How to Correctly Wire Fog Lights

Fog lights can greatly increase your safety while driving, as they do a much better job of piercing the fog and lighting the road ahead than the headlights, which reflect off the fog. Anyone who is handy with tools and not intimidated by electricity can install fog lights and get them working. However, it is quite likely that a good many of those fog lights are not properly wired, resulting in the possibility of decreased output and overloading of wiring and switches.

Things You'll Need

  • Foglights
  • Inline 15 amp circuit breaker
  • Relay
  • Toggle switch
  • 14 gauge automotive wire
  • 16 gauge automotive wire
  • Solderless connectors
  • Solderless connector crimping tool
  • Self-tapping screws
  • Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery.

  • Mount the inline 15 amp circuit breaker near the battery using 2 self-tapping screws. The inner fender sidewall or the radiator support are good places to use for mounting.

  • Using 2 self tapping screws, mount the relay in a location near the inline circuit breaker.

  • Connect a length of 14 gauge automotive wire from the positive battery terminal to one side of the inline circuit breaker. Use solderless ring connectors on both ends of this wire for the connections.

  • Connect a wire from the other terminal of the inline circuit breaker to terminal number 85 on the relay. Use a ring connector at the circuit breaker end and a female spade connector on the relay end of this 14 gauge wire.

  • Connect relay terminal 86 to the fog lights with a length of 14 gauge wire.

  • Connect relay terminal 30 to the positive terminal of the battery using 16 gauge wire. Alternately, you can make a jumper wire to connect pins 85 and 30.

  • Run a 16 gauge wire to the toggle switch, which should be mounted in a location convenient for the driver to reach.

  • Connect a wire from the second terminal on the toggle switch to a good ground, such as a metal part of the dashboard support.

  • Reconnect the battery.