High Flow Cat Install question 4.0 SOHC

[rushing098993]

How many amps would I be pulling with 10k lm

^ Link to these 900W lights (seller website page) that are supposed to be 45K lumens. There are a number of scientific reasons this is unlikely, probably closer to 10K lumens if even that. They are definitely not 90 watts, let alone 900 watts, unless they integrate the front bumper as a heatsink to keep from melting.

I have had to reconfigure my wiring so many times because yes, I have caught my truck on fire two times from over loading, once from a poor connection and the first time I ran all my lights at once to goto the lake I caught the alternator on fire because that was a 90amp alternator. No I don't use relays, no I didn't buy online I bought on-sale from a shop that closed due to covid. You can doubt all you want, but I'm not running the same cheap Amazon Chinese lights like you.

 

[rushing098993]

^ Why would I be kidding? Link to the product. Typical output is around 100lm/W, less for dodgy generics and maybe 150lm/W for well designed premium lights. The math can be done from that to get a ballpark, plus roughly 10% for the buck driver circuit loss.

That's with good heatsinking, which that apparent (can't tell exact dimensions from the pic) form factor could not provide anywhere near 90W. As heat rises, lumen output goes down.

Answer the question, how many amps. How many amps per cree? Since you know the **** i put on my truck tell me how and what I have it wired to, tell me the line voltage in my truck. Crazy im an electrician by trade and my fluke meter is lying.

 

[rushing098993]

I have had to reconfigure my wiring so many times because yes, I have caught my truck on fire two times from over loading, once from a poor connection and the first time I ran all my lights at once to goto the lake I caught the alternator on fire because that was a 90amp alternator. No I don't use relays, no I didn't buy online I bought on-sale from a shop that closed due to covid. You can doubt all you want, but I'm not running the same cheap Amazon Chinese lights like you.

Find more ****, anything, anything to nit pick. Where's yours?

 

[Mbrooks420]

More in lights than I have in my bank account?

You sound like you’re 15, or have the worlds smallest dingus.

Most people, when doing electrical mods don’t brag at how many times they’ve caught the rig on fire…

What’s the brand and model of these magic lights?

You won’t flow enough to need a 3.5 inch tailpipe, or even a 3 inch muffler. It’s wasted pipe.

 

[Mbrooks420]

. I'm the type that lifted my cts 1.5 with r275 and a 52inch 12000w light bar

You clearly mean 1,200, not 12,000.

 

[Turdle]

Show link to lights please! I need them.

 

[Turdle]

Ok, .8 power factor led street lights.

300w 42000 lumens. I'm guessing 25 amps @ 12 v. While I kinda like the idea, this may be off road use only discussion.

 

[J_C]

Answer the question, how many amps. How many amps per cree? Since you know the shi* i put on my truck tell me how and what I have it wired to, tell me the line voltage in my truck. Crazy im an electrician by trade and my fluke meter is lying.

Which Cree LED? I'd probably pick something like an XM-L2 (under-driven to keep heat density reasonable for the form factor of a light bar, but I'll calculate below at max power anyway), obviously I mean an array of them. Each LED is 10W rated, but would be derated for the limitations of the enclosure/heatsinking per the application.

Here's the XM-L2 datasheet: https://assets.cree-led.com/a/ds/x/XLamp-XML2.pdf

"Maximum drive current 3000mA" and on page 3, Forward voltage at 3000mA is 3.05V typical. I called it a 10W LED but actually 9W as 3000mA * 3.05V = 9.15W. SO, count the # of LEDs and the maximum wattage I predict it could be is [ (n) LEDs * 9W ] / 0.9 ... the 0.9 is for the buck driver loss, assuming about 90% efficiency.

On the other hand, many light bars don't even use 10W LED, rather 3W or 5W, and many light bars don't even drive those at full wattage because past a certain point, it is cheaper to add more LEDs and drive at a lower current for same total brightness, than increase the BOM for a more robust heatsink. Plus that makes them longer lasting and more power efficient which you can also see on the linked XM-L2 datasheet page 3 with forward voltage dropping as drive current drops, and on page 4 and thereafter, lower lumens per current ratio as current rises.

