I have recently purchased the Hella FF1000 driving lamps with Hella brackets...these will be replacing the stock fog lights.

For fogs, I will install a pair of Micron DE in the front air dam. My question to you is, how do I install my driving lights so they turn on with an auxiliary subaru switch, as well as go on when the high beams are selected (turning off with car)?

The fogs will be independent and turn on via a second auxiliary (stock) subaru switch.

I have checked out scoobymods and have figured out how to wire the stock switches, I just want to know what I tap in to so the driving lights go on with the brights. Thanks...

dP

hm
Ok well that's interesting.

Do you want the driving lights to ONLY come on when both high beams AND driving light switch are on? Or when either?

ok well if you want the first -

You'll need to find a power lead from your high beams (either the relay in the dash or even easier, tap into it near the bulb) and run that as your power supply to the oem switch. Then have the power output from the switch go to a standard normally open relay, with it getting power from a fused link to the battery.

Thanks for your help.

Will this allow me to use the driving lights independently of the subaru switch; When brights are selected? ...but also allow the operation of the lights with a push of a button at all times, even with the cars lights not in operation?

oh. Nope.

Let's see if I'm understanding correctly...

Switch operation - regardless of headlight status, but turns off with the key?

Also, driving lights automatically turn on with high beams?


To do that you'd need an ignition source (cigarette lighter for example, just don't use dashboard illumination circuit) for the power to the switch, and switch output would go to a relay. Then you'd need to tap into your high beams and connect that to the relay as well.
The cheapest/easiest way would be to get a standard normally open relay and some sort of diode er whatever it's called - to prevent the reverse flow of electricity - one on each wire going to the switched input of the relay. You could also use two seperate relays and have the outputs hooked together, or try and track down a funky relay with multiple inputs

Hmmm....

As I install these new driving lamps, should I use the stock wiring, or should I rewire it with the supplied kit?

I am thinking about making my own harness to install these both cleanly.

As driving lights it's possible that you'd want to use higher wattage bulbs, so I'd either use the kit or make your own. I didn't have a problem running 100w bulbs in the stock fogs, but I think it's pushing the limits of what the circuit was designed to handle (plus it bronzed the reflectors)

With the DE's I'd tap into the stock wiring so you don't have to do another relay or mess with the switch (unless you're going to anyway).

For my 4000's I used the kit but I didn't follow the directions for installing it, since I wanted to be able to turn them on whenever (and subsequently I left them on once while hiking Chuckanut and killed my battery). The relay is a good one, and you've already paid for it. ;)

Good Idea, I'll rewire the driving lamps in the stock location. And tap the stock fog wiriing for the DE's (cause they are essentially just replacing the stock ones anyway).

I like being able to flash my lights without turning my headlamps on....something I have grown accustom to.

dP

Yeah. Can't do it in my truck, kinda irritating. :)

Well it seems you have the wiring more or less figured out with horatio's tips. I had originally had my FF1000's hooked up to the stock fog light switch utilizing the fog light mod on scooby mods. This allowed me to turn on the driving lights pretty much whenever using the stock fog switch. However, I found in the daily use it was such a pain in the butt to reach down and turn them on when I needed them and then turn them off when oncoming traffic came. Which happens plenty on any night canyon run. not too mention its downright dangerous reaching down there when my hands should be on the wheel. So I quickly reverted to the usual, recommended only on when I hit the brights at the stock, setup. I'm not using the fog switch to turn them on and off. I figure if I need my brights in any fashion I need all the light, so I have them hardwired to always come on with my brights. It really is more practical and I can't really think of a situation where you'd want to use your driving lights and not want to have your headlights augment them. Other than for looks. I think using the Micro DE fog lights is a great idea and I will probably be going to that as well.

As far as using the hella harnesses...by all means use them. The wire is super high quality and you need to use it in order to guarantee maximum juice to your lights. For the driving lights, do as Horatio says and tap into the high beam of your headlight to activate the relay (just follow the stock directions for either the use of switch or without a switch). For the fogs, its okay to tap into the fog light harness to activate the fog relay but make sure you use the provided Hella harness. much better wiring than the OEM stuff. Make sure to get a clean, solid ground for the lights. Also, removal of the bumper really is the best way to wire this all up. Get yourself some split loom and wrap the harnesses with it, it just makes it neat and tidy.

