Spotlight relays and fuseboxes

[cardiff_gareth]

Halfrauds want £6.50 ish for their replays, Maplins want a lot less £1.98 for the 30amp and £2.70 for the 40amp

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ITAG=FAQ&ModuleNo=37526&doy=13m7#faq

With regards to the replays would the 30amp or the 40amp be better  

I'm wiring up a set of 4 halogen spots for the roof bar and also 2 halogen spots for the A bar.

I was thinking of getting 3 x 30amp/40amp relays, a 4 slot fuse box, all encased in a thermoplastic waterproof box so they'll all be fused relays in a homemade fusebox. Make it look at tidy and waterproofed.

Is this the right way to do it  :?:  and also where would you say was the best place to mount it when completed  :?:

[chris9119]

I would use the 40amp fused relay type. Depending upon your wading requirements, you could just mount them under the dash in the passenger footwell area :idea:

Chris

[ScrapyJape]

Will all your lights be 55w or are you going for 100w?

if they are all 55w with 6 lights is 330w or at 100w is 600w

330w at 12v is 27.5 amps
600w at 12v is 50 amps if my working is right

but the size of cable to run that amount of amps is really hard to fix on the "normal" relays i would split them to roof and front or even in 3 with the 30amp relays and dont skimp on the wire make sure you get the right rating or your lights will be dull and getting really warm.

I got 8 spots on mine 4 on the winchbumper and 4 on the roof and i got problems with the alternater now lol.

[cardiff_gareth]

Well bought 3 of the 40amp relays as thought more amps is better than less :lol:  Also got one of these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=jk25c&source=15&SD=Y
Looks cool as :P
Do I need to get a dashboard light to keep Mr MOT man happy?
Also going to get the said 4 slot fuse holder and going to make a home madefuse box.

What strength or thickness cable do I need, I've seen these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ITAG=FAQ&ModuleNo=20666&doy=13m7#faq

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/40-AMP-POWER-CABLE-RED-BLACK-HIGH-GRADE-IN-5m-LENGTHS_W0QQitemZ330145857090QQihZ014QQcategoryZ108846QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looked on Halfords website, I know they sell cable but can't find it on thier stupid rubbish but user friendly website  

[ScrapyJape]

Check   http://www.rapidonline.com/   out it is much better than maplin (or how Maplin used to be)

http://www.rapidonline.com/netalogue/specs/01-1800e.pdf that should give you a idea of the cable size you need,

[Terranosaurus]

All depends how you are wiring them but as you have 6 lights and 3 relays I'll assume in pairs, will also assume 100w bulbs as you may want to fit them later anyway.

Don't use figure of eight stuff, buy proper auto cable, you'll waste loads of earth wire with figure of eight as your feeds will need to be longer. Also everything will end up the same 2 colours. Buy from elsewhere an get lots of colours so you can see what you are doing.

For all cable, switches, fuses etc have a look here - http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/home/homepage.php

Each 100w bulb draws 8.3 amps so the feed from the relay to each lamps needs to be capable of carrying at least that preferably more.  Ref 16. 32/0.20mm, 1mm2, 16.5amp @26p/metre

Earths from each bulb need to be to the same spec as the feed

Each relay needs a feed through a fuse capable of supplying 2 bulbs so minimum 16.66amp  -  Ref 33 . 44/0.30mm, 3mm2, 33amp@ 50p/metre

If you want to bring a common feed up from the alternator/battery for the fuse box it will need to be good for 50amp so  Ref 80. 80/0.40mm, 10mm2, 70amp @ £1.38/metre

You'll also need a switching circuit, this carries next to no curent so can be the thinnest stuff -  Ref 11. 16/0.20mm, 0.5mm2, 11amp. @ 21p/metre

You don't need a tell tail light but if you fancy one it can't harm. They do need to be wired so that they can only come on with main beam to be truely legal on the road. A three position switch cn be good for this. Centre off: Up Overide (comes on on their own) - Down Road setting (on with main beam only).

I'm not sure if you are doing but I would put them on three separate switches so you can choose which you want on when.

If using 100w bulbs, whats your alternator like 6 x 100w + 2 x 60w mainbeam is 720W or 60amp. Which probably doesn't leave you much to capacity in your alternator after everything els is powered and alternators don't last long running at 100% all the time.

Suggest BRAIDED SLEEVING for keeping things tidy under engine bay etc, needs a bit of heat shrink over each end to really tidy things up.

[cardiff_gareth]

Well I'm trying to digest all that  :shock:

Am I in too deep here, sounds very complicated  :shock:  again

[Range Rover Blues]

I'd suggest using 7 core trialer wire for roof lights as it's a neat wat of doing the job.

And I've stopped using the fused relays because I keep melting them.

[Terranosaurus]

I'd suggest using 7 core trialer wire for roof lights as it's a neat wat of doing the job.

Problem is it's not really up to the job, contains

6 or 7 lots of  14/0.30mm, 1mm2 - 8.75amp

1 x  28/0.30mm, 2mm2 - 17.5amp

So you'll be running most of the wiring right on its limit with 100w bulbs, that limit of course is reduced too because its all wrapped together in one sheathing. It's only really designed for running 42w max on each ie 2 brake lights.

When you do this you suffer from more voltage drop than usual along a given length of wire which causes your lights to be less bright than they could be. The wiring will also probably be getting warm perhaps not hot, but warm all the same.

[Terranosaurus]

Your fuses should really be the connector block side of your relays but other than that the power side sounds, fine, remember to use a suitably sized cable for the earth bar-body strap.

Your switch should be in the activating circuit for the relays, if your switching it with main beam (the legal way), splice into the main beam out from the back of the stalk/switch then run that through your switch to the relays. If you don't want to switch them with main beam, the easiest way is to switch from earth, take a feed from upstream of the fuses to the activating coil of the relay (assuming relays moved as I suggest otherwise from connector block). Then from the earths of the relay, joined together run through the bulkhead to the switch and thus to earth.

[lee celtic]

I have rigged my lights with trailer wire and three relays in a butty box behind the header tank .I also rigged them to work with two switches .

an on/off switch and a switch that lets the relays take their trigger from either the high beam switch or the on off switch. that way I can take the roof lights out of the system or have them all on when somebody has their hi beam on at night and does not responed to the quick headlight flash.

flick switch burned retina :twisted: