83 GL - Whenever I turn the lights on, the fuse blows. Headlights and brake lights work but running lights don't, so I'm guessing one of the 4 power wires is grounding out somewhere. The tail light assemblies are dry. Rather than fighting with tracing 4 wires, tearing out all kinds of interior parts and lots of other fun stuff I want to: run 12 volt wire from the battery, to a 15 amp fuse, to a toggle switch (that glows!) and then to the 4 lights. The wiring in my car is already jacked up as hell, so is there any reason I shouldn't do this? I did the same thing to my radiator fan yesterday and it's working fine so far.

Why not put the lights on a relay and have them powered off of the battery with their own fuse?

WARNING: DUMB QUESTION AHEAD:

 

What's a relay and what would that involve?

I put a toggle switch for my fuel pump, replaced it and still didnt work so i just solved my problem by putting a switch to it. works great

Sako, a relay is a switch device that allows a small amount of current to switch on a large amount of current via a magnetic switch.

 

The switch circuit is isolated from the load circuit.

 

Go to an auto parts store and have them show you the relays. If you are enterprising enough to wire a switch in then a relay shouldn't be a problem.

 

You should put a small inline fuse between the switch and the relay, and maybe a large fuse between the lights and the relay but AFAIK the relay will act like a fuse also (?).

 

Hope this helps,

Kel

I put a toggle switch for my fuel pump, replaced it and still didnt work so i just solved my problem by putting a switch to it. works great

 

Hey Greensubie nice town!

 

Kel

So I got it all done today, used all new wire and the running lights work, but now the brake lights don't work! WTF mate?

Earlier today I got both brake lights to work, then they quit. I thought maybe the grounds were bad (wires were blackened) so I grounded them straight to the body, nothing. I can touch the light end of the wires to the wires I rigged up for the running lights and they'll work, but still no go when plugged into the stock brake light wiring. So either my brake pedal just isn't sending a signal anymore or my brake light wiring went bad right after I got the running lights to work this sucks

Yup, electrical gremlins.

Check your brake light switch and fuse for the brake lights.

there is a relay or a umm dont know what its called but its for the brakes, its in the left side back corner of my hatch back so i assume there would be one in a wagon to? but i dont kwno im workin on wireing now to so i just found it, but that might be problem? i dont know jsut an idea

I think I know what your problem is...

 

Check the light connection right in front of the battery ( side marker i think ). It happened to me, that the battery acids had eaten through the power wire ( leaving it exposed) and would touch the body of the car and short out the fuse EVERY time I turned it on. Check there!