How to make my accessory lights turn off with ignition?

What do I need in order for my accessory lights to go off when the truck turns off?

So far I’ve been lazy and wired my accessory lights (fogs, ditch lights, grill lights, etc.) directly to the battery. I accidentally leave my lights on sometimes when I walk away from the truck and forget to turn them off.

Can I buy some kind of fuse block/terminal where all my accessory lighting receives power but the block only receives power when the key is in the ignition?

I know I could buy something light an Auxbeam Switch Panel system but I don’t need the actual switch panel itself. I’m fine with using the basic rocker switches that came with the accessory light harnesses (they’re already installed in the truck anyways). I just need the functionality of making my accessory lights turn off when the truck is off so I don’t risk draining my battery when I forget to turn them off.

 

You can use a separate fuse block, and you’ll have to run a high amperage relay to the ignition fuse under the hood.

 

Ok. Could you please provide a link to something like that? I wouldn’t know what to look for.

 

Yep. Use something like this. You’ll wire up the positive to the relay, and the negative to the body of the truck. The relay will wire up to the battery, ignition fuse, the new fuse block, and the negative.12V Marine Fuse Block: 12 Way Blade Fuse Panel with Ground & 12 Volt Fuse Box for Circuit of Car | Automotive | Boat | RV | RZR

$30 12V Marine Fuse Block: 12 Way Blade Fuse Panel with Ground & 12 Volt Fuse Box for Circuit of Car | Automotive | Boat | RV | RZR

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0952R827G?_encoding=UTF8

 

Thanks! Do I need to chop up my existing accessory lighting harnesses to hook everything up to the fuse block? Or just remove all my lighting harness leads from the battery and reterminate in the new fuse block?

 

Exactly right. Remove the items from the battery and attach them to the new fuse block. Use a high amp relay like this one between the battery and fuse block. The ignition fuse under the hood will provide the switch power.
12V DC 120 Amp Split Charge Relay Switch - 4 Terminal Relays for Truck Boat Marine

$12 True MODS 12V DC 120 Amp Split Charge Relay Switch - 4 Terminal Relays for Truck Boat Marine

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1IEWCU

 

Hook it up like this.
Device is the new fuse block
Positive trigger source is the ignition fuse.

Use an add-a-fuse for the ignition

 

Get a gang switch. Easiest and cleanest way.
Auxbeam has a 8 gang fairly cheap. I bought the more expensive one

$133 Auxbeam 8 Gang Switch Panel GB80, Universal Circuit Control Relay System Box with Automatic Dimmable On-Off LED Switch Pod Touch Switch Box for Car Pickup Truck Boat ATV UTV, Green 2 Year Warranty

https://www.amazon.com/Auxbeam-Univ...mzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

 

Let’s start from the beginning.

What size is your electric load? How many lights what brand ect? What power rating in watts?

You must understand power consumption needs for your added accessories to size everything (wire, fuse, ect) correctly and safely.

To answer your question you need a simple relay and some wiring. Think of a relay as an “automatic switch”. Normally needs 4 pins wired. One main power from battery, one main power to your lights (load), one trigger wire, one ground.

When the trigger wire is energized, powered it closes in internal switch in the relay which then connects the two main power lines together to power your load. Wiring the trigger to the ingition key means as soon as the key comes on the relay will close and power your accessories. When the key goes off, trigger wire looses power, relay opens up disconnecting power to your accessories.

When you understand this you can go a step further and put a toggle switch inline on the trigger wire. This will allow you to turn the lights on/off anytime the truck is running. If you leave the switch on, as soon as they key goes off the relay will kill power to your lights even though you left the switch on.

As with any wiring project, understanding power load requirements, proper wire size, fuses, connections are very important for safety.

 

I have the following accessories I want to power with an ignition source:

2 Lightforce Rok 10 LED spot lights = 20W https://www.lightforce.com/en_us/rok-10-spot

2 Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport fog lights = 30W https://www.diodedynamics.com/ss3-led-fog-light-kit-for-2014-2021-toyota-tundra.html

Diode Dynamics LED behind-the-grille light bar = 120W? https://www.diodedynamics.com/2014-...c3RvcmVfaWQ9MSZhY2NvcmRpb249aXRlbTMwOTA=[m=]]

2 Diode Dynamics SSC1 Pro LED pod lights = 44W https://www.diodedynamics.com/stage-series-c1-white-pro-standard-led-pod-pair.html

I was thinking of using this fuse block:
https://www.bluesea.com/products/5035/ST_Blade_Fuse_Block_-_6_Independent_Circuits_with_Cover

And pairing it with the relay BlueRibbon linked above.

 

The beauty of LED lights is low power cosumption. Total of the Power values you listed is 215W, I would prob just round up and build the circuit for 250W

250W at 12-13V is going to be 18-20A total.

The question is just how you want to control the lights. Do you want all of them to come on/off with one switch or do you want each individual set on its own ciruit and switch.

You could put all of them together on one circuit with a 30A relay and a 30A fuse and still have room to add more lights in the future.

 

I want each pair of lights to be controlled individually with its own switch. Right now I have the rocker switches for each light system already installed in the cab and I am fine with continuing to use those switches.

If I set up the fuse block and relay like BlueRibbon described, what gauge wire would I need for each leg of the relay?

 

Can you show some pictures of how it is currently wired up?

You could use one relay to conrol a "powe bank" that supply each circuit/switch

12 gauge wire is good for 20A with length of 10 feet or less. I would think this should be good for power to the relay.

 

$160.69 ...no, I don't think so,

Power Relay
$12.47.....

$12 irhapsody Relay 120A, 12V Continuous Duty Relay, 4 Pin High Current Relay, Split Charge Relay Switch, Spst High Power On/Off Heavy Duty Starter Relay

https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Relay-Split-Charge/dp/B07T35K8S2?crid=2XA6RQ2KIACT4&keywords=hi+amp+12v+relay&qid=1653080186&sprefix=hi+amp+12v+relay%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-3&th=1

Fuse Block
$13.99 .....

$14 BUNKER INDUST 10-Way Fuse Box Blade Fuse Block Holder with LED Indicator for Blown Fuse Waterpoof Protection Cover for Car Boat Marine Automotive,Include 20Pcs Blade Fuses and 1Pcs DIY Sticker

https://www.amazon.com/BUNKER-INDUST-Indicator-Protection-Automotive/dp/B07LGTVKH8?crid=2RRY1CR7A9DXA&keywords=8+pole+auto+fuse+block&qid=1653080254&sprefix=8+pole+auto+fuse+block%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-6&th=1

Disconnect Switch
$7.99 ....

$9 DaierTek SPST Waterproof Toggle Switch 12V DC 30A 125VAC 20A Marine Heavy Duty 2 Pin ON Off Spade Terminals for Automotive Car Boat -2 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/DaierTek-Tog...080697&sprefix=spdt+20a+switch,aps,288&sr=8-4

Simply REMOVE ALL lighting wiring from the battery, re connect those wires to fuse terminals. The power relay is fed from the battery, powers the fuse block. Add the Disconnect Switch between the power to the relay.
That way you flip the switch, lights off... adding a $161.00 microprocessor based lighting controller is way too expensive for something this simple, but hey, it's your truck, your buck!

Good luck, let us know what you end up with, WITH PICS!!