Wiring in add'l LED light bars and spot lights

[cmcmill01]

Folks have a few led spot lights ( at the rear) to wiring in and also looking to get a large LED light bar for the front. I have all the switches with the different symbols on for each set of lights, think the switches need a feed as well so that they can be seen when you turn on the lights.
I have bluesea fuse panel in the back as well.
So the question was, what is the best way to wire this altogether??
Do I need a relay per circuit? If all the switches are together beside the drives seat do I make up some kind of harness?
Any info would be great.
Craig



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[StarCruiser]

The best way is to donut neatly, with a made up loom and have it trigger relays under the bonnet.

These are quite handy and can easily be commoned together underneath. They would be better if they had covers of course. Otherwise it depends on current draw and positioning. The above is conventional wisdom pre LEDs when lamps were drawing 5 or 6 amps and you didn't want long cable runs. It's still the best way in my view as it simplifies wiring and makes troubleshooting later much easier.

 

[clivehorridge]

Agree Rich.

I've got my aux lights wired up in two ways, using 3 position rocker switches.

Switched to the left they're running via relays directly from the 12V supply, so you can have them on as work lights, engine and ignition off.

Switched to the right, they're powered (again via relays) from the main beam lighting circuit, as a safeguard when using them on the road.

It makes the wiring a bit complicated, but worth it for me.

 

[StarCruiser]

Yep, that makes sense. Are you using the same relays for both and just picking a feed from the main beam lights to the switch for on road?

 

[clivehorridge]

No they're separate, but for different reasons. This is where it gets even more complicated

In the normal use (forget the aux lights for the moment) I've got power as usual to the dipped beam (which are HID projectors on mine). Then, when switching to main, I originally only had the main coming on, but as they are HIDs as well, without projectors, I was left for 15 seconds with no driving lights at all , not so good.

So we "back powered" the dipped again from the mains, with a capacitor, so the dipped would re-energize from the mains and I then have both dipped and main on at the same time.

Loverly

So there's 2 relays for the dipped, 2 relays for the mains, 2 relays for the "back-powered" dips, and a relay for each of the aux LED bars. Cough.

Lots of relays, all clearly marked, and stowed in a waterproof suitcase, tucked neatly in a hideaway place under the bonnet with waterproof glands and all sorts of nice things.

I said it's a bit complicated, and the above may not make sense to anyone, but I know what's in there and why

We tried a few different configurations, but HIDs and LEDs can be strange things to wire up, at one time we had alternate dip and mains flashing from side to side, all by themselves. I have no explanation for that at all, it was like a Halloween movie or some kind of poltergeist and we both scratched most of our hair out at that stage until we swapped out shared relays for individuals, then all was well.

Sorry, long story, and irrelevant maybe. But you did ask (I think )

Don't try this at home, try to keep it simple...

 

[cmcmill01]

Cheers Guys, I should problem draw up a quick schematic showing what I'm thinking, but it all sounds good.
Suppose I was thinking about mounting the 2 relays beside the Bluesea in the back, taking the Led Relay power feed to the Bluesea, then the swicth circuit through to the front swiches, therefore trying to keep the wiring as thin as possible.
I only want the ARB rocker switches to light up when the dash lights come on, where do I take this feed from??
Like the look of these systems, combining the fuse and the relay at the same time
http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/Modular_Fuse_and_Relay_System.html

Clive how many relays is all that???

 

[StarCruiser]

Hmm, hadn't seen that PoleVolt stuff. I like…very much. [emoji4][emoji108][emoji108][emoji122]

 

[clivehorridge]

Cheers Guys, I should problem draw up a quick schematic showing what I'm thinking, but it all sounds good.

Clive how many relays is all that???

Do you really want to know?

OK, there's 8 used in total with all the driving lights on, plus another one on the rear work light LED bar.

Then if you have the front LED bars switched on, on the direct side of the switch (let's say when stationary, setting up camp) 2 would kick in then.

That makes 11.

 

[StarCruiser]

I'm just off to invest some money in relay manufacturer shares……
I feel a boom coming…[emoji6]

 

[clivehorridge]

I'm just off to invest some money in relay manufacturer shares……I feel a boom coming…[emoji6]

It was a bit like that at the time, I think I'm the majority shareholder at the moment .... I can sell you some....How much do you want to invest, all the profits from the gull-wings?


Runs and hides...

 

[StarCruiser]

I might be able to invest enough to buy two relays outright……only if I can have a bogof though!! [emoji4][emoji4][emoji4]


You can go off some people you know…[emoji6]

 

[cmcmill01]

Saw this picture which I think pretty much covers my install ideas, for the 2 sets of spot light at the rear. Love some of these switch covers!!
I wont need the high beam trigger as I want to be able to just turn them off and on at any time, i.e. camping.
Where do you pick up the dash lights source??

 

[StarCruiser]

Saw this picture which I think pretty much covers my install ideas, for the 2 sets of spot light at the rear. Love some of these switch covers!!
I wont need the high beam trigger as I want to be able to just turn them off and on at any time, i.e. camping.
Where do you pick up the dash lights source??

There will be a dash light wire to your cigar lighter, possibly radio too. In short, wherever there's a dash light. [emoji4]

 

[cmcmill01]

There will be a dash light wire to your cigar lighter, possibly radio too. In short, wherever there's a dash light. [emoji4]

Good point!!
Another diagram, love the interweb!

 

[cmcmill01]

Taken nearly 2 days but got the light bar wired in along with a few rear back lights as well.
Fitted the 4 ARB rockers beside the gear stick do will need to find a new place for my rechargeable Maglite.
Ran the wiring up to the roof in conduit beside the snorkel. Used a pre-wired harness for the light bar but wired in the rear lights myself.

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[Rosy]

@cmcmill01 out of curiosity, having had some time to run the light bar do you still find use for the spot lamps? also, those are some slick replacement headlight units.

 

[cmcmill01]

@cmcmill01 out of curiosity, having had some time to run the light bar do you still find use for the spot lamps? also, those are some slick replacement headlight units.

Very good question today, just returned from the French Alps, left there at at 5:30 am pitch dark and snowing as I can down the mountain. As I'm doing up the front bumper I don't have my spotlights on, so turned on the Led bar and it was a bit much with the snow and it couldn't be turned on and off with on coming traffic. Not a typical application but one that shows having the spots wired into the head lights would have been great.

 

[clivehorridge]

I find that the LED light bar between the headlights is great for illuminating the foreground and the roof mounted bar is good offroad when in the bushes and trees.

However, my LED bars are no replacement for spotlamps, which give (or should give) a penetrating beam long into the distance.

They weren't cheap and they have the combo (centre beams and peripheral "fog" Cree LEDs).

I'm not disappointed, but I had hoped for more penetration (ermm, these words sound familiar... ??)

 

[Rosy]

all very interesting.... thanks for the feedback gents.

Ill keep my out out for a decent set of spotties.. but for the moment Ill proceed with the headlight upgrade.

 

[Towpack]

On a slightly smaller scale I fitted a 6" light bar and 2 round LED spots to the dirt bike for night laning. The light bar floods the ground immediately in front of the bike out to around 10m and the spots go out to around 60-70m. I have Hella Luminator HID spots on the front of the LC and I've not seen any LED's or anything else for that matter that comes close.