Thanks Joel,

Really appreciate your help!

I went to Autozone and took the advice to return the driving lamps and
get fog lamps instead.

I also ran into the manager there who who looked at my wiring diagram
which we modified and he hooked me up a parts I needed and refined my
diagram on how to wire the fog lamps using a relay like the one you
discussed as well as putting in an inline 15 amp fuse and on/off switch.

Basically this is what we came up with: ( to connect fog lamps to rear
backup light signal to activate and have a remote rear on/off switch
to activate the lights)*

 From the Backup Black/Blue Wire on the rear light housing, run a tap
splice to a line with the relay in it.
Then just before the relay add a wire for the on/off switch which is
connected to the battery positive to charge the line when the switch
is on. (will be located in the back of the van so when I am camping I
can activate it without the van being in reverse. The power is only
active when the van is not in reverse and when the switch is ON.*)

After the relay the wire will run out to an inline Fuse with a
15/20amp fuse in it.
Leaving the Fuse holder will be the wire running to the white
connector for power for the Fog Light, which will be run into a
coupler and fed to the other 2nd lamp housing to the white wire.

 From the Black wire on the 1st Lamp housing I will run a coupler and
a wire over to the 2nd Lamp Housing to another coupler which will then
run a body ground in the back of the Van's engine bay.

This should work correct?

Regards,
Robert
NY

On Sep 21, 2009, at 3:29 PM, joel walker wrote:

>> Do you recommend anywhere that I can learn more about electrical
>> automotive wiring?
>> I am really a novice at it and want to learn more so I am not so
>> anxious when dealing with it.
>> I need to learn how the signal flows with the current, then to the
>> relay, to the on/off switch and to the lighting.
>
> try this guy first ...
> http://www.danielsternlighting.com/
>
> then there's a book on boat wiring. yup. same deal ... 12 volts. and
> a lot of the same sorts of systems.
> http://www.amazon.com/Boatowners-Illustrated-Handbook-Wiring-Charlie/dp/0070710929
>
> and probably lots others. here's one ...
> https://www.firstchoicemarine.com/p-2809-bennett-dvd-12-volts-made-easy.aspx
>
>
> RVs also have similar setups ...
> http://www.dasplace.net/
> http://www.rverscorner.com/wiring/
> http://www.rverscorner.com/wiring/tools.html
>
> or you can just google "12 volts" and such ...
> http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/01152.htm
>
> can't help much with the 'flow' of the stuff. i'm never sure which
> way it goes ... negative to positive or backwards. but i know it'll
> bite whichever way it goes! ;)
> i always think of it like water pipes ... cause i used to work with
> the municipal water works. ;)
> have to provide big enough 'pipes' or they'll 'burst' (melt). and so
> on. and a battery is a pump, to me.
> and every light that the electricity flows through lowers the
> 'pressure' for the next light ...
> and it seems to work ok for me. :)
>
> the big tricks i've learned over the years are ...
>
> 1. use a slightly bigger wire than you think you actually need. if
> it calculates out to a 14 gauge wire, use a 12 guage wire instead.
>
> 2. use fuses!!! and put them where you can get to them easily! the
> more you try to hide them, the more often they will blow out. :(
>
> 3. use relays! don't run the amps through the switch. if you do,
> it's a sure way to melt a switch. or get a shock when you flip the
> switch with wet fingers. :(
>
> 4. always, always, always think about sharp metal edges next to
> wires. the edges WILL cut the insulation and then you'll have a
> direct sort to the metal and something is gonna melt. :( so put a
> grommet or something to separate the wire from the metal edge.
>
> 5. if you have to run a single wire from the back of the bus up to
> the dash, run THREE wires at the same time. separate colors if
> possible. why? cause sure as shooting, you'll want/need those other
> two wires sooner or later. in fact, run four wires. :)
>
> 6. try as much as possible to follow the colors of wires on the car
> already.
> that is, on german cars, try to use brown wires for all ground/
> negative wires
> and red for all positive/power wires. just makes it a lot easier
> later on when you need to figure out what the hell you did years
> ago. :)
>
> 7. try to use connectors as much as possible. they're cheap and easy
> to use. and they make things easier in the long run. always use
> connectors for stuff like lights and things that MIGHT someday need
> to be taken off. cause as soon as you wire something directly,
> you'll need/want to take it off to do something else. :(
>
> 8. use as much heat shrink tubing as you can stand. ;) it's really
> great stuff.
>
> 9. when buying electrical tape, buy the good 3M quality brand. this
> is where you do not want to scrimp and shortchange the project.
>
> 10. whenever possible, put a switch in the circuit so you can shut
> the damned thing off! ;)
>
> hope it helps. good luck!
> joel
>
>
>
>
>