Auxilary lights

[Roads]

How do I hook up lights so that they come on when I turn on my high beams? 93 xj sport.

[53guy]

maybe splice the power wires into the high beam wires behind the headlights? you could possiably splice it twice, so you can turn them on whenever you want and then when the high beams come on? maybe will work, who know?

[Roxtar]

maybe splice the power wires into the high beam wires behind the headlights? you could possiably splice it twice, so you can turn them on whenever you want and then when the high beams come on? maybe will work, who know?But don't just run them to the hot end of the aux lights. Too much extra amp draw.
Instead, run them to a relay that would, in turn, power the lights. Relay only pulls an amp or two.

[noresttill]

Second post

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=68074

[Starboard M]

Second post

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=68074
Would a 30 amp relay be enough for a bigger light? Or would you have to bump up a size?

[Roxtar]

Would a 30 amp relay be enough for a bigger light? Or would you have to bump up a size?Simple to figure out.
amps X volts = watts or watts/volts = amps

So, for instance, two 55 watt lights (110watts total) powered by 12 volts pull slightly over 9 amps

110watts/12volts=9.17amps

IOW, yes a 30 amp relay will be fine unless it's one hell of a light.

[noresttill]

so, in essence you can run anything under 360 watts from one relay??

How close is too close with power spikes?? or would you just blow the fuse that you should have before the relay??

[KY-XJ]

Simple to figure out.
amps X volts = watts or watts/volts = amps

So, for instance, two 55 watt lights (110watts total) powered by 12 volts pull slightly over 9 amps

110watts/12volts=9.17amps

IOW, yes a 30 amp relay will be fine unless it's one hell of a light.

Nice, Ohm's Law. You just shouldn't have made so easy! IxE=P or P/E=I :laugh3:

[Roxtar]

so, in essence you can run anything under 360 watts from one relay??

How close is too close with power spikes?? or would you just blow the fuse that you should have before the relay??This would go under the, "just because you can doesn't mean you should" catagory.
Give yourself a little room.

[53guy]

Nice, Ohm's Law. You just shouldn't have made so easy! IxE=P or P/E=I :laugh3:

Errr, not really Ohm's Law. Sorry, don't mean to insult, but Ohm's Law is V=IR. I think you are mistaking it for the power equation P=IV. If you get confused, try going to http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/CLass/circuits/u9l3d.html should explain some. (I really have no idea what this all means, I'm just a CH-53E mechanic/crew chief; I just ghetto rig electrical things. This advice comes from my fiance :smootch: :wstupid: who is an electrical/ mechanical engineer.)