| Author | Message | ||
     Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 121 Registered: 06-2003 |
Guys (and Gals), I need some help installing my new Hella 500’s to the ARB Bar on my DII. As anything electrical is greek to me, please dumb down responses and assume that I know nothing more than what I provide here in this write up. So far I have “wired” the light housings as instructed by Hella which consists of placing a “blue” ground wire on a small bracket inside the actual light housing as well as wiring a black power wire (I am assuming) from the provided Hella distribution block to the white wire which came already attached on the light housing. (Is it necessary to ground each light? And if so, what’s the best ground? Bumper? Frame? Battery?) There are three other slots on the distribution block, one to be used as the power source (red wire to the battery, I got that right I think), one to be used as the ground (another blue wire, but where is the best place to ground this wire), and a yellow wire that goes to the actual light switch to be mounted in the cab. Regarding the switch in the cab, where is the best place to mount this switch? Or can I use the old factory fog switch? What’s the easiest way to run wires into the cab after choosing which switch to run? I would like to be able to run the lights any time and not have them wired into my highbeams, so which switch should I use? But back to the factory switch, it has 3 prongs on it as well, one for the yellow wire from the hella distribution block, and another to be used as a ground (is it necessary to ground the switch if I have grounded the distribution block as well as each light?), and finally a green chord that is to be tied into the highbeams (per the instructions). If I don’t want to tie into the highbeams (per the green wire instructions), what should I tie this wire into? As I have never wired anything like this before, I am very hesitant about rigging all this stuff up and then either a) electrocuting myself, b) setting my truck on fire, or c) electrocuting myself while my truck burns. So fellow Dweb members, I leave the fate of my Hellas and DII in your hands, please help me… | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 618 Registered: 06-2002 |
Luke, if you have an aftermarket bumper, the easiest way to do it is to wire them to the old fog light wires. The Hella 500's is the same voltage as the old factory fogs so there is no issue with the wires being overloaded and burning them up. In the wheel well, under the shroud on the forward part of it, is the plug that the fogs pluged into. Cut the wires forward of the plug about 12" then turn the fogs on then meter them to see which is the hot and which is the ground. Then turn the fogs off and unplug it and splice into it then replug it, it will work just like the factory fogs. Route the wires between the grill and bumper then right back to the plug and zip tie anything loose. Test and rifit shroud and you should be good. This is what I did for my 500's. If you need pictures, I might be able to supply them. | ||
| Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 122 Registered: 06-2003 |
Eric, Any pictures would be great, and though I would love the functionality of having them on whenever, I will go with the easy install any day. When you say "meter them", about finding the hot line and the ground line, how do I go about doing this? What tools are required? Thanks, Luke | ||
| Joe M. (Little_joe) Member Username: Little_joe Post Number: 148 Registered: 11-2002 |
Hey Luke, if you still need help, we could meet up this week/weekend. I have some basic meters and wired up the exact same lights a few yrs ago. You can get a simple "lighted" 12V meter at any parts store for $2. This only tells you if the wire is hot by illuminating a light. Limited application for Rovers, the multimeters will come in more handy over the long run (for auto and home use) - and you can still get a decent one for $30 or so. joe | ||
| Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 123 Registered: 06-2003 |
Sounds good Joe, maybe we can work something out on Friday or Saturday. Any luck with the fuel issues? | ||
| Greg Bright (Gregd2) Member Username: Gregd2 Post Number: 95 Registered: 06-2002 |
Luke, You can go to your dealer and have them hook up the test book. There is an option to change the foglights so that they work with low beams and high beams. I had this done several years ago and it worked great. | ||
| Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 124 Registered: 06-2003 |
Hey Greg, I am going in for the 30K service (and the siphoningof my poor wallet which will follow), what do I ask them for? | ||
| Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 125 Registered: 06-2003 |
Hey Greg, I am going in for the 30K service (and the siphoning of my poor wallet which will follow), what do I ask them for? | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 629 Registered: 06-2002 |
Ask them to hook it up to Test Book and change the option for the fogs to work with high and low beams. They might try to charge you for it but in reality it is a 5 min job and they should ba able to do it with no problem for you. I will try to get some pictures and post them. | ||
| Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 126 Registered: 06-2003 |
Thanks... | ||
| Luke Tolson (Luke4696) Member Username: Luke4696 Post Number: 136 Registered: 06-2003 |
Just an FYI... I finished installing my lights last night utilizing the stock fog light wiring connections. It was an absolute breeze, just clipped the plastic connectors off the old wires, connected the grounds from the lights to the corresponding grounds from the switch and did the same for the power. Turned the car on, turned the driving lights on, clicked the fog light switch and wouldn't you know, the Hella's came right on. Thanks Dweb... -Luke | ||
| Sandy Grice (Apg) New Member Username: Apg Post Number: 24 Registered: 02-2003 |
OK, Greg and Eric...this sounds too good to be true. I just can't see how Testbook can make a physical change like this. Called the local dealer and they said they had never heard of such (which is not surprising...) I've got Mike Dodson's wiring diagragm from the archives, but tryin' to follow it makes my hair hurt...I'd rather not use three relays to do one task. Cheers | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 642 Registered: 06-2002 |
What kind of lights are you installing? Yes, software can change the fog lights on and off. It is just a matter of whether they stay on of not. There is a few options that can be changed in TestBook. Refer to the following link for more info. http://www.disco2.com/tech/bodyelec/class.phtml | ||
| Sandy Grice (Apg) New Member Username: Apg Post Number: 26 Registered: 02-2003 |
Ahhh...the dreaded BECM...the source of so many mysterious maladies. ;-) Would this just be for the D-II? Mine is perhaps the first OBD-II equipped Disco I on the planet, as it was the prototype vehicle for the '96 North American specifications - built in February of 1995, actually. I've been running with Hella 500's for six or so years. Now that the MileMarker winch is going on, I want to upgrade the lighting without adding another switch insides. On earlier vehicles, I heard that there were several pigtails tucked up under the dash. My connecting a different one to the switch, the fog lamps could be 'programmed' to work in concert with main, low or parking lamps, depending upon whatever the jurisdiction allowed. Cheers | ||
| Bill Bettridge (Billb) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Billb Post Number: 1011 Registered: 02-2002 |
Sandy, D1 has no BECM - just straight electrical connections, and no you can't "program" it to work different ways. Though you can hardwire it to work any way you like. Connector for the factory foglight switch is tucked up on the right side of the binnacle - between - sometimes hard to find. Bill | ||
| Sandy Grice (Apg) New Member Username: Apg Post Number: 28 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thanks, Bill. I'll look for it. I say that with some trepidation, as I once saw the vehicle minus dash when it was in for the "peeling dash syndrome" cure. That Medusa-like snarl of wire scared the bejabbers out of me. I'm used to Rovers with simpler electrical systems - as opposed to the four-pound ETM for the Disco, the 88's is *one page* long. Cheers |
