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Anyone up for drawing a wiring diagram?

I just got in 4 100w lights for my custom roofrack. I also ordered a 12v remote for them so I wouldn't have to mount a switch in the cab.

Here's the plan:
The wiring will enter through the rear hatch, and all of my components (relays, remote switch, fuses) will be mounted back there. I plan on running a 10-12ga. wire directly from my battery to the rear of my ex, as I've assumed there would not be a sufficient 12v power source back there to tap into. The lights will only be switched by the remote, and not wired to my headlights or fogs.

Now all I need is to get it wired up. I'm hoping someone would like to take the challenge of drawing up a simple wiring diagram for me. I'm planning on hooking everything up on Saturday/Sunday.

Here is a photo of the lights and switch:

100_2639.jpg


The lights all have a 12v and ground wire. The switch has 2 ground wires, 1 12v in and 1 12v out.

Thanks in advance for all the help. I can't wait to be able to get back at people who drive with their high beams on all the time :cool:

-Brian
 



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nicely done james. would it make any difference to run the 86 terminals straight to the negitive battery terminal?
 






nicely done james. would it make any difference to run the 86 terminals straight to the negitive battery terminal?

I don't think so. I usually try and ground to the body or frame....basically as close as practical to the thing being grounded so I don't have to use more wire. Since the ground has to be the same guage as the power wire, running more than needed seems like a waste of wire to me...but if the battery is right there then you can definitely do that if you need to.
 






Looks good, just want to point one thing out. Use a fuse on every wire coming out of the battery. It can save you from bad things :)
 






Looks good, just want to point one thing out. Use a fuse on every wire coming out of the battery. It can save you from bad things :)


Fuses are your friend... especially if your going to be running them through any door seals or any place the wire can be pinched... i had a wire with no fuse get pinched in my hood hinge, it was heavy duty 8 gage wire, and let me tell you, that wire was so hot within seconds that not only did it melt all the wire insulation off, it also melted the copper core in some spots. i popped the hood within 30 seconds of the short occurring and the wire was glowing red hot. not only that, but it melted through several important wires in my engine bay and i had (and still have) pieces of copper wire that fused to the inner fender well.

if i didn't have my soldering iron, wire strippers, razor blade and electrical tape in my car at the time, i would have had to have my truck towed to a shop...

moral of the story, fuses are like condoms, use one unless you want to have huge headache on your hands...

lol
 






Good advice! I didn't even look on the original one to see that there was a fuse in there but definitely a must!

I have the same wiring for my 4 100 watt offroad lights and the main power wires going to the relays are fused as well as the wire going from the battery to the switch since my switch is not wireless like the OP's
 






Use looms to protect the wires/make it look cleaner. Also, use grommets whenever you go through the firewall/sheetmetal. Trust me, it will make life a lot easier down the road.
 






aux lites

came back to the states in 66 with marchal driving lites and radial tires,now have H.I.D. on explorer local st cop stopped me and said he though an areoplane was landing and to cover them. i think the fine would be much cheaper than my deductable! they are still not covered!diagrams are dead on,and yes to fuse!!!
 






Thanks for the input guys. A few more questions though. I'm going to be running a good 15 feet of wire to the rear end of my explorer before I even start to wire relays and switches. Would 12ga wire do the trick or should I go larger? Also according to the diagram, should I run 3 wires or just 1 and split it to the switch and relays? With 1 or 3 wires, where exactly should the fuses be placed, and what size fuse?

I'll be grounding the lights and my switch to the chassis, I take it the yellow wires should be grounded to the chassis as well?
 






I´m not very familiar with ga sizes, but you will be running around 33 amps on the main wire so it has to take at least that + 10% i think. Fuse on the big wire should be as close to the battery as possible in the engine bay.

You can split it up where you place your relays. Since you are running quite the lightshow it could be good to run a decent size wire from the (-) pole on the battery to the connection point in the body to ensure a decent ground connection.
 






Thanks for the input guys. A few more questions though. I'm going to be running a good 15 feet of wire to the rear end of my explorer before I even start to wire relays and switches. Would 12ga wire do the trick or should I go larger? Also according to the diagram, should I run 3 wires or just 1 and split it to the switch and relays? With 1 or 3 wires, where exactly should the fuses be placed, and what size fuse?

I'll be grounding the lights and my switch to the chassis, I take it the yellow wires should be grounded to the chassis as well?


For a 15ft run to handle the 33amps you'd be drawing you need atleast 6gauge wire and then split it at the relay's. That also means 6gauge for grounding too.

I would go with 2 runs of 10gauge as it'll be thinner and easier to run. Just tie your switch 12v in to one of the wires it shouldn't draw many amps so it won't hurt. 2 runs of 10 for grounding also.

Fuse should be as close to the batter as possible and if you're running one wire it'll need to be 40amp if 2 wires a 20amp fuse on each.

Yellow wire is grounded also.
 












See http://www.rallylights.com/hella/SensibleWiring.aspx

One run of 10 guage wire will handel 400 watts for a 30' length.
You don't have to use any heavier wire.

He's correct. I think I got the columns crossed when I looked it up sry about that College is making me kinda sleep deprived. But atleast my way was overkill so nothing bad would have happened.

One run of 10awg split for relays and fuse for 40amps as close to the battery as possible. and 10awg for grounding the lights.
 






Ok, so like this?

photo-1.jpg


All 10ga. wire.
 












You can drop down to 12 or 14 awg wire comming out of the relays to the switch and lights. Smaller guage is easier to work with.
Be sure to protect the wire with looms & gromets. Its amazing how fast the insulation is worn off a wire that is rubbing against the body of the truck.
 






I'm planning on wrapping them. Will the 12-14ga wire be ok to run the 10 feet from the relays to the lights? And how would you split the one wire from the battery to the switch and relays?

I got the switch on eBay for $50.00. I'll post a link to it next time I'm on my computer.
 






I'm planning on wrapping them. Will the 12-14ga wire be ok to run the 10 feet from the relays to the lights? And how would you split the one wire from the battery to the switch and relays?

I got the switch on eBay for $50.00. I'll post a link to it next time I'm on my computer.

I would use 10 guage from the lights to the relays and also for the light ground wires. Remember, those are the ones carrying the most current. The switch wiring doesn't have to carry much...just enough to turn on the relays which isn't a lot.

If you have a lot of wire you could run 10 guage from each relay back to the battery and fuse each one. Tap your switch power in wire to one of those, maybe at the spade connector on one of the relays if it's going to be close to one of them. As was said you can do a much smaller guage wire for the switch power/ground wires...just match the same guage and you'll be fine.

EDIT: I just looked at some charts and what I posted above is probably overkill.
 



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I'm planning on wrapping them. Will the 12-14ga wire be ok to run the 10 feet from the relays to the lights? And how would you split the one wire from the battery to the switch and relays?

I got the switch on eBay for $50.00. I'll post a link to it next time I'm on my computer.

I'd stick with the 10ga just to be safe plus them you don't have to buy and keep straight different gauge wires.

To split the wire i'd run the end of the wire to the furthest relay and then if the relay's are next to each other i'd come 3-6in back on the main wire and stripp and solder in a 6in piece of wire and connect it to the other relay.

For the 12v in of the switch you could just solder it in with the piece for the relay if you're mounting it close.
 






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