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Ditch light button wiring (Diode Dynamics SS3s ----> CaliRaised button)

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by TheTravelingHomie, Aug 26, 2022.

  1. Aug 26, 2022 at 2:08 PM
    #1
    TheTravelingHomie

    TheTravelingHomie [OP] New Member

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    Ruben
    Confession, I'm a total noob so be gentle hahaha. Having some issue wiring a Ditch light switch (from CaliRaised) to my DiodeDynamics SS3 pods. When I initially wired them they worked and I took a picture to document. It was using a different brand switch but then it stopped working. Nothing has changed in the few weeks that I've had them connected. I'd later read that the brand wasn't that reliable so I ordered a switch from CaliRaised. I connected it same order of wires as when they worked, but they're still not turning on.

    Below is the wiring pattern that I had documented when they worked but then stopped
    Diode Dynamics (3 wires) ----> Original Switch button (4 wires, Yellow was not used)
    Blue ----> Black
    Red ----> Green
    Yellow ----> Red (Closest to green)

    Diode Dynamics (3 wires) ----> CaliRaised Switch button (4 wires, Red 2 closest to black was not used)
    Blue ----> Black
    Red ----> Green
    Yellow ----> Red 1 (Closest to green)

    Can someone provide some guidance on how to properly wire these? I've sat and tried a variety of combos and can't get it to work. I've tried to understand the wiring diagrams but don't.
    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. Aug 27, 2022 at 12:12 PM
    #2
    PhantomTweak

    PhantomTweak New Member

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    Patrick
    OREGON
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    None. Bone Stock. EXCEPT: Brushguard, tow hitch, both welded to the frame. It's good to have friends and a fully equipped garage!
    If you could post up a picture of the wiring diagram it would be a big help. Scan it in, and post the result.

    It SOUNDS to me like the ditch lights may have gotten burned out by the way the last switch was hooked up. For all their long lasting ability, LED's are sensitive to the voltage applied to them. Too much, or the wrong orientation, IE where + and - are connected, can be a killer.

    BTW: Did you check the fuse feeding the ditch lights? That may be why they failed. The fuse blew, worked loose, etc. It's a possibility, anywho.Same with the fuse for the other system you have that you're running the ditch lights off of.

    You really should make the ditch lights their own system, not add them onto another set up. I'm sure the DLs came with instructions on how to connect them so they are a unique, stand-alone system, not as an add-on to another lighting system.

    Sorry, not super helpful, but the best I can do without a schematic and/or wiring diagram available.
    Pat☺
     
  3. Aug 27, 2022 at 12:33 PM
    #3
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

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    S/E Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRDORP, KDSS, MGM
    RSG sliders, Yakima offgrid basket, Pro-Comp wheels, SOS Streamline bumper and skids, Warn VR EVO10S winch + Ultimate Sidewinder, Bilstein 6112 + 5100 + rear lift coils, Rigid Dually SS ditch lights w/Caliraised brackets and OEM style dash switch
    Do you have schematics from both products? I remember the wiring on the Caliraised switches being a little goofy. But, I'm using Caliraised switches with Rigid lights, no problem.
     
  4. Aug 28, 2022 at 2:21 PM
    #4
    TheTravelingHomie

    TheTravelingHomie [OP] New Member

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    Ruben
    So here’s the diagrams that I found and was going by. Top = CaliRaised Switch…Bottom = DiodeDynamics SS3 Pro Ditch Lights.

    CaliRaised Switch Diagram
    44B5B7AD-F8A4-4FCE-8816-D2FD5554AD64.jpg

    DiodeDynamics Diagram
    63B16DA0-A795-475E-992B-99C73B839748.jpg

    Also watched a few more YouTube videos on both these products and the last one suggested connecting the following to the CaliRaised switch. But still not 100% sure what to connect to where.

    DD——> CaliRaised Switch
    —————————————————-
    Positive—-> Green
    Relay —-> Both Reds (illuminate the switch leds)
    Negative—-> Black
     
  5. Aug 29, 2022 at 11:56 AM
    #5
    PhantomTweak

    PhantomTweak New Member

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    OREGON
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    1999 4Runner, bone stock
    None. Bone Stock. EXCEPT: Brushguard, tow hitch, both welded to the frame. It's good to have friends and a fully equipped garage!
    If it were me, which it's not, but if it were, I would use the switch that came with the lights you're using. It's designed to go with them, and it's the easier one to wire up. The CaliRaised one is designed to work with a relay, which I'm not sure you've installed. The DD one is a simpler switch to wire in, and doesn't need a relay to function properly.

    From the sound of it, you're using the wiring harness that came with the lights, yes? So, start from the beginning. It looks like a very simple harness to work with, and put a switch on. Essentially, the switch has 3 positions, Off, Low, High. It's made to apply the battery voltage, coming in on the center, red lead, to one of the two wires going to the LEDs, one yellow, one blue. Those two wires, yellow and blue, go to the lights. The black from the battery - goes directly to the lights, providing them with a ground, or return. Quick, simple, easy and painless to hook up.
    Other than appearance, I can think of no real reason to use a different switch. If you insist on using a caliraised switch, though, have you installed and wired up the correct type of relay? If so, can you provide a wiring diagram of what your entire system looks like? Something like the bottom diagram? That way we can see exactly what wires you have going where. BTW: having two wires of the same color, as shown, the two reds, leads to nothing but confusion. Very bad design.

    Anywho, it looks like your wiring harness has a fuse in it. Did you check the fuse before you started changing things around? You're whole problem might have been a blown fuse in the first place.

    Let us know what's going on. :)
    Pat☺
     

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