JJH

iTrader: (1)

So recently I installed my DDM Tuning HID fogs. They lasted a few days but today I found that the fuse had burnt out. It looks like a very easy melt through like it happened gradually not like a big black spot on the inside of the fuse; it hardly looked blown at all. This leads me to believe that using a slightly higher resistance fuse (15a maybe?) would prevent this from happening. What do you guys think?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Do you have a relay hooked up to the fogs?

JJH

iTrader: (1)

2007-2008 TLs already have a relay inline

KJ TL-S

iTrader: (9)

Wut?

I had problems when I first installed mine. You really should connect them thru a relay harness, this solved everything for me, as well as provides security to your stock wiring.

A relay harness is not required, but very highly recommended.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

like KJ stated; it will solve your problems.

JJH

iTrader: (1)

But there is already a relay harness inline. It would be like putting two relays right next to each other on the same circuit. What is the purpose?

350

iTrader: (4)

Do a relay that gets power straight from the battery and only uses the stock wiring for a signal if you're having issues with them not getting enough power. Don't try to draw more power through the stock wires if you're already having issues.

geekybiker

Putting a bigger fuse on stock wiring is usually a good way to damage equipment and/or start a fire.

KJ TL-S

iTrader: (9)

Wise words above - you're only asking for trouble by increasing the size of the fuse.

Drawing power directly from the battery is the best and safest way to do it. I'm not exactly sure what you're thinking of by saying there is already a relay. I know there are standard fogs already there, but there is no relay harness right off the battery for your HID kit.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

JJH, this is what you need and you'll be good to go.

http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/HI...Wiring-Harness

ez12a

the point of the second relay even if redundant is to not send high current through the factory fuse and wiring, and instead to offload the current to larger gauge wiring that is easily replaced if necessary. With an aftermarket relay you're drawing minimal power through the factory harness/relay.

the redundant relay should have its own fuse holder that you can do whatever with, but more often than not a relay will solve your problems with no fuse modifications.

all TLs have relays (no need to differentiate 07/08 from earlier years). It's not like the current is flowing through the fog light switch in the stalk when you switch them on. The "inline" factory relay is already being taken into consideration with our suggestions.

that said, my relay and factory fuses have never burned out with my DDM kit.

splew

^This.

Contrary to popular belief, fuses aren't there to simply annoy you by burning out. They're there to protect the wiring of the circuit they're installed on by burning out when the current draw reaches unsafe levels.

NEVER replace a fuse with another fuse of a higher amperage rating. That basically defeats the purpose of even having a fuse. If your fog light circuit were designed to safely handle 15 amps of current, it would have come with a 15 amp fuse to begin with, not a 10 amp.

If you're blowing fuses then that means you're drawing more current than the circuit was designed for. Like others said, the solution is a relay harness.

350

iTrader: (4)

You can get those relay harnesses on eBay for under $10 shipped too, just search HID harness you'll find tons of results. It's simple, run to the battery and a bolt to ground, then plug the stock sockets into the harness and your ballast into the harness, so it's always got good power straight from the battery and just triggers it from the stock wiring. I have 35 watt DDM ballasts in my fogs on my 06 and have had zero issues though with stock wiring. I wonder if it's thicker since they use a 55 watt bulb stock instead of 35 watt. Either way the harness is cheap insurance.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

or you have wires crossed somewhere. IE : neg is pos, pos is neg, trigger wire is crossed incorrectly, etc.

had that issue with my angel eyes on my headlights. angel eyes had a positive and negative wire coming from headlights to a switch in my car that had a positive, negative, and LED indicator leads coming off of it. so that left me with 2 leads off of the angel eyes and 3 leads on the switch. fun times...

weaselbob74

If you read DDM's FAQs (haven't in a couple years) they have a list of cars where you have to flip the ballast connector, e.g. pos -> neg, neg -> pos

I had to flip the ballast wires on my RAV4, have never had a problem after that.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

^oh yeah i know.

i meant that i had 2 leads coming off of the angel eyes and i had 3 leads on the switch, so i had to create additional wiring for the trigger (led) switch.

^this was all fine and dandy when i first installed them, i made the mistake of taking off the wires from the switches during another install and stupid me forgot which wire went where afterwards. probably blew 8 fuses trying to figure out which one went where but i finally got it sorted out.

note to self. mark each wire before removing them...

weaselbob74

I do the same damn thing. I get excited taking something apart, and forget how it goes together. Especially electrical items.