I did the jumper mod this weekend to allow my fog lights to stay on all the time as I just installed HID fogs.

Since then my HVAC control lights when out and the dimmer switch did not work. I tracked it down to a blow fuse (dimmer) so I replaced it. It was working fine yesterday and now today it seems to have blown again.

Does anyone know what could be causing this?

I found a poster with the same issue on TitanTalk and it appears that the remote start may have something to do with it. Anyone else have this issue?

Add a relay. The wire in our dash is two small of gauge to take the draw from your lights. If you add a relay to be switched on via the dimer and add a direct line back to the battery to control the relay power you wont have any problems.

I found a poster with the same issue on TitanTalk and it appears that the remote start may have something to do with it. Anyone else have this issue?

The after market remote starts all us a relay and obtain the "power" from a dedicated source usually back to the battery or extra port on the fuse block.

Branden,

Thanks for the reply. I'm a little confused by your post though. I understand the purpose of a relay but I'm not sure how it fits into this equation.

Not sure if you are familiar with the jumper mod but here is a pic and a link to other issues caused by it:

http://i26.tinypic.com/4fxxyt.jpg

http://www.titantalk.com/forums/titan-general-discussion/74318-unwanted-side-effect-fog-light-mod.html

Can you elaborate?

I was unaware of that particular mod, thanks for the info.
A couple of questions:
Do you have everything wired exactly the above picture?
When it blows the fuse does it blow one or the other or both?
What gauge wire are you using to jump the 2 fuses together?
What size fuse keeps blowing?

The other problem I noticed with he HID's is that they draw a lot more amperage then your standard lights. Easy solution throw in a bigger fuse. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS, because it sounds like your HVAC controlls/dimmer switch are tied in to the same curcuit. The true solution is to add either a dedicated line back to the battery, straight to the lights/ switch or add another fuse to the block then go to your switch.

Whats the whole goal? To make the fog lamps automatically turn on with the head lights?

Branden - I've added responses to your quoted text below:

I was unaware of that particular mod, thanks for the info.
A couple of questions:
Do you have everything wired exactly the above picture? - Yes
When it blows the fuse does it blow one or the other or both? - It is not either of those fuses, it is the dimmer fuse which is to the left of the one that is part of the mod on the bottom.
What gauge wire are you using to jump the 2 fuses together? 14 gauge
What size fuse keeps blowing? It's the 10 amp "dimmer" fuse that controls the HVAC back lights as well as the dimmer control knob.
The other problem I noticed with he HID's is that they draw a lot more amperage then your standard lights. - Actually this is a common misconception, they draw 35 watts which is less than the 37.5 watt bulbs that they replaced. Easy solution throw in a bigger fuse. - Only if I wanted to melt my wires!!! I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS, because it sounds like your HVAC controlls/dimmer switch are tied in to the same curcuit. - This is what is confusing me, it is not part of the two circuits that make up the mod - otherwise it would be on the same fuse. The true solution is to add either a dedicated line back to the battery, straight to the lights/ switch or add another fuse to the block then go to your switch. - I'm thinking of just running dedicated power to the HID fogs and putting a relay in the circuit that powers on when my parking lamps are on as doing it this way would kill my OEM stalk switch in the cabin.

Whats the whole goal? To make the fog lamps automatically turn on with the head lights? - The goal is so the fog lights don't turn off when I hit my high beams. One more more light, but also so I am not cycling them every 3 minutes.

Sorry its really hard to diagnose alot of this stuff espically electrical over the net. But here it goes. I have no idea.......why its blowing a different fuse vs the ones you are messing with beats me.
But I offer you an olive branch.....if the end goal is just to keep the fogs on when you turn on the high beams why not just splice them in to the high beams in the first place? Again if you were to add a relay from the high beams "+" to your HIDs you could make them stay on when you activate the high beams. In other words ditch the mod so everything is standard, hook another positive wire from the high beam lights to a relay to your lights so when you go high beams on the stock mod turns them off but then your realy kicks them back on instantly. You need the relay so when the HID's are on your high beams are off.

Basically two different powers sources to 1 light(S).

I hope that makes sense. Its did in my head...:D and no Im not a relay sales person.

Ha ha - no problem I completely understand and appreciate the help :)

Actually the intent is not so much to turn them on with the high beams but make it so they don't turn off with the high beams. I think I am going to do that - should be as simple as a hot wire from the battery to a relay, switched power from the relay to the parking lights, power from the relay to the fogs, and ground.

It is much simpler to do the jumper mod but I don't think it is worth the issues it has caused. Problem is wiring up as I described above is best left for warmer weather!

Glad I can be of help....I think....just another way to skin the same cat. Preferably a lot safer that monkeying with the fuse box. The more and more I thought about that mod its really a bad idea. With out tracing back which paddle supplies power "in" or "out" you could be jumping to loads on one fuse.

Go right to the source. When done right you should be able to do it without any different interior mods.

B-