wiring offroad lights

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=81895
Printed Date: July 05, 2025 at 3:24 AM

Topic: wiring offroad lights

Posted By: austincustoms
Subject: wiring offroad lights
Date Posted: August 22, 2006 at 12:18 AM

I want to add 2 - 150watt offroad lights to my car. I've already got a switch for it, with a 14g wire coming off it. It. The power going to that comes from a 10g wire from the battery, to a aux fuse box, then to that switch. My question is what is the best way to wire these lights? Should I get a relay for each light, or will one do for both? Will what I have make a suitable signal for the relays?

thanks in advance for your help.

Replies:

Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: August 22, 2006 at 1:21 AM

https://visionxoffroad.com/product/hid-6500/default.htm

Have you seen these?

I would use 1 relay for each. Mount the relay in a safe spot under the hood Use the switch in the rig to throw a ground to trigger the relays. Get the 12volts for pin 87 from the battery directly.

Posted By: bellsracer
Date Posted: September 06, 2006 at 4:13 AM

You'll just need 1 relay (provided it is your average spdt) You'll only be drawing 15 to 20 amps.

30: lights
87: battery
85: ground
86: switch

-------------
Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.

Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: September 06, 2006 at 11:06 AM

Is the switch going to throw 12v ?I would wire 85 with 87, and have the switch throw ground....safer, who knows what kind of switch he's got. Be safe.

-------------

Posted By: bellsracer
Date Posted: September 12, 2006 at 3:33 AM

KarTuneMan wrote:

Is the switch going to throw 12v ?I would wire 85 with 87, and have the switch throw ground....safer, who knows what kind of switch he's got. Be safe.

That will work too for the most part but not much safer. Through the relay he'll end up with residual 12v and if that finds it's way through the system so it's pretty much the same. As for the switch, Kirchoff's Law pretty much states that for this application, it doesn't matter.

-------------
Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.