BDGile

So I bought some lights for my XJ. They are actually flood lights for a tractor. All I have so far are the 55 watt lights with a positive and negative wire coming out.

I'm not the best with electrical but my plan is to run the negative to a ground then run the positives together and to an inline fuse up to a switch and back to the battery.

Am I missing anything? What size and kind of wire should I be running? What size fuse(s) should I use? How about a switch?

Thanks in advanced... I'm looking forward to posting pictures as soon as possible.

Andrew0257

Make sure the groung is directly to unpainted metal. A 10 amp fuse should be good enough. Check the package for recommended size. The fuse should be within 18" of the battery. Metal switches will last longer.

Andrew0257

sorry 16ga. wire should be fine.

mike.2492

That is what I did I it is all working good for me. If you are only using them for off road use, you may want to consider 100 w bulbs. I have a set and they are as bright as the high beams so you can't drive with them on while on the road, but they will light up a trail.

96_xj

you need to run a relay i highly recommend it. you can go to the JY and get them for like $0.50 a piece if not free.

also like posted above 100 watt bulbs would be nice.


12ga wire is the minimum i would run for power....

here is a good diagram:

the :lead: is any 12 volt source. i really need to label the diagram with wire gauges... but power to the relay should be 12ga min. ground should be 12ga min. the power to the lights and the ground on the lights should be 12ga min. the load, 12v lead and ground on the switch can be as small as 18ga but 16 would be good

remember 1 relay for every 2 lights

BDGile

Can I run the two lights together before I run it up to the switch then to the fuse next to the battery or should I do two wires all the way up to the switch and back to two fuses before the battery?

Can you explain to me the reason for the relay and what the 30 86 85 87 means? Thanks.

Andrew0257

you can connect them.

96_xj

Okay so the reason you want a relay is that will handle all of the power to the lights. If you run a switch without the relay then your switch is handling all of the power for the lights.

Basically the relay works as a safety item keeping the main power off of the switch. It is safer.

The way a relay works is your main power off of the battery is going to be connected to terminal 30. There is a piece of "wire" inside the relay that connects terminal 30(batt power) to terminal 87(power to your lights). terminals 85/86 are to an electro magnet. So your 12v lead goes on 1 terminal and the ground on the other. So when you provide power to the electro magnet(by turning the switch on) it then pulls down the "wire" to connect terminals 30 and 87 sending power from the battery to the lights. When there is no power to the electro magnet(switch is off) terminals 30 and 87 are not connected not giving your lights power.

the relay only needs about 300 milliamps to operate so that is why you can get away with 18ga wire off of the switch.


sorry if that is confusing i tried to explain it the best i can.

(all terminals are blade style terminals)

but use a relay please



if you are using just a switch then the power running thru the switch creates heat and could catch something on fire(seen it happen before). with the relay, that handles all of the heat generated and your switch is not carrying any major load


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=E8Os4WFUALA

96_xj

short and simple. use a relay for safety

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=46nlei-2e4k

BDGile

Okay... Two more stupid questions, I promise.

What is the lead for and where do I get it from?

Can I just use 12ga for everything?

96_xj

1) the "lead" is any 12volt source. So you can tap into your fog lights or a constant or you hi or low beams. Basically you "lead" is what will activate the relay. so say you have it tapped into your high beams, you have have the switch in the "on" position all of the time but since the high beams are not on(no power) your offroad lights will not be on. but when you switch your high beams on then there will be power going to the "lead" activating your relay.

so any 12volt source of your choosing, just rmember if the 12volt source is not on there is no way to turn your lights on so choose wisely.


2)yes you can run 12ga for everything. there is never a problem with going bigger. just a problem with going to small of a gauge