LED LightBar will not turn off all the way

This a weird situation I have. I'm a novice when it comes to automotive electrical.

I installed Hooke Road Roof Rack w/ Light Bar. When my rocker switch is in the "off" position, the LED bar is still on, slightly. Like, 25% brightness...even when the truck is off!

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Below is my diagram of how I connected everything.

 

Couple questions.
Is the circuit fused?
Is the switch rated for the draw of the bar (even on a grounding switch, it needs to be properly rated)?
Did you check if there is continuity between the ground wire and the housing?

What you have happening is that the bar is getting a weak ground through it's housing. With an unswitched hot side, it makes a complete circuit (although weak) and keeps the bar on.
Easy fix, rewire to have the hot wire switched (preferably through a weatherproof relay).

 

Circuit is not fused.
I'm not sure if switch is rate for draw of the bar, as I'm not sure what the AMP draw of the Light bar is.
You lost me on your 3rd question lol, that's how novice I am. Continuity between ground wire & housing? What housing?

 

I found this diagram online. Is that basically what you're saying?
Also, do I need a relay? What if I use an inline Fuse like the diagram displays?

 

This will be a learning experience you can use.
#1: ABSOLUTELY use an fuse (inline or auxiliary panel), on ANY electrical accessory you install. DONT EVEN QUESTION IT.
#2: what is the stated wattage of the light bar? Divide watts by volts (12v) to get amps. Choose a fuse that is 125% the amp draw.
#3: most switches will have their rated amperage on the side or back. If an undersized switch is used, the switch can melt, burn, short to power. If the preferred switch is undersized, you MUST use a relay. If a relay is used, the switch will be wired to the control side of the relay. Both the switch and relay will require uses on their respective power supply wires.
#4: continuity is the ability of electricity to go from one point to another. In this case, it will be the ground side of the circuit to the housing of the light (housing is the black coated aluminum that you see, basically everything on the outside of the light except the clear lens). It is most likely grounding from the housing, through the mounting bolts and brackets, through the rack, and to the cab.

I would highly suggest that you get a multimeter (digital is preferred, but analog will work also) and watch YouTube to learn how to use it, the three main things you will use it for are voltage checks, LOW level amp draw, and continuity.

Edit: the picture is how you will wire it with a switch that can handle the amp draw of the light bar. If a relay is needed, there is a bit of a change. But, it isn't hard to do. I'll draw a picture tomorrow and post it if I remember to.
For now, disconnect the power to the light until you figure out how it needs to be wired and get the necessary pieces.
DO NOT do a continuity check on factory wiring in the truck or any circuit connected to power. The multimeter sends power out during a continuity test which can damage sensitive computers/modules.

 

Thank you so much man. Very comprehensive response.
The good news is that my switch is rated high enough then, as the Light Bar is 100 watts/12 volts. And my switch is 20 amps.
I’m going to try and switch the wiring around, use an inline fuse, and see if that does the trick. It sounds like it should.

 

Also, when you plan to wire in accessories, make sure you use proper size wire. Most things you would install would fall into the non-critical class. If buying wire online, make sure to avoid copper clad aluminum (CCA) wire.
Once you start doing it properly, the knowledge will stick pretty well for the next time. The main thing to remember is to protect the circuit (and the truck) with a fuse on all power wires.



If using a relay, use an add-a-fuse to supply power to the switch. This will keep battery less cluttered and you can find a circuit that is constant/on with ignition/on with lights. That way you can decide when you want the switch to be powered. If using an add a fuse, check which side of the OE fuse slot has power. The smooth side of the add-a-fuse goes on the power side, the side with the wire goes on the load side.

 

I was going to suggest just spend $20 and get a wiring harness (it will have a relay, inline fuse,and switch) for your lights off ebay/Amazon & follow the instructions and you will be fine. Good Luck

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...TitleDesc=0&_odkw=wiring+harness&_osacat=6028

 

As long as the relays are mounted inside the cab, they work pretty well. In the engine bay, the relays slowly get moisture and dirt in them which can lead to a buildup of stuff between the contacts with enough continuity to light up the bar all the time and not allow it to turn on fully. This is what happened to me on my first one, had a city maintenance guy knock on my door one night and tell me the light bar was glowing. Enough to see the bar at night from the front, but not enough to see the glow during the day or from the driver seat at night. That was when I discovered weatherproof relays.

 

I've had the same 3 relays in my Tacoma engine bay for 10 years, never had a problem. The newer relay harnesses have a rubber boot.

 

I like this chart a lot. Thank you.
I ended up rewiring the light bar using this diagram. No relay, just an inline fuse holder (15 amp fuse inside). It solved the issue of the light bar staying “dim” even with the truck off. And everything seems to be operating well. So I’m hoping it’s done correctly now. I assume the fuse will protect from any dangers.

 

That'll be good. Glad you got it corrected.

 

Thank you so much man, really appreciate it.