Spotlight wiring help!!!

Just mounted a couple of spots with brand new 130w bulbs onto the series 3. Ive used an illuminated toggle switch and the spots are earthed directly to the bumper anyway.

My problem is that I've wired everything in in parallel and when I turn them on, the switch lights up, but the spots don't.

Any ideas would be great.
Cheers.

have you tested that you actually have 12v at the spots ?

I've not, thats an idea, could do with a multi meter now. Would they still not work anyway even with below 12v?

Don't see any mention of a relay there. When ye say the spots are earthed to the bumper... do ye mean that ye've taken the black wire(-) and screwed it to yer bumper? Have ye connected the red wire (+) to the relay and then to the high beam?

Yeah, the negative is screwed to the bumper.
I've not wired them into the high beams, I've basically made a seperate circuit. Basically just a parellel circuit. Can't see a reason for a relay. What's the best way of doing it?

jmattley said:

I've not, thats an idea, could do with a multi meter now. Would they still not work anyway even with below 12v?

Click to expand...

if you've not got a multimeter how do you know you havent got volts at the spots ?

10v is below 12 v and you'd expect them to glow - 0v is also below 12v but you'd not be seeing much with them on

temp wire them direct to the battery just to make sure the spots actually work

dont assume that yer bumper is at 0v either

spend a fiver on one of those throw away multimeters - or glue some long wires to a 12v bulb

check it with this

jmattley said:

Can't see a reason for a relay.

Click to expand...

jmattley said:

Can't see a reason for a relay.

Click to expand...

So you've used a 30A rated switch, 6mm cable and fitted a 30A fuse yea?

Treworgey 90 said:

So you've used a 30A rated switch, 6mm cable and fitted a 30A fuse yea?

Click to expand...

bet he's used one of those pull cord switches and some old twin and earth he got from a skip when his neighbour did up the bathroom

Not quite that bad, I just know F all about car electrics, think I'll learn and use robints wiring diagram.

40A Relay for Automotive Applications > Maplin

Would this do for the relay?

halfords sell a cheap kit for adding spots that includes a suitable relay along with some pre-made wiring and instructions

Ring Fast-Fit Kit from Halfords Price £11.99 3 For 2 on Selected Car Styling Products

Like this?

jmattley said:

Ring Fast-Fit Kit from Halfords Price £11.99 3 For 2 on Selected Car Styling Products

Like this?

Click to expand...

that's the one

and get a cheap multimeter while your there

your asking for trouble (and a fire) if you start installing electrical items without fuse protection and incorrect gauge of wire

Aye, thats the plan, saturday job then.

You deffo want a relay. And move the grounds somewhere else - yeah it may work, but ideally you want a decent ground. A bumper which is probably attached to the body via rust isn't the best place.

The ring kits come with wire, relay and most importantly, instructions. I think "pre-wired" is a bit of a loose description, it just means the spade connectors are attached to the relay! They are desinged to wire up a pair of 55W lamps, not a pair of 130W lamps so you might need a different relay. From memory the ground wires are not very long in those kits either. If you have a decent enough amount of good wire, buy a relay for £3.50 or whatever, print of the wiring diagram from here/wherever and you have yourself a "Spotlight Wiring Kit". Are you using a trigger from the main light loom or ignition switch or just going straight to the spotlights?

Just bought one of those kits, think I'll take your advice on the extra relay. What type of relay do you recommend then?
I also want to attach them straight to the spot, no side or main beam circuits, so what do I do with the supply end that the instructions say should got to the ignition as I want the ability to switch them on without switching anything else on.

wire em direct to battery.

via the switch and a fuse!