice 100% of the time, on the front of your bumper. If you would prefer NOT to have a big, hot wire out there, you can use an aux switch (or a switch block you have added) to trigger something like the Warn power interrupt kit — press the switch and power flows to the winch. Turn the switch off and no power is going to that winch. In the event of an accident, having no power at the winch might be safer. Opinions vary.

if you are looking for lights, I really like the Mopar 7” or 5” depending on what you want. Simple wiring harness (designed to go to the aux switches or other fused switchblock). They are quality lights.

 

[zrickety]

As @JoeValkIS said, you only need a relay. I believe the one relay is enough for a pair of KC lights. They typically send what you need in the box. You run the coil to ground and the high beam, the other contacts to the lights and battery. It won't hurt the high beams at all to power the coil. If you want to add a switch you can, but it's not necessary.

 

[JoeValkIS]

You mentioned that the high beams light everything up but the road...have you adjusted your headlight aim yet? After I took delivery of my Rubicon with LEDs, I adjusted the headlights down almost a full turn. I have no issues see with high or low beams now.

 

[Dave928]

you also want to look into the lighting laws in your state, if you care. there's a reason your fog lights go off when your high beams come on.

 

[Goosed]

Getting through the firewall on the JL (especially with the manual trans) is a PITA. So this info is good.

But honestly my best money spent was on the Oracle oculus LED headlights. Much better than the halogen, same as the LED stock lights for low beam, high beam does throw further than stock LED. Maybe consider routing your cash flow that way.

Or replace your fogs with some spot directional LED lights. Not sure if rigid has brackets for the JL to retrofit some cubes or not.

 

[A Sober Animal]

For what you want I’d suggest you get a pair of Baja Designs Squadron Pro spot lights and install them independent of your headlights altogether. You can use any inexpensive switch that you like mounted wherever you want it. They’ll provide plenty of light far downfield. Note that these are NOT road legal and will blind anyone incoming unbelievably. But you’ll see deer 2 counties away.

Yes, this is exactly my desire - deer 2 counties away. Love it.

You mentioned that the high beams light everything up but the road...have you adjusted your headlight aim yet? After I took delivery of my Rubicon with LEDs, I adjusted the headlights down almost a full turn. I have no issues see with high or low beams now.

I'll try adjusting them tonight - I haven't had any issues with my normal headlights, but hopefully this will yield some improvement.

It sounds like, in general, my best bet is going to be spending another few hundred dollars on a switch. I already had my eye on the ProComp SS6 switch, so I think I'll just get that along with whatever lights I decide on. That also gives me the benefit of being able to keep my winch powered only when I'm using it. I'll most likely just have a shop install everything as I don't want to mess up the electrical on my jeep.

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