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CUCV Blackout Relay

Scoutmann

New member
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Location
CA
Moderator, please delete or move if not allowed or already posted elsewhere.

Hey Guys, new member here. I have an 85 M1008. I've had it for almost 6 years. It's been sitting for most of that, because I blew a coolant line on the 6.2 and wrecked that motor. I just dropped a built 350/TH400 in it. Someone before me decided to chop up the bed to make it a welder, and never finished, so the old girl is getting a new flatbed. She also had the Dana 60/14bolt axles taken from her and replaced with 10 bolt 1/2 axles before I bought it. I scored and installed a 8 lug Dana 44/ 14 bolt with a 4 inch lift kit. I also converted it back to 12v for the 350. Anyways, enough on the build.

So I was driving her around the other day and the lights went out, they would sometimes come back on, usually with me toggling the right switch repeatedly. I know about the blackout switches and how they work. Right switch up for service lights, middle off, down and toggle right switch for black out lights. I'm an electrician, so I know my way around wires, switches and relays. I ohmed the right toggle in all 3 positions and it tested okay. I have power to it. I pulled and reinstalled the 30a fuse. It checked okay, both visually and it ohmed out okay. The fit in the fuse box was okay.

I was always under the assumption that the right switch controlled 2 relays. One for the service lights and one for the blackouts. Am I wrong? I cannot seem to find the relays anywhere. Is all the power carried through the switches? I know the power for all the lights is carried through that 30a fuse on the fuse block. Is there an upgrade anyone has done to help alleviate or fix that? Eventually I want to haul trailers with the old girl. I don't want to melt the fuse box drawing too much through it.

I've looked through the forums and I cannot find anything on this. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks guys.
 
Last edited:

MarcusOReallyus

Well-known member
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Location
Virginia
Welcome to the forum! :beer:

I was always under the assumption that the right switch controlled 2 relays. One for the service lights and one for the blackouts. Am I wrong? I cannot seem to find the relays anywhere. Is all the power carried through the switches?
They do have relays, but I have not found them. But then again, I have not looked for them. :mrgreen: I bypassed the BO switches because I got tired of them getting bumped into the BO position.

What are you trying to accomplish with those relays?

I know the power for all the lights is carried through that 30a fuse on the fuse block. Is there an upgrade anyone has done to help alleviate or fix that? Eventually I want to haul trailers with the old girl. I don't want to melt the fuse box drawing too much through it.
There are two good ways that folks have used to lower the draw on that massively overloaded circuit:

  1. Install LED headlights, because they draw a lot less power.
  2. Install a headlight relay kit (available from a variety of vendors, including LMC)


Either will take a load off of that circuit. The relay kit is cheaper. The LEDs get you better light. So, choices....

If you do either one, and have LEDs on your trailer, you are probably good to go.

Another option is to install your own relays to carry the trailer load. Run a line to the back (shooting from the hip, probably 10 gauge) from the front battery, and put the relays behind the bumper. Use the existing wiring to trigger the relays, and the relays to power the trailer. I just did this on my family fan to power a better backup light. Works nicely.
 
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