Details matter. I'm still hoping for a link to these. If the seller misrepresented the wattage that much, it's probably using janky generic 3W LEDs instead of Cree and all they did was pick a number like 10W and multiply by # of LEDs.

I'd also like a link to the alternator you swapped in that allows running all that. A 12KW long bar and two 900W pods would draw over 1000 amps at 12V, around 900A @ 14.4V.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Which Cree LED? I'd probably pick something like an XM-L2 (under-driven to keep heat density reasonable for the form factor of a light bar, but I'll calculate below at max power anyway), obviously I mean an array of them. Each LED is 10W rated, but would be derated for the limitations of the enclosure/heatsinking per the application.

Here's the XM-L2 datasheet: https://assets.cree-led.com/a/ds/x/XLamp-XML2.pdf

"Maximum drive current 3000mA" and on page 3, Forward voltage at 3000mA is 3.05V typical. I called it a 10W LED but actually 9W as 3000mA * 3.05V = 9.15W. SO, count the # of LEDs and the maximum wattage I predict it could be is [ (n) LEDs * 9W ] / 0.9 ... the 0.9 is for the buck driver loss, assuming about 90% efficiency.

On the other hand, many light bars don't even use 10W LED, rather 3W or 5W, and many light bars don't even drive those at full wattage because past a certain point, it is cheaper to add more LEDs and drive at a lower current for same total brightness, than increase the BOM for a more robust heatsink. Plus that makes them longer lasting and more power efficient which you can also see on the linked XM-L2 datasheet page 3 with forward voltage dropping as drive current drops, and on page 4 and thereafter, lower lumens per current ratio as current rises.

Details matter. I'm still hoping for a link to these. If the seller misrepresented the wattage that much, it's probably using janky generic 3W LEDs instead of Cree and all they did was pick a number like 10W and multiply by # of LEDs.

I'd also like a link to the alternator you swapped in that allows running all that. A 12KW long bar and two 900W pods would draw over 1000 amps at 12V, around 900A @ 14.4V.

You’re muddying this up with logic, math, and science. This dude is calling into the galaxy looking for intelligent life.

 

[caymanbluelongranger]

@rushing098993 Please check the dates on the threads you read... This is the third 14-year old thread necro I've seen in the last couple of months.

23-29 MPG isn't unlikely at 55 MPH. True, it's way higher than the advertised mileage, and much higher than most people get, with their lead-foot driving. I don't go easy on the throttle or brakes, and I usually average between 21-22 MPG combined in my 2000 Limited with the SOHC/5R55E/4.10's. Suppose somebody drove more moderately, with taller gears, and more on the highway, 14 years ago when these vehicles were newer and ran better, and I can't see this as any kind of an unreasonable claim.

Late to the party here, but 1996 pushrod 4.0 in a Ranger - 5 speed manual, 3.55 gears and 235/70 16 inch tires I get 26 in the summer running back and forth to the airport (12 miles each way) and have often averaged 31MPG (imperial)between Kitchener and Barrie and Kitchener and Niagara as long as I stay under 100kph (62mph?) and don't think I'm Mario Andretti. Yes, I CAN get it down to 12 without half trying. By the way, at 280000km on the original exhaust, including converters. 1 O2 sensor replaced.

 

[donalds]

How are you guys adding this up because the best I've ever seen on any explorer including my 99 and my red headed stepchild's 2004 single overhead cam motors both get 20-21 miles to the gallen max
I keep these trucks in excellent condition

 

[Mbrooks420]

3.55s, manual, and the Ranger is lighter, with probably less drag. You can really lug the OHV with a manual. I regularly shifted 1-3-5 in my first gen 5 speed.

 

[Josh P]

3.55s, manual, and the Ranger is lighter, with probably less drag. You can really lug the OHV with a manual. I regularly shifted 1-3-5 in my first gen 5 speed.

My aerostar with 3.55 gears and an M5OD will do better than 27 mpg between 60-65 mph. Mileage drops quickly above 65 mph. I can get almost 600 miles on a tank of fuel.

