3rd Gen Durango 2011+ models

LED lightbar functionality

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Old 09-15-2014, 08:48 PM
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Default LED lightbar functionality

i have a good ol Chinese 32" curved light bar, with a 4 year warranty (so it must be quality) off of ebay on the way. I plan to mount it on the top of the bumper for my 2012 citadel as seen in the photoshopped image:


My goal is to wire the light bar so it may be turned on by the high beams, be off regardless, or be on regardless with a on-off-on(spdt) rocker switch. Im looking forward to doing this mod because these led light bars add so much light which will be great for the conditions i have here!

Here is an example schematic i will follow for this project:



Problem Being, as seen in the schematic i need i need a 12v+ trigger(The high beams) to close the relay and send power to the light bar. But i cant find any info on where to tap into a highbeam wire!? Nothing in the owners manual or online i can find. It would be very helpful if someone could chime in on where to get this tap from to enable the ledbar when high's are on.
 
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Old 09-16-2014, 03:27 PM
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Which wire is the highbeams on the tipm any wire diagram?
 
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Old 09-16-2014, 08:57 PM
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Question about the logic you're following: if you want the lightbar to be on or off regardless of the high beam position, why do you want to use the high beam activation at all?

Is this so if you are in an area where you may have to turn the high beams and lightbar off due to oncoming traffic, you only have to make one motion?
 
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Old 09-16-2014, 09:34 PM
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For legal purposes, I'd just put it on its own switch and call it done...
 
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Old 09-17-2014, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by coldsteel
Question about the logic you're following: if you want the lightbar to be on or off regardless of the high beam position, why do you want to use the high beam activation at all?

Is this so if you are in an area where you may have to turn the high beams and lightbar off due to oncoming traffic, you only have to make one motion?
If the high beams are on, that means there are no cars to blind so I would wish to turn on the light bar automatically in those situations. The switch is on-off-on so I'll be able to turn off the highbeam feature if I wanted. Still want to know where I can tap into high beams. But I think I have found the awnser over in the grand Cherokee forums.
 
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Old 09-18-2014, 10:34 PM
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Either put it on its own switch, or if you like, you can setup a bypass switch so that it operates normally with the low/high beams when the switch is in the off position. If you want to have it one regardless of the auto headlights, then you can have a bypass switch to ignore it and provide consistent power.

Better yet a three way switch, on/off with the auto lights, always on, or always off
 
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Old 09-19-2014, 09:07 AM
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I know how to do it, yes I'll be using a on/off/highbeam switch. My problem is where is the high beam wire/ fuse. Thedurango's tipm makes this a difficult problem.
Luckily I found an exterior wiring diagram from the very helpful grand Cherokee forums:
Now I know I'm looking for a green white wire.
 
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Old 10-01-2014, 07:17 PM
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Well I did it! Tapped into the high beams from where the plug goes in the headlight and mounted the bar. Only have to do the relay and switch now

 
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Old 10-01-2014, 10:58 PM
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Um, why did you do this?
 
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Old 10-02-2014, 07:11 AM
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Originally Posted by SteelR/TAZ
Um, why did you do this?
More light, safer driving, I have a 30min drive every day and back to work through rural county roads, during the winter my commute is in the dark with no other cars around usually, and this Durango gets used to haul sleds far north in Ontario. This light bar is going to make driving easier at night.
 

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