Light bar - fitting advise

[Reggieroo]

Well Merry Christmas everyone, hope you all had a good day.

My wonderful fiancee bought me a light bar complete with lights which I can't wait to fit, just need some advise on a few things.

What I want to know is how people have connected up the lights etc, I was thinking of connecting them to the main beam or are they normally on a separate switch. Are you even allowed to have that many lights on the main beam?
Will they blow fuses etc & how do I wire them in? Also where is the best place to route the wires as not to cause any leaks?

I'm no expert on electrics & I don't really like the thought of messing with the wiring, I even managed to kill of my battery last year just by putting in a new stereo  :roll:

[Range Rover Blues]

Wire them in pairs or singly to a relay in the engine bay.  You can use one earth if it's big enough.

run the wires into the door shut then secure them.  You can then run the wires under the deck panel to the engine bay.

RRC had main beam driving lights on a switch in the dash, each set of headlihts is wired along the inner wing so you can pick up a feed that runs back to the switch, or to the main beam direct.  They are all blue wires with a coloured trace, blue red and blue white are dip and main.

The law allows 6 lamps on at any one time.

[hairyasswelder]

As said wire through a couple of relays, if you do a search you will find a couple of wiring diagrams.
I have mine wired so they come on with main beam, but also through a switch so they can be turned off  ;)
I also have 2 wipacs on the 'A' bar so tend not to use the roof lights for general use cause they can reflect off the bonnet and annoy.
Always best to have the option to switch things off in my opinion  ;)

Steve

[anaxemurderer]

Hello - Happy Christmas

RRB ive never heard that definition of the law? Not that i doubt you, as ive never seen proof either way. As i understood it your not allowed lights lights on dip beam over 1.2m (this might be wrong height) and they must project to a certain max level (which is part of mot check). On mainbeam you can have anything but lights over 1.2m must be optional (ie on switches so they can be turned off). There is also a watt limit which i believe is 110watt per bulb? I have to admit i may be wrong!

Anyhow definately wire them up over ride switches as hairyass says! Also i sometimes wish i had the ability to turn them on without the main headlights. Quite useful offroad at night when other vehicles are around (less dazzling but helps to light up the vehicles wings).

And definatley use relays (running direct through mainbeam will overload), just use mainbeam to operate the switches etc.

Nick

[hairyasswelder]

Try this http://www.devon4x4.com/wiring-diagrams/view-category.html its off devon 4x4 and been suggested on here before  ;)

[Reggieroo]

The legal side of things seems a bit of mine field, I know that fog lights have to be at certain heights etc but driving lamps are allowed with main beam & can be fitted anywhere as long as they are fitted symmetrical but just not sure how many you can have on at any one time. When I think about it though I see lots of trucks with tons of roof lights & spots on the front,  all lit up with what looks like main beam.

[hairyasswelder]

The legal side of things seems a bit of mine field, I know that fog lights have to be at certain heights etc but driving lamps are allowed with main beam & can be fitted anywhere as long as they are fitted symmetrical but just not sure how many you can have on at any one time. When I think about it though I see lots of trucks with tons of roof lights & spots on the front,  all lit up with what looks like main beam.

Thats why the extra switch  ;)

For off road use officer  :roll:

Saves the trip across the legal minefield.  You turn the main beam off when other traffic is around anyway  :?

Steve

[Range Rover Blues]

My head is a mine of useless informataion.  The law as I remeber it states 6 lamps at any one time, the reason the Mini was disqualified form the Monte was for using dip and main together in the headlight, the french interpeted the law as 6 filaments, but it's 6 lamps.

Max wattage is 99 watts, just making the Wipacs illegal :shock: I fitted HID in mine so they are 35 watts each.

Driving lights can be at any height as long as they are symetrical, apparently you can't have 3 as on the Italian Job mini :(
Fog lights can be above or below the bumper but I vaguely recall the height creeating some issue about when they can be used etc.

RING are one of the best suppliers in that they print the legal requirements on most of their boxes.

[LiftedDisco]

Devon 4x4 do the Carling switches - (ON-OFF-ON)

I fitted a pair to actuate a pair of relays - this way I can have outside lights or inner pair (that way keeping the balance if only running one pair of roof mounted lights) as they have one switch per pair.

The on-off-on element allows me to keep them off for normal road use (my main beam also actuates a separate relay for the bumper mounted spots...), on with main beam (  [-X ) or on their own (no headlights at all) if I want to go wading as dunking hot head lights into cold water will blow the filament.

The Carling switches need a feed for the light - I took mine from the sidelight feed to the radio and the switches have been inserted into a blank switch plate that sits where the ash tray would be on a LHD Disco...

Hope this helps

[Reggieroo]

Thanks guys for some useful info but haven't got round to it yet as now I have an LPG problem, may require another post  :roll:

[Yoshi]

I am undertaking this job when mine arrives!  I am going down the 3 way switch route, so can have them either on, off, or on with high beam :D

Looks easy enough to wire :D

[william127]

following on- does this sound fesible? fitting a light bar with 4 spots, and wiring it up to a set of air horns so that you can flash the ilights and bib the horn at the same time with a push button, like the original horn, and also an on/off for the lights? :-k none of this has to be attached to the original lights/ horn,  :)

[300TDi Disco]

My Girlfriend bought me a light bar for crimbo, I spoke to a bloke about the wiring and he said to do the lights in pairs. I want to set them up with a 3 way switch so i can turn them off completely, or have just the light bar on, or have them come on with main beam. Items required: 17amp cable, 2 relays, 3 way switch, Spade connectors & an hour to wire it up. Just make sure the earthing point is a good one. I have started mine but i am trying to locate some relays locally. I aint going to pay ebay postage if i can get them locally for the same sort of money.

[Yoshi]

I paid £5.17 for 2 40amp relays deliverd.

[300TDi Disco]

I paid £5.17 for 2 40amp relays deliverd.

where from???

[clbarclay]

A standard LR will have a few 30 amp relays hidden under the bonnet. Certainly a post 1985 RRC will have a quite a few 30 amp relays with a choice of relay holders.

Think of it as recycling.

[Yoshi]

I got the relays on ebay! 

[J.D.]

I paid £5.17 for 2 40amp relays deliverd.

where from???

Maplin do 40amp relays pretty cheaply.

[300TDi Disco]

I paid £5.17 for 2 40amp relays deliverd.

where from???

Maplin do 40amp relays pretty cheaply.

I never even give maplins a thought, I am in the town today, and there is a maplins there. cheers mate.

[Yoshi]

well me light bar and lights arrived today, just got to wait for the wire and connectors and stuff to arrive and then i can wire it all up!! lol

i will do a step by step guide with pics!