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LED Light Bar Wiring Question

T

thatxjguy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Florida
I'm not a very electrical-savvy person. So my question regarding my LED light bars is how would I go about wiring two LED light bars to the same switch?

Will there be any side effects to connecting both harnesses to the same electrical connectors of a single switch? Any lowered current or wire melting?

Both light bars came with their own wiring harness. Any information regarding this would be very helpful.

They're both small LED light bars. My 50-inch will remain on its own switch, but my 12-inch LED light bar I'm wanting to wire in conjunction with some small LED pods. So the electrical draw shouldn't be nearly as much as the 50-incher.

If anyone has done this already and has pictures, that would be awesome!
 
Use a 20amp toggle switch and youll be just fine. If you feel the need for added safety. Home depot sells inline 20amp fuses. Super easy to use.

I recommend at least 14ga wire.
 
831_xj said:
Use a 20amp toggle switch and youll be just fine. If you feel the need for added safety. Home depot sells inline 20amp fuses. Super easy to use.

I recommend at least 14ga wire.
Click to expand...

I have this switch (2 of them) individually hooked up to my 50-inch an 12-inch light bars:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300814002573?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Can you identify from the images what amperage or gauge the switch/wires are? I'm not good with electric whatsoever.
 
Doesn't state any specifications. They sell on/off toggle switches at your local lighting or electrics store.

but if you run your 50" bar on one. It will be plenty for the 12 and a couple led rock lights.
 
831_xj said:
Doesn't state any specifications. They sell on/off toggle switches at your local lighting or electrics store.

but if you run your 50" bar on one. It will be plenty for the 12 and a couple led rock lights.
Click to expand...

I do run one of these switches with my 50-incher. The 50-incher is 17 amps.

The 12-incher I have is 6-7 amps, and the LED pods are 1.3 amps each, so I do believe the switch will be fine.

My thing is, can I just overlap the corresponding wires from two separate wiring harnesses, or is some special wiring required to wire the light bar and light pods together under the same switch?

I believe both the light bar and the pods each come with their own separate wiring harness.
 
Guessing your harness has relays, if so should be alright with standard 20A +/- switch.
 
thatxjguy said:
I do run one of these switches with my 50-incher. The 50-incher is 17 amps.

The 12-incher I have is 6-7 amps, and the LED pods are 1.3 amps each, so I do believe the switch will be fine.

My thing is, can I just overlap the corresponding wires from two separate wiring harnesses, or is some special wiring required to wire the light bar and light pods together under the same switch?

I believe both the light bar and the pods each come with their own separate wiring harness.
Click to expand...

You could e-mail the seller about the switch rating.

That type of rocker switch is usually 15 or 20 amps (14 vdc.)

Lighting loads ....

Power = Total wattage of lighting
Voltage = 14 vdc
Current = Load

Load = Power / 14

The switch rating should be higher than the Load rating. When turned on there is usually a power surge. If the rating is too low it stresses out the switch.

12 dc volt fuse ratings are usually based 13.8 vdc. and should be slightly higher than your Load rating.

if you have four pods you would be switching over 400 watts.

17 amps + 7 amps + (4 x 1.3 amps pods) = 29.2 amps x 14 = 408.8 watts.

You would need a 35 or 40 amp switch.

Here's a wire size calculator and chart

http://www.colemanair.us/vp_asp/Scripts/Articles/TheBasicsAndBeyond5_WireSize.htm

Amps = watts / volts
Current = power / volts
Watts = amps x volts
 
Last edited:
If your only switching relays you would need to figure a ~13.8 volt load times the number of relays.

Can't remember what the ratings are for the 30/40 amp relay coils.

A 15 or 20 amp switch should be enough to switch the relays.

I remember the specifications for the coils being a resistance (ohms) and wattage factor.
 
Last edited:
I would bet there aren't any relays, but 17A is less than 20A so a standard 20A switch is fine. 30A switches are like $5 at radio shack in case you decide to add any more load.
 
Muddzz said:
You could e-mail the seller about the switch rating.

That type of rocker switch is usually 15 or 20 amps (14 vdc.)

Lighting loads ....

Power = Total wattage of lighting
Voltage = 14 vdc
Current = Load

Load = Power / 14

The switch rating should be higher than the Load rating. When turned on there is usually a power surge. If the