Seeking Advice on wiring a Mictuning "Magical" M1 19" light-bar

[BonzaiDuck]

OK. Nothing new here. 1995 Trooper LS. Has its own fog-light circuit, likely linked to the onboard computer. I've decided not to wire in my light bar that way, and will use the wiring harness that came with the Mictuning M1:

Mictuning Magical M1

You can look at the proper Amazon picture of the wiring harness. There are two separate switches: one for the white light, the other for the blue. There are three shovel-clip leads to each toggle switch -- red, black and white; red, black and blue. I'll have to look again to see if they each have an LED to illuminate the switch when on.

I can't even make these round switches fit the blanks on my Trooper, where additional switches can be added. For instance, there's a foglight 5-pin switch for the Trooper that pops in after pulling a blank, and I'm of course not planning to use the Trooper's built-in circuitry. Initially, I thought I could dremel round holes in the blanks, pop in the MicTuning switches and pop in the blanks to the dashboard. The MicTuning switches are too big -- so "no cigar".

I found these other toggle switches, not particular to any make and model. They are 5-pin, and have two LEDs. One LED stays lit all the time; the other one lights only when the switch is turned on:

DaierTek Car Fog Light Rocker Switch

These switches are exactly the right size to a fraction of a millimeter, and should pop right in to the dashboard after removing the blanks. But how to wire them for the MicTuning M1? As I said, I do not need to have a constantly-on LED so I can "find" the switch easily. The switch's circuit diagram is in one of the pictures in the Amazon page.

The MicTuning harness seems to have the red and blue switches wired in parallel, so they are linked by short red and black wires. It couldn't be a serial connection, since the voltage must be maintained at 12V for either or both. That is, I think it would seem that way. I've yet to find a wiring guide or instructions for the MicTuning, since the harness contains a 20A or 40A fuse, a relay ready to attach to perhaps my fuse-box under the driver-side dashboard, and single red and black wires which would supposedly be wired to the battery.

I'm continuing to search for more information, but could benefit for thoughts about the possibility of using the DaierTek -- two of them -- for use with the MicTuning harness.

Thoughts? Insights? Comments?

 

[WackyDan]

So that light bar is rated at 108 watts total. That is 9 amps ( 108 watts / 12 volts). So use the relay that came with the light bar and have a ten amp fuse on the circuit.

As for the switches, if you look at the diagrams you can see what posts are the actual switch and which one is the lamp. The switches probably come with some additional documentation or you can youtube it. All the switches are for is for sending trigger voltage to the coil at the relay.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

So that light bar is rated at 108 watts total. That is 9 amps ( 108 watts / 12 volts). So use the relay that came with the light bar and have a ten amp fuse on the circuit.

As for the switches, if you look at the diagrams you can see what posts are the actual switch and which one is the lamp. The switches probably come with some additional documentation or you can youtube it. All the switches are for is for sending trigger voltage to the coil at the relay.

Thanks. I didn't want to fiddle with the five-pole switches. But there are legions of 3-pin switches that fit the bill. The MICTuning switches each have three leads, as I said. It looks pretty straightforward. Here's a set of three I might order. I'm almost worried about buying these instead of getting a white/red switch and blue switch separately. They seem "too cheap":

Flameer three-switch set

 

[WackyDan]

Thanks. I didn't want to fiddle with the five-pole switches. But there are legions of 3-pin switches that fit the bill. The MICTuning switches each have three leads, as I said. It looks pretty straightforward. Here's a set of three I might order. I'm almost worried about buying these instead of getting a white/red switch and blue switch separately. They seem "too cheap":

Flameer three-switch set

Nah those switches are in the right price ball park. Just please use a fused relay and fuse the triggers feeding the switches. Seen too many fires and melted switches from people who like to take shortcuts with their vehicle wiring.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Nah those switches are in the right price ball park. Just please use a fused relay and fuse the triggers feeding the switches. Seen too many fires and melted switches from people who like to take shortcuts with their vehicle wiring.

Do you mean I should insert another fuse additional to the one built into the wiring harness? I'm going to follow your recommends and replace the existing fuse with a 10 or 15 Amp. Or do you mean I should insert barrel fuses on the trigger wires?

I'm at a crossroads with light-bar placement. This vehicle is a 95 Trooper LS -- a midsize SUV. I can mount the lightbar easily on the new grill-guard, but it's too conspicuous and sits higher than I'd like. I can mount it behind the grill, but then I have mild concern about airflow.

Finally, I can mount it under the bumper reinforcement (metal part of bumper assembly), to match the vents on the vinyl/rubber/plastic bumper cover, but I'll need to cut out some of the bumper cover's louvres. And for that to work, I'll want to use some large hose-clamps/bands to mount the license plate about 2" higher than default on the lower cross-bar of the grill-guard, so as not to obstruct the light beam.

The first two options are reversible. Cutting pieces out of the bumper cover isn't. Decisions, decisions . . . . I can actually buy the OEM bumper-cover -- new and unpainted -- for about $300. A lot of change to spend just so I can have my cake and eat it too with a light bar.

 

[RLGL]

A lot of change to spend just so I can have my cake and eat it too with a light bar.

But isn't life sweet?

 

[WackyDan]

Do you mean I should insert another fuse additional to the one built into the wiring harness? I'm going to follow your recommends and replace the existing fuse with a 10 or 15 Amp. Or do you mean I should insert barrel fuses on the trigger wires?

