Ok, I searched the forum and could not come up with the answer. There are several examples of how to wire off-road lights with a relay but none show multiple sets of light. So for those of you that have multiple sets of off-road lights; Do you use multiple switches or wire all through a relay with a single switch?

 

You have endless possibilities depending on how you want to use the lights.
If you want them only to come on with main beam,you will need to use a main beam wire as a trigger for a relay.If you are using a large wattage in total a very large sigle relay might prove difficult to wire up, no problem sending switching voltage to multiple relays.Assess how much wattage you will use in total as an upgrade alternator/battery may be needed.I wire my off road lights to be triggered by the parking light wiring,then switched on the same circuit so totally flexible in operation but you will need to assess the legal position where you live etc.

 

I have multiple switches, and multiple relays.

 

Thank you for the feed back. My confusion stems from the schematics always showing a switch. If you tie into the high beams doesn't the factory headlight switch replace the switch in the schematic? or am I missing something?

 

no, you are just tapping into the high beams for a power source to trigger the relay - meaning, that you use a switch also, but the switch doesn't work unless the high beams are on. some states require off-road lights to be wired this way to pass inspection - so that you can't use the lights without the high beams being on.
if you want to be able to turn the lights on at any time with the switch, then go directly to the battery instead of having the wire go to the high beams.
it it possible to wire multiple sets of lights, each set with its own relay, to a single switch, if that is what you want to do.

 

It can, but it doesnt have to, as mcnaught states below.

you need a power source to trip the relay, and a power source routed through the relay to power your lights.

the power source to trip the relay (for example) can be a wire to the high beam circuit. this wire would only have power on it when the high beams are on. If you dont put a switch in that wire, the lights would always come on when you turn on the highbeams. If you do install a switch in that wire, you have the option of turning them off, but the highbeams would need to be on, to turn them on. ~hope that makes sense.

 

Thanks guys these were the answers i was looking for.

 

Ditto for me.

 

ooooh my brain hurts!!!!!

 

x2................