Wiring Explanation for lighting components with added features DRL, LED Strip, Halo’s, etc
Most vehicles come originally equipped with a low beam and high beam headlight bulb or bulbs, a parking or
running light and a turn signal. You have purchased an item that has an added lighting feature. As the lighting
feature was not original on your vehicle the wiring, fuse, plug or switch to control that feature does not exist
on your vehicle. In this case some automotive electrical engineering is required to make this lighting feature
function.
You will notice on the back side of this type of light there are loose wires. These are the wires used to control
the new lighting feature. They typically come in one of the two color combinations shown below.
White/Black
Red/Black
White wire requires 12 volt switched power
Black wire requires chassis ground
Red wire requires 12 volt switched power
Black wire requires chassis ground
Now that you have identified the wires if you would like you can test that the lighting feature is working
properly by touching the ends of the wires to your vehicle’s battery. Black wires go to the negative (-) battery
terminal and the colored wire would go to the positive (+) terminal.
Once you have verified that the light feature operates correctly you would now determine how you wish for
the lighting feature to function. These are the three common ways our customers have these features
function:
1. Feature comes on at night when the lights are turned on.
a. Typically, this is done by sourcing the 12v power from the vehicles existing parking light circuit.
2. Feature comes on when the vehicle is turned on, day or night.
a. This would require 12v key on switched power.
3. Independent control of the lighting feature, turn on and off the feature at any time.
a. Create a new circuit with a switch inside the vehicle, similar to adding fog light.
If you do not posses the correct tools or expertise to perform the required wiring listed above, we strongly
recommend taking your vehicle to an automotive wiring specialist to perform the installation for you.
Failure to do so could result in you damaging your vehicles existing wiring systems.
