wiring 4 driving lights up to 1 switch?

[97GoldXLT]

I'm going to be buying a second set of brackets and lights here pretty soon! updated pics as soon as I can get the stuff on!

 

[97GoldXLT]

ok, second set of lights and brackets are hooked up and working! pics to follow soon!

 

[Sandy]

Just don't forget the relays, you will need two of them now that you have a second set of lights.

 

[BogFather]

Well thanks to this thread and the diagrams i now have my 4 fogs on my roof working and working RIGHT....THANKS A BUNCH GUYS. Got them done just in time for our clubs night run this coming saturday

 

[storlied]

I was planning on just using one relay for 4 lights, what exactly is the issue here?

Current front setup= 310w=25.8a (Typical Hella 500FF light setup with the included wire harness, with two fogs spliced into the 87 line from the relay.) No problems here.

Proposed roof setup:

100w x 4=400/12=33.3a (require 40a relay)
(55w x 4=18.3a (30a relay) Safe.
(100w x 2) + (55w x 2) = 310w= 25.8a (30a relay) Safe.

I would be using a single hella wiring harness, with an upgraded relay (if I go with the 100x4 route)

Is the main issue here the wiring gauge or the relay? I already figured the numbers out for what setup needs a bigger relay.

If I DO need thicker wire, would it only be the main power line(s) to the relay(s)?

I always have an option to get a single Hella wiring harness, the set of lights I need to get will already have it's own wiring harness.


Man.. I'm starting to confuse myself on all of this...

I'm 99.9% sure if I get another Hella light kit, I can wire all 4 lights up to it without problems. (I have 2 Hella 1000FF (55w hallogens) lamps sitting here)

 

[DeRocha]

I was planning on just using one relay for 4 lights, what exactly is the issue here?

Issues:

• You need to have a relay rated to carry the load or it could overheat and catch on fire.
• If you use one relay to power 4 lights then the wire to the battery should be rated to carry the total load (~10ga) with a short piece of the same gauge wire coming of the relay. Spliced into this short wire would be the 4 power wires to the individual lights (each wire being 12-14ga). The ground wires for the lights would be the same gauge as the light's power wire.

 

[storlied]

What gauge wiring do light kits typically come with?

 

[Bill Kemp]

18 to 16 guage. Uusually the smallest they can use.

 

[storlied]

Oh gez, I didn't realize how under-rated this system was. I'm definitely going to look into adding wire. (Would it be possible to connect the thicker wire from point A to point B parallel to the stock wiring? (I'm thinking... scotch locks..)

 

[Sandy]

The only thing the stock wiring is good for is to control the relay(s).

It is my standard practice to use one 30 amp relay for two lights rated at 200 watt and two lights rated at 300 watts should use a 40 amp relay for safety. I know this is overkill but it is safety overkill.
With two relays, fuses and power wires, you have a built in back up system; if for some reason one of the circuits fails you still have two lights to get you out.

You can still use one switch with two reals.

Ltr,

 

[jaschlum]

97GoldXLT any updates? pictures?