Even in the low postion you will love the FF1000's. you will need to bend the tab on the mounting bracket a tad lower. Otherwise they point up a bit too much. Also you will need to get a rubber washer to fit between the light assmeblly and the bracket. You will need to cut the stock wiring to remove the original bracket. I just crimped/soldered some normal spade crimps on instead but the bullet kind are actually better, so get those if you can (they are just like stock). I also highly recommend the Clear acrylic covers you can get for these lights. Save yourself the trouble of taking off the stock covers everytime you need your lights. I love mine.

I used to use the clear covers on my 4000s, but in the rainy weather up here so much grime piled between the lense and cover that I'd have to clean them every other fuel stop, and the acrylic gets brittle with age. I broke 3 of them, so screw it. Went back to the soft white ones.

Stongard would be an alternative as well, but I didn't want anything directly on the lense since I'm running 130watt bulbs and they heat up pretty good.

Originally posted by Arnie
Well it seems you have the wiring more or less figured out with horatio's tips. I had originally had my FF1000's hooked up to the stock fog light switch utilizing the fog light mod on scooby mods. This allowed me to turn on the driving lights pretty much whenever using the stock fog switch. However, I found in the daily use it was such a pain in the butt to reach down and turn them on when I needed them and then turn them off when oncoming traffic came. Which happens plenty on any night canyon run. not too mention its downright dangerous reaching down there when my hands should be on the wheel. So I quickly reverted to the usual, recommended only on when I hit the brights at the stock, setup. I'm not using the fog switch to turn them on and off. I figure if I need my brights in any fashion I need all the light, so I have them hardwired to always come on with my brights. It really is more practical and I can't really think of a situation where you'd want to use your driving lights and not want to have your headlights augment them. Other than for looks. I think using the Micro DE fog lights is a great idea and I will probably be going to that as well.

As far as using the hella harnesses...by all means use them. The wire is super high quality and you need to use it in order to guarantee maximum juice to your lights. For the driving lights, do as Horatio says and tap into the high beam of your headlight to activate the relay (just follow the stock directions for either the use of switch or without a switch). For the fogs, its okay to tap into the fog light harness to activate the fog relay but make sure you use the provided Hella harness. much better wiring than the OEM stuff. Make sure to get a clean, solid ground for the lights. Also, removal of the bumper really is the best way to wire this all up. Get yourself some split loom and wrap the harnesses with it, it just makes it neat and tidy.

Even in the low postion you will love the FF1000's. you will need to bend the tab on the mounting bracket a tad lower. Otherwise they point up a bit too much. Also you will need to get a rubber washer to fit between the light assmeblly and the bracket. You will need to cut the stock wiring to remove the original bracket. I just crimped/soldered some normal spade crimps on instead but the bullet kind are actually better, so get those if you can (they are just like stock). I also highly recommend the Clear acrylic covers you can get for these lights. Save yourself the trouble of taking off the stock covers everytime you need your lights. I love mine.

Thanks for the advice...I was thinking about the rubber washer thing as well last night as I was prepping for the install. Which tab do I need to bend back on the bracket, the upper left one?

So using the stock fog light wiring is a bad idea then? Hmmm...maybe I will just wire everything. I took the bumper off as well, I would really like to put my Micron DE fog lights in the front grill, dremelling the necesary amount off for them to fit. I think it would look very cool. I will post some pics of the installation.

Thanks,

Doug

hey doug,

yeah, you will need to bend the actual concave tab that holds the light. try installing it as is first, then you can get an idea of how much you need to bend it down. You'll only need to bend it just a tad otherwise the top of the light s pressed up against the fog hole.

mounting the DE's in the grill sounds pretty slick but its not really an ideal fog mounting location. under the bumper is actually the best because you may get a bit of reflection from fog or snow if you mount them that high. down low it gets light right on the road with very little interference from the weather. not as clean though.

yeah, regarding the stock fog wiring, its really best if you just use the the hella harness and tap into the stock fog harness to get the relay to go on, that way you can still use the stock fog switch. plus it preserves the oem plugs, wires, etc. if you need to go back to stock. For me, the less intrusive the better.