Barrel fuses are so 1975 man....

Please just create a new circuit for the main 12 volt feed to the light bar. Try not to piggy back onto another circuit as they are not designed to take another 9amp of load.

For the relay switching, use a home run to the battery with 12 gauge wire. Why? 10 amps across 15 feet of wire in a 12 volt system call for it as in a 12 volt system maximum acceptable voltage drop is 3% or .36v. You can google this. You'll find 12 gauge as well 14 gauge recommended for 10 amps. Keep in mind the total wire length is factoring in the length of wire from source (battery) to relay and the length from the relay to light bar. You can ground the light bar anywhere near where the light bar is mounted.

Next, use a blade fuse holder at the battery/source for the 9 amp pull of the light bar. You want to fuse that circuit as close to the battery as possible so any short in the line is handled by the fuse at the source.

For the triggers you want to connect to a power source that only comes on with the ignition. In this case piggy tailing off another circuit in the fuse bank of the vehicle is ok as the trigger draws way less than an amp to activate the coil on the relay. You'll run the trigger wire to the switch and out of the switch to the coil post on the relay, then from the other coil post to a ground.

You'll want to fuse the triggers using another blade fuse holder with a 1 or 2 amp fuse near your source trigger voltage.

One more thing... Modern cars have all sorts of fun with computers and a thing called Can Bus that can be very sensitive to a setup like this back feeding voltage to the trigger with the coil activates. Your 1995 doesn't have a Can bus so you don't have to worry about it, but in the future on any mid 2000's vehicle you'd use a diode inline with the trigger voltage to protect the can bus.

You can find all sorts of bad advice and good advice on wiring this on various forums and youtube. Take your time, learn a bit about how relays work and you'll be able to do this on your own and properly.

 

[RLGL]

Please just create a new circuit for the main 12 volt feed to the light bar. Try not to piggy back onto another circuit as they are not designed to take another 9amp of load.

Hear Hear please do what WackyDan is asking.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Barrel fuses are so 1975 man....

[1] Please just create a new circuit for the main 12 volt feed to the light bar. Try not to piggy back onto another circuit as they are not designed to take another 9amp of load.

[2] For the relay switching, use a home run to the battery with 12 gauge wire. Why? 10 amps across 15 feet of wire in a 12 volt system call for it as in a 12 volt system maximum acceptable voltage drop is 3% or .36v. You can google this. You'll find 12 gauge as well 14 gauge recommended for 10 amps. Keep in mind the total wire length is factoring in the length of wire from source (battery) to relay and the length from the relay to light bar. You can ground the light bar anywhere near where the light bar is mounted.

Next, use a blade fuse holder at the battery/source for the 9 amp pull of the light bar. You want to fuse that circuit as close to the battery as possible so any short in the line is handled by the fuse at the source.

[3] For the triggers you want to connect to a power source that only comes on with the ignition. In this case piggy tailing off another circuit in the fuse bank of the vehicle is ok as the trigger draws way less than an amp to activate the coil on the relay. You'll run the trigger wire to the switch and out of the switch to the coil post on the relay, then from the other coil post to a ground.

You'll want to fuse the triggers using another blade fuse holder with a 1 or 2 amp fuse near your source trigger voltage.

One more thing... Modern cars have all sorts of fun with computers and a thing called Can Bus that can be very sensitive to a setup like this back feeding voltage to the trigger with the coil activates. Your 1995 doesn't have a Can bus so you don't have to worry about it, but in the future on any mid 2000's vehicle you'd use a diode inline with the trigger voltage to protect the can bus.

You can find all sorts of bad advice and good advice on wiring this on various forums and youtube. Take your time, learn a bit about how relays work and you'll be able to do this on your own and properly.

[1] I suspected that problem when I started looking into a choice of fog lights. The Trooper's own wiring harness assumes a certain spec of halogen lights, but we're using an LED light bar. That's why I purchased the 3x 3-pin rocker switches -- to use with the MICTuning light bar harness -- separately. I'd already discovered this trouble when I replaced my parking/signal/backup/stop lights with LEDs. Foremost, there was the problem of "hyperflashing"; then, I discovered that hazard-light activation caused the shift-lock solenoid to activate with each flash -- under the shift-lever console. It turns out that the signal/hazard lights with a new LED-compatible flasher switch weren't the problem. Instead, I had to revert my brake/stop lights to regular filament bulbs -- or add a "load equalizer", which was more trouble than necessary. Switching to LED was more trouble than necessary, but it's done now -- for 10 out of 12 bulb replacements.

[2] I'll take the time to see what gauge wire is used in the MICTuning harness, and proceed from there. I see the biggest problem is the distance to the positive battery terminal -- on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

[3] I can see where such a configuration would be ideal. But I'm reticent about modifying the MICTuning wiring harness. We'll see . . .

==== The Mounting Issue ===
Now, I've discovered that California requires that these "off-road" lights to be covered on the road. So -- MicTuning makes a 22" lightbar cover with Velcro ties -- ~$12.00. Further, the state requires that lights be mounted no lower than 16" to the ground. Took my tape measure out the garage this morning. I can make that work! Mounting behind the grill could be bad for the light bar and the airflow. Mounting on the grill guard -- at the same height -- too conspicuous.

But I think I can make cuts in the bumper cover that wouldn't need repair if I removed the light bar. They wouldn't be visible to an observer unless he/she crouches down below the license plate to have a look.