Electrical switch?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by JonJon78, Apr 26, 2020.

  1. JonJon78

    JonJon78 Road Train Member

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    Probably a dumb question...

    I'm looking to power my dump valve to my trailer off one of these two switches... Does the "switch with relay" mean It's plug and play versus the "spare" where I would need to still add a fuse? 20200426_124905.jpg
     
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  3. sbaumann14

    sbaumann14 Road Train Member

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    The one with relay, u should be good. I just put a fuse 12" off my battery on the power wire going to my dump switch. Im sure that switch should be fused at the fuse box.
    Take a power lead and touch ground...relay should pop off
     
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  4. rolls canardly

    rolls canardly Road Train Member

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    Boy, was that ever a dumb question! /sarc.

    I'm limited in the electrical field to the basics, but this is what I see.
    The relay is the start of a circuit you can add or will be building.
    So the switch will close and complete a circuit.
    First you have to find out if it is a normally open or a normally closed relay.
    When a contact is normally open (NO), there is an open contact when not energized.
    Opposite is true also, if relay is NC, relay is closed and always energized.
    So looks like you need to find and pull out this relay, and find the treasure map on it.
    Some relays have connector plugs for both NO and NC; you just have to wire them.
    Dump valve would be a NO circuit.
    So take a tester, even a basic one, check output wire from relay with switch on.
    Is it live? Flip the switch.
    Is it now live?
    You now just need to connect a wire back to valve, and a ground.

    I have a spare 12 volt backup alarm that I use for these long "Is there power there" things.
    You know right away if there's power.
     
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  5. Claytonbigsby

    Claytonbigsby Bobtail Member

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    There should be a wire that is tucked up in the spaghetti bundle under the hood by the steering column that will be labeled and powered by that switch
     
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  6. JonJon78

    JonJon78 Road Train Member

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    Thank you for the replys. I threw in the towel on it today. Getting me irritated.

    I'm not understanding that for me to run the two wires I have do I need to add these little clips to both sides of the switch ( male&female ) or find the port location behind the steering wheel splice them into that? I'm confused...

    I've got everything hooked up from the trailer to the truck using a second 7 way. Then I ran the wires underneath the truck up through the firewall into behind the dash... now just gotta figure out where I splice into...

    I'm horrible with electrical... That's why I normally will hire someone more competent with it than I am...

    This is the port behind steering wheel 20200426_162004.jpg
    These are the clips I'm referring to on the switch. 20200426_161327.jpg 20200426_161714.jpg
     
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  7. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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  8. terryt

    terryt Heavy Load Member

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    Do not cut any wires sorry but I forgot how to do it but you only have to add fuse to the fuse box the wires are number coded to fuse box to the switch. The aux switch wire plug is on the passenger side fire wall above the a/c dryer it for your chicken lights. Please just wait some one will show you and it easy don't make a mess of it
     
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  9. terryt

    terryt Heavy Load Member

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    Yes you need add fuse to the panel by the clutch pedal pull that panel and on the panel cover you will see where to put fuses for the spare switches the part I forgot is how to get said switch to match fuse the wires are behind the dash and marked with the little white tabs telling you what each wire is going to you will find the wire marked spare just take some time. Hopefully some one else can help with how to match it up
     
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  10. JonJon78

    JonJon78 Road Train Member

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