I bought a light kit. I know I'll catch crap for this but it was from Wal-Mart. I have 5 kids and a wife to support so I really can't spend as much as I'd love to on my XJ ok?

Anyway, it came with 2 lights, the switch and the wire. All for $25. I really just want them for a little more light in rain and when driving home late at night in the boonies out here.

The switch is crap. I'm getting a better switch. And the wire is too short so I'm probably going to use some I already have. The wire that came in the kit has no markings on it at all but it looks to be 14 or 16 gauge. That seems too small to me especially since the inline fuse that is already in the wire that the directions say goes from the switch to the positive terminal of the battery is a 30 amp fuse.

So, you guys tell me, what gauge wire would you use for this application. These aren't halogen lights or anything. Just regular old driving lights. Nothing special.

 

The walmart light wires are definitely small. Maybe 18 gauge. A set of 55 watt lights would be fine with 16 or 14 gauge. I put 130 watt bulbs in my walmart lights and ran a 10gauge feed with a relay and re-wired the housings with 14 gauge.

 

They probably draw 10 amps at the most. 41 or 16 gauge is more than enough. I jst put in a $20 light kit myself, also got a better switch. I used 14 gauge mtw wire as it bends and hides better than thhn.

 

Do yourself a favor and install a fused relay.

 

Explain to me why this would be doing myself a favor. Not to be dumb but this is the first set of lights I have ever installed on a car so this is all pretty new to me.

 

Anyone?? Please enlighten me.

 

With a fused relay you don't have to run a hot wire in your cab and you don't have the higher amp draw running through your switch. It's the proper way. I think 12 or 14 guage will be fine

 

I would definately recommend a relay, this prevents the current from flowing through the switch and possibly melting it. I would recommend 12 ga wire. Good Luck.

 

I don't see 10 amps running through a 20 amp rated switch as a melting hazard. Sure, you only have to run a grounding wire to the switch to activate the relay instead of a hot and switch leg, but its not necessary.

 

I would agree. relay, fused. No point in doing it unless its done right. its super easy. i wired mine up today, made my own harness from scratch, and installed it in an hour. nothing to worry about when its done right. I used 12 gauge as it can handle my 200W light setup with ease.


good info on wire gauge. http://www.stu-offroad.com/electrical/elec1/wire-1.htm

at 2 55w lights. on a 12V systom you will be running a steady 10 amps of constant surrent.
110w/12v=9.1666 amps

14g should be fine. 12g would be good if you will want to upgrade to 100w bulbs later.

 

Took everyone's advice and got a relay. Hooked everything up today and it works great. I'm very happy with it. Thanks to all who answered my question(s).

 

Okay I have a couple questions.

What are the numbers on the relay?

Where does that wire go off from the switch?

 

 

Okay, Thank You. Sorry for the stupid questions but here are two more.

What do the numbers mean? Difference between 30 and 86, and 87. etc?

Why does that go to headlight switch? What does it do?

Sorry, I am only 16 and am just trying to understand how to do this.

 

85 and 86 are connected through a coil, when this is engergized (switch turned on), 30 and 97 are connected (lights come on).