Wiring help for Rigid SRM backup lights

TANK

TANK

New member
Picked up a set of Rigid SRM backup lights and mounting brackets from Northridge. Install went fine until it came to wiring up the switch using the wiring harness that came with the lights.

I have an a-pillar switch pod with contura v switches. I have all 4 switches #6 pins jumpered together and connected up to the dimmer wire. I also have all 4 switches #7 & #8 pins jumpered together and run a ground stud in the footwell.

Coming out of the harness relay there are three wires: a red, a black, and a blue. The red and black are a given, but the blue only exists exiting from the relay. Rigid also included a good length of white wire to connect to their 3 way switch and tap into the reverse lights. Obviously, I'm not using their switch and I haven't run the white wire as I don't want these lights tied into the stock reverse lights but just tied to a switch.

I've tried hooking up the red and blue to the switch and grounding the black but with no luck.

I'm hoping someone on here can help me out as I'm at a loss as to what I need to do to get these wired up and working off this switch. I've included the wiring for the contura v switch.

(I'll also note that the switch does work, the leads are connected up to the battery, and the in-line fuse is good.)
 
TANK said:
Picked up a set of Rigid SRM backup lights and mounting brackets from Northridge. Install went fine until it came to wiring up the switch using the wiring harness that came with the lights.

I have an a-pillar switch pod with contura v switches. I have all 4 switches #6 pins jumpered together and connected up to the dimmer wire. I also have all 4 switches #7 & #8 pins jumpered together and run a ground stud in the footwell.

Coming out of the harness relay there are three wires: a red, a black, and a blue. The red and black are a given, but the blue only exists exiting from the relay. Rigid also included a good length of white wire to connect to their 3 way switch and tap into the reverse lights. Obviously, I'm not using their switch and I haven't run the white wire as I don't want these lights tied into the stock reverse lights but just tied to a switch.

I've tried hooking up the red and blue to the switch and grounding the black but with no luck.

I'm hoping someone on here can help me out as I'm at a loss as to what I need to do to get these wired up and working off this switch. I've included the wiring for the contura v switch.

(I'll also note that the switch does work, the leads are connected up to the battery, and the in-line fuse is good.)
Click to expand...

I believe the blue wire is just to power the led in the switch itself, so when you turn on your rigid switch it lights up. I have a rigid harness for my light bar, I'll go look. Is the white wire in the harness or separate?
 
Yeah, the video only really helps if I was using rigid's included switch and tying in the reverse lights unfortunately.
 
I was incorrect. I just checked mine with a test light. The red wire is your power from battery to switch. The blue wire is signal power from switch to lights. Black is ground. So you need to figure out away to get the blue wire to the switch that you want to use as your power. That should make the lights work. The red wire isn't going to do anything at this point I don't believe.

Basically instead of using the red wire as your power source, you already have power going to your switch pod. By eliminating the red wire though, you will not have a relay. Personally, I don't think the rear lights are going to draw enough to need the relay, but that's your call.

EDIT: Scrap this because the blue wire might be the circuit that turns on the relay allowing power to flow through red wires. See the following post I just posted.
 
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Wait. Do you have the new Rigid wiring hooked up to the battery? If so leave it, then connect the red lead that goes to the Rigid switch to one side of the switch you want to use instead. Then connect the blue wire to the other side of the same switch. Basically what the Rigid switch does is connect power between the red and blue wire. So just make your other switch do that. That's it.
 
Well, I'll have to play around with it tomorrow then. I had to stop and get some ribeyes going on the grill.
 
WJCO said:
So Red to #2 and Blue to #3. Then obviously ground that other black wire wherever.
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Well I gave this a try, but still no luck. This one just keeps me scratching my head. I even checked to see that the relay was indeed working hoping that I might have just had a dud. I'm no electrical guru, but I've never been as lost as I am right now.

I'm wondering if the relay is wired purposefully for the fact of connecting up the rigid 3 way switch and having the reverse lights tapped in.
 
TANK said:
Well I gave this a try, but still no luck. This one just keeps me scratching my head. I even checked to see that the relay was indeed working hoping that I might have just had a dud. I'm no electrical guru, but I've never been as lost as I am right now.

I'm wondering if the relay is wired purposefully for the fact of connecting up the rigid 3 way switch and having the reverse lights tapped in.
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It shouldn't matter (to the best of my knowledge) , a switch is a switch. The white wire doesn't go into the relay at all correct? If not, white wire shouldn't mean anything.

Here's what I would do. Verify that your red wire (that would normally plug into the Rigid switch) has power (obviously with the rigid wires hooked to your battery). Also verify that your new switch has power from your dimmer switch. Also, I'm sure you know this, but if you're running power from the dimmer switch, I assume that your key will have to be on anytime you want that light to work.
 
You could always hook up the Rigid switch anyway and hide in the dash where no one sees it and leave it in the on position. Just make sure all metal connections at switch are taped up so they don't touch any metal grounds. Then take that white wire (hooked to the Rigid switch in the right position) and make it connect to the power lead coming out of the switch you want to use. :D That should work. Just make sure you hide that Rigid switch well because it has a built-in LED and will light up bright.
 
Yes, that is the diagram rigid provided and yes, the white wire does not connect at all to the relay. The red wire does have power to the switch. I have the dual leds in the switch, so one only lights when the JK's lights are on in the off position and the second turns on when the switch is flipped on. I even tried a different switch that I know works with the same results. Luckily I have all day tomorrow to figure this damn thing out. I do appreciate your help with this.
 
I'm also going to check the leads on the Rigid switch for continuity. I want to see how the blue wire and white wire factor in as it should give me an indication of what I need to do.
 
TANK said:
Yes, that is the diagram rigid provided and yes, the white wire does not connect at all to the relay. The red wire does have power to the switch. I have the dual leds in the switch, so one only lights when the JK's lights are on in the off position and the second turns on when the switch is flipped on. I even tried a different switch that I know works with the same results. Luckily I have all day tomorrow to figure this damn thing out. I do appreciate your help with this.
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No problem. I do hope it works out. I believe the blue wire is where the power energizes the relay when the switch is flipped. Then the relay contacts close inside, sending your power to the rear lights. With the dual switch like that maybe you do have to run that white wire (which I would hook to your other switch instead of your reverse light circuit so you can control it independently). At first I figured your harness was similar to my light bar one until I found that diagram. Anyway, hope it all works out.
 
TANK said:
I'm also going to check the leads on the Rigid switch for continuity. I want to see how the blue wire and white wire factor in as it should give me an indication of what I need to do.
Click to expand...

I'll bet you'll find that the white wire (when hot) connects power to the blue terminal when the switch is hit. This sends the power to the relay which completes the circuit and gives you the light. I hope so. What a mess.
 
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