How To: Clean Upfitter/Aux Wiring Fuse Block Install

[DINOZR]

Since this has become a great thread for people to reference in the future, here are some photos of how I did my upfitter wiring. It's quite different than OP, but also clean and instantly reconfigurable. The accessory on AUX 1 and change to AUX 2 in about 10 seconds.

 

[MAMiller44]

IMHO, adding relays is a whole additional level of work. In addition to everything he did here, you would have to cleanly wire them to power and ground buses, and mount the relays. Not a trivial marginal addition to this project.

I’m using all the factory aux power for the actual upfitter switches. Only relay I have is one for the rigid radiance backlighting. I wanted it tied to the other amber lights up front and you can’t add even a fraction of an amp on to that circuit. You won’t blow a fuse, it’s monitored by the ECU and will just throw you a code and not turn any of them on. So for that I have a relay directly off the battery and I have it tucked away where those blue wires are for the pass-thru.

I would say that for many people, factory 15a, 10a, and 5a will do for lighting. Baja Designs LP’s are 7.5a draw a piece though unfortunately, so if you want to do that or certain 40”+ light bars you will need relays.

My current setup:
Aux 1: Two (2) Rigid DXL Ditch Lights
Aux 2: Rigid 40” Curved (Amber backlighting on relay)
Aux 3: Two (2) Rigid SL 10” Amber Floods for Fog Lights
Aux 4: Two (2) Rear Rigid Radiance Pods
Aux 5: Future ARB Compressor (Will be on relay)
Aux 6: Maybe a horn or something fun.

 

[DINOZR]

I’m using all the factory aux power for the actual upfitter switches. Only relay I have is one for the rigid radiance backlighting. I wanted it tied to the other amber lights up front and you can’t add even a fraction of an amp on to that circuit. You won’t blow a fuse, it’s monitored by the ECU and will just throw you a code and not turn any of them on. So for that I have a relay directly off the battery and I have it tucked away where those blue wires are for the pass-thru.

I would say that for many people, factory 15a, 10a, and 5a will do for lighting. Baja Designs LP’s are 7.5a draw a piece though unfortunately, so if you want to do that or certain 40”+ light bars you will need relays.

My current setup:
Aux 1: Two (2) Rigid DXL Ditch Lights
Aux 2: Rigid 40” Curved (Amber backlighting on relay)
Aux 3: Two (2) Rigid SL 10” Amber Floods for Fog Lights
Aux 4: Two (2) Rear Rigid Radiance Pods
Aux 5: Future ARB Compressor (Will be on relay)
Aux 6: Maybe a horn or something fun.

I'm 100% with you on the need for a relay running the LPs. If that's what you've got, then you've got to wire a relay into the system. I was addressing the idea "If I'm gonna clean up the upfitters, then I might as well add relays too." Which I interpret to mean "relays on every upfitter." In any event, my .02 is that the simple "no relay" method makes best sense unless you know you need a relay. Mounting and cleanly wiring 6 relays in addition to all this is not just a little extra work. That's as much work as the original project.

All this is picking nits. Everybody here has great ideas and is doing really nice work.

 

[Chzhead]

Dude, that is a nice setup. Very clean. Any option for us Gen 1's??

 

[Hahn Solo]

I have an idea to buy one of these:
https://www.roughcountry.com/mlc6-multiple-light-controller-70955.html

But instead of using their switches, just splice the upfitters into the switch harness so that the upfitter voltage is the relay trigger for the MLC-6 relays.

After doing this I’d have (6) 30amp fused relay circuits, each with a power and ground point, triggered by the upfitter switches. Add a 2 pin Deutsch connector on some pigtails from each relay, and it’s a pretty clean setup.

I asked Rough Country if they would sell it without the switch bundle since I wouldn’t need it. They said no, but they agreed that it would be a good idea for trucks with existing weak sauce upfitter circuits like our Raptors. If I find one on sale or used somewhere I’ll be giving this a try.

 

[MAMiller44]

I have an idea to buy one of these:
https://www.roughcountry.com/mlc6-multiple-light-controller-70955.html

But instead of using their switches, just splice the upfitters into the switch harness so that the upfitter voltage is the relay trigger for the MLC-6 relays.

After doing this I’d have (6) 30amp fused relay circuits, each with a power and ground point, triggered by the upfitter switches. Add a 2 pin Deutsch connector on some pigtails from each relay, and it’s a pretty clean setup.

I asked Rough Country if they would sell it without the switch bundle since I wouldn’t need it. They said no, but they agreed that it would be a good idea for trucks with existing weak sauce upfitter circuits like our Raptors. If I find one on sale or used somewhere I’ll be giving this a try.



View attachment 159496

This would be a complete waste of money and space on a Raptor in my
opinion. What’s the point? Our upfitters are not weak sauce. Most people only need 1 or 2 relays to run high amp draw lights. Nobody needs 6. Any decent equipment like a compressor or winch will also come with a relay because NO vehicle out there can power these with aux wiring.

 

[DINOZR]

I have an idea to buy one of these:
https://www.roughcountry.com/mlc6-multiple-light-controller-70955.html

But instead of using their switches, just splice the upfitters into the switch harness so that the upfitter voltage is the relay trigger for the MLC-6 relays.