 

[DintDobbs]

@caymanbluelongranger Impressive figures! Imagine actually good discussion on a necro thread, second time I've seen it this year.

@donalds I'm estimating roughly based on actual mileage and fuel at pump, for the Sport, and the figures given (fuel remaining, fuel economy, range) by the console in my Limited. Not sure how accurate the latter is, but I saw 29.9 highway on the way to work to day, and 24.2 combined when I got home from work tonight. For the wondering, yes, I have photographs to back this claim.

@Josh P That's the confirmation I was looking for!

 

[Mbrooks420]

@caymanbluelongranger Impressive figures! Imagine actually good discussion on a necro thread, second time I've seen it this year.

@donalds I'm estimating roughly based on actual mileage and fuel at pump, for the Sport, and the figures given (fuel remaining, fuel economy, range) by the console in my Limited. Not sure how accurate the latter is, but I saw 29.9 highway on the way to work to day, and 24.2 combined when I got home from work tonight. For the wondering, yes, I have photographs to back this claim.

@Josh P That's the confirmation I was looking for!

The Explorer readout is known to be very generous. Mileage is only ever accurate over at least a complete tank, and doing the math. (The Explorer is engineered to read better, they can get this reading almost exact)

The instant mileage really doesn’t mean much, either. I can make mine read 50-99 much of the time, though I average 33-42, depending on where I’m going.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

More in lights than I have in my bank account?

You sound like you’re 15, or have the worlds smallest dingus.

Most people, when doing electrical mods don’t brag at how many times they’ve caught the rig on fire…

What’s the brand and model of these magic lights?

You won’t flow enough to need a 3.5 inch tailpipe, or even a 3 inch muffler. It’s wasted pipe.

1. some expensive lights! i mean, let there be light... but?

2. no comment

3. sounds like your second point safety third!

4. i too want to know

5.

obviously, 3" isnt enough!!! ya need trash can size!

ok tras can jokes aside, its simply a waste of piping, it wont give you any (or if any very very little) gain, and i heard you do need a bit of the smaller size to keep some torque. as mike said, wasted pipe. and plus, the sohc is already in a fairly high state of tune factory iirc.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Still waiting to hear what model lights these are that I could retire on….

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Still waiting to hear what model lights these are that I could retire on….

this reminds me of "but i drive a 70k jacked up truck, and i live in a 50k double wide, thats what i call investment!" -ginger billy (2020)

 

[DintDobbs]

@Mbrooks420 I usually don't reset my running average, unless I take it to a garage (excessive time spent at idle) or the battery is disconnected (force resets it any way) and it nearly always returns to 21.0-22.0. Frankly, I'm not really concerned with how accurate it is, but I can say with absolute confidence that the Limited gets far better fuel economy than I ever got in the Sport. Kind of wonder how that makes sense, given the larger fuel tank and much larger vehicle mass, but truth is stranger than fiction...

Almost got a pic coasting to show our friend the thread necromancer 99.9 MPG, but figured he wouldn't appreciate the joke.

 

[CDW6212R]

@Mbrooks420 I usually don't reset my running average, unless I take it to a garage (excessive time spent at idle) or the battery is disconnected (force resets it any way) and it nearly always returns to 21.0-22.0. Frankly, I'm not really concerned with how accurate it is, but I can say with absolute confidence that the Limited gets far better fuel economy than I ever got in the Sport. Kind of wonder how that makes sense, given the larger fuel tank and much larger vehicle mass, but truth is stranger than fiction...

Almost got a pic coasting to show our friend the thread necromancer 99.9 MPG, but figured he wouldn't appreciate the joke.

The OEM information displays are all high, about 10% high, so you should reduce your estimates by about 2mpg. The only proper way to figure fuel mileage is by recording every fuel fill up, gallons and mileage. Then you can accurately do simple easy math to know what it is. I used to chart that for each of my vehicles, with a last column showing the mileage for each tank, thus an accurate fuel mileage.

BTW, the speedometers for all 1991-2001 Explorers are accurate with 30" tires, so be sure to also calculate any difference of diameters you have. The stock 15" tires are shorter, so those exaggerate the fuel mileage also.