Lightbar Wiring

[Cody_350]

okay, so I just got (2) 50" dual row curved lightbars, 500 watts each, 21 amps. the wiring harness I was given says it's rated for 775 watts and it's 10 gauge wire, looks a little thin for 10 but I may be wrong but I cannot fit two harness down my door jam to hide the wires and I would like to convert to one single harness than runs both bars. what gauge wire should I run for 1000 watts, 42 amps? I also would like to run a relay box just because that's a lot of power to just be on a switch alone, I planned on getting a 50 amp relay switch and a 50 amp fuse, I just need help with what gauge wire I should get and anything else that you think would be helpful

 

[Bob L]

Where do you plan to mount these lights? If in front I would route the wires through the firewall not the door jamb. I agree completely with running a relay as you don't want that kind of amps running through a switch in the dash. This should help with wire selection,

https://www.tessco.com/yts/industry/products/itm/automotive/get_wired.html

 

[Cody_350]

they're mounted above the windshield, only easy choice is to run down the door jam

 

[df2x4]

You're going to want at least 8ga wiring, personally I'd recommend 4ga. Not really going to be any easier to hide than two runs of 10ga. In fact probably much harder.

 

[Cody_350]

I think 4 gauge is a little overkill, I think I'm gonna do 8 gauge from the bars to the relay and 8 gauge to the relay to the battery and then use 10 gauge from the relay to the switch using a 50 amp relay and 50 amp fuse able link with 8 gauge wire, pretty sure the LED bars are using 10 gauge from the plugs so I didn't want to run (2) 10 gauge wires into a single 10 gauge wire so I thought I should jump to something a little bit thicker.

 

[df2x4]

I think 4 gauge is a little overkill

I assure you, it's not. If anything 8ga is a little bit less than what you really need. Good luck, though.

 

[Cody_350]

I'm not positive, you could be right that's why I came here. any idea where I can find a 50 amp in line fuse? advanced auto didn't have it

 

[df2x4]

any idea where I can find a 50 amp in line fuse? advanced auto didn't have it

You're going to want something other than a standard blade fuse anyway. For anything 50A or over, I recommend ANL fuses. Something like this setup.

https://www.amazon.com/Scoshe-EWFH-Single-Fuse-Holder/dp/B000KIR8M0

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-ANL-Fuse/dp/B000THQSB4/

 

[magimerlin]

I'm not positive, you could be right that's why I came here. any idea where I can find a 50 amp in line fuse? advanced auto didn't have it

Wow... parts stores suck these days.... you can use a 50a Maxi fuse and holder... EVERY parts store I've been in has them.. and the relay is easy... make it a negative trigger relay (no power through the switch that could burn the switch up this way...)

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And the short distance the power wire will be going 10 gauge would be fine, 8gauge if your worried about it.. mount the relays in the engine bay and fuse close to the battery as possible. Connect to 86 and 30 on relay..

Then main line off of relay (number 87 on relay) through firewall (with a grommet) then up "A" pillar and out (your choice how it goes out) to the lights.

Then mount the switch of your choice in the cab.. 1 side of switch to a simple ground.(most any screw into metal will work) Other side of switch goes to "trigger"(number 85 on the relay) on the relay... switch controls the relay by completing(energizing) the relay through the ground...

One setup per light.. most common relays are 30amps per.. do NOT fuse higher then the relay you get.. a fuse will just pop, where a relay can actually burn up.... since your lights are 21 amps each a 30 amp set up per light will be plenty...

Next question.... why 2 large light bars up top?? If they are good bars that's alot of overkill... only seen 1 person do it and it was to tall on the roof.. looked rather ridiculous, even he agreed and ended up removing one of them...

sent from what use to be a great country...

 

[Cody_350]

good advice but I'm doing two not one which is why I wanted to beef everything up, I have a harness but it's 12 and 14 gauge wire and a 40 amp relay but it really needs to be a 50 amp relay with a 50 amp fuse and thicker wire. one of the bars is a spot bar and the other is a flood bar, I didn't want a combo because it doesn't truly give full potential for what I wanted. they're great lights I have a 30" combo on my front bumper but I wanted more light