Lightbar Wiring

[Cody_350]

I like the way mine looks, I'm getting a safari style roof rack built soon as well so even though it sits up there it won't look bad with the rack. I don't think it looks bad the way it is now

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[magimerlin]

I like the way mine looks, I'm getting a safari style roof rack built soon as well so even though it sits up there it won't look bad with the rack. I don't think it looks bad the way it is now

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Ahh... yah.... with a safari rack up there it will not look to bad... just a light on a light looks kinda goofy and or weird to most...lol.

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

 

[magimerlin]

Just a FYI.... check with your local and state laws on how many forward facing lights are allowed on a personal vehicle... yes most states do have a limit.....

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

 

[Cody_350]

Just a FYI.... check with your local and state laws on how many forward facing lights are allowed on a personal vehicle... yes most states do have a limit.....

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

Florida has no limit, you just can't drive with any lights on that sit above your headlights

 

[Bob L]

You do not need 10 gauge wire to trigger a relay. My aux. light switch has an 18 gauge wire to the relay and 10 to the lights,bat,and ground, Small wires are easier to feed through firewall grommets without making big holes. I just switched to LED's so probably don't even need the relay anymore but it is there and works.

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...

I like this idea as I almost burned a GTO up years ago by an amp gauge wire shorting where it went though the firewall. I have been very careful about running power through ever since. My aux. lights are for launching my boats at night so face the rear I use a switch with a light so I know they are on. I guess if I just ran a light power wire from the fuse box to the switch I could still operate the relay and the telltail by grounding

 

[Cody_350]

yeah but how many watts/amps were you putting out

 

[df2x4]

@Bob L is right, you really don't need 10ga for the trigger/switch wire. All that's powering is the relay itself. As long as the main power leads on pins 86/30 and 87 are large enough you're good. 14-18ga is fine for the switch on 85.

 

[magimerlin]

You do not need 10 gauge wire to trigger a relay. My aux. light switch has an 18 gauge wire to the relay and 10 to the lights,bat,and ground, Small wires are easier to feed through firewall grommets without making big holes. I just switched to LED's so probably don't even need the relay anymore but it is there and works.

For the gauge of wire I was more talking bout the main power wire to the relay and the main outta the relay... but yes you could run 24 gauge wire as a trigger wire to the relay from the switch if you wanted to... but yes normal is 18 though...

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

 

[Bob L]

As a guy that started in the auto repair business in 1974 I can't believe how much the wiring has changed. Wires in new cars are so much lighter than the 60's and 70's and with the modules controlling everything diagnosing problems is so much more complex. I had a 66 Rambler wagon up till a couple years ago that only had 4 fuses in the whole car and the horn and starter were the only relays.