After doing this I’d have (6) 30amp fused relay circuits, each with a power and ground point, triggered by the upfitter switches. Add a 2 pin Deutsch connector on some pigtails from each relay, and it’s a pretty clean setup.

I asked Rough Country if they would sell it without the switch bundle since I wouldn’t need it. They said no, but they agreed that it would be a good idea for trucks with existing weak sauce upfitter circuits like our Raptors. If I find one on sale or used somewhere I’ll be giving this a try.



View attachment 159496

I think your idea is genius--if you know you will need relays! I actually have a MLC-6 in a Jeep LJ I own. It's the only product from Rough Country I wouldn't be ashamed to own. The only limitation is that its native design is always on. You leave a switch on--you left your accessory on--and your battery is gonna die. By using the upfitters as switches, you will have solved this limitation because the upfitters are only powered with ignition ON.

Your challenge will be mounting it in the engine bay. Side of the battery box would be my first thought, but I haven't test fitted it. Personally, I am not a fan of mounting to the top of the fuse box. I don't like drilling into the top of the factory fuse box and breaking that watertight design, nor occluding access to the factory fuses. But some people go with that location and have no problems, so you might consider it.

You could do all your Deutsch connectors on a workbench and be able to attach them to the MLC-6 outside the engine bay. Depending on where you mount it, you'll most likely need to extend the upfitter wires. You could go ahead and fit your extensions with ring terminals to attach to the MLC-6 on your workbench, outside the engine bay.

Really great idea! Show us some pics if you implement it!

 

[MAMiller44]

I think your idea is genius--if you know you will need relays! I actually have a MLC-6 in a Jeep LJ I own. It's the only product from Rough Country I wouldn't be ashamed to own. The only limitation is that its native design is always on. You leave a switch on--you left your accessory on--and your battery is gonna die. By using the upfitters as switches, you will have solved this limitation because the upfitters are only powered with ignition ON.

Your challenge will be mounting it in the engine bay. Side of the battery box would be my first thought, but I haven't test fitted it. Personally, I am not a fan of mounting to the top of the fuse box. I don't like drilling into the top of the factory fuse box and breaking that watertight design, nor occluding access to the factory fuses. But some people go with that location and have no problems, so you might consider it.

You could do all your Deutsch connectors on a workbench and be able to attach them to the MLC-6 outside the engine bay. Depending on where you mount it, you'll most likely need to extend the upfitter wires. You could go ahead and fit your extensions with ring terminals to attach to the MLC-6 on your workbench, outside the engine bay.

Really great idea! Show us some pics if you implement it!

Not the only limitation. Disclaimer for anyone entertaining this, you will limit your whole system to 50a. Our factory setup is better than this at a total of 60a as all upfitters have their own fuses (15+15+10+10+5+5). This system has a 50a inline breaker so you are limited to 50a total from the battery despite each delay having a 30a fuse on it.

Again, in my opinion this is a downgrade. What does it really get you? If you need a relay or two, just use a relay or two.

 

[Hahn Solo]

Not the only limitation. Disclaimer for anyone entertaining this, you will limit your whole system to 50a. Our factory setup is better than this at a total of 60a as all upfitters have their own fuses (15+15+10+10+5+5). This system has a 50a inline breaker so you are limited to 50a total from the battery despite each delay having a 30a fuse on it.

Again, in my opinion this is a downgrade. What does it really get you? If you need a relay or two, just use a relay or two.

You might be happy to know Rough Country upgraded their instructions, the new pdf has an optional page at the end. It shows you how to cut a red wire in the MLC-6 and use a fuse tap at a switched source to make it ignition activated. No more constant hot in your LJ if you dont like that.

 

[Hahn Solo]

Not the only limitation. Disclaimer for anyone entertaining this, you will limit your whole system to 50a. Our factory setup is better than this at a total of 60a as all upfitters have their own fuses (15+15+10+10+5+5). This system has a 50a inline breaker so you are limited to 50a total from the battery despite each delay having a 30a fuse on it.

Again, in my opinion this is a downgrade. What does it really get you? If you need a relay or two, just use a relay or two.

I’m not going to run 50 amps, I’m going to increase my options though.

Upfitters 5/6 are fused at 5 amps, running more than about 4 amps continuous will blow those fuses. Those upfitter wires are also TINY. Doing this I’ll make ALL of my accessory wires 14 awg. I can pick and choose which switches I want the loads to be on without worry. IF I wanted more capacity than 50 amps, simply run switch 1 and 2 direct from the factory harness and run the other four switches through the MLC-6. Now the total capacity is 80 amps... the point is flexibility in how I use the switches and where I place the loads. At the same time this gives me a compact clean package with a common power AND ground point. To keep it clean I’ll connect accessory harnesses with the 2pin DT plugs on pigtails that run back to each relays power and ground lug.

Yeah, I could DIY this and piece together a relay board, fuses, diodes, box, buss bars, etc. Or I could just buy an MLC-6 and call it a day with far less effort. $200 isn’t terrible considering the cost of parts, but I’m trying to find it cheaper without the switch assembly first since I don’t need that part at all. And yeah, I could only add a couple relays and fuses as needed, but that quickly turns into ugly wiring and would still be less flexible.

Anyway thanks for your input and concern on how I use my truck, I have properly filed it in the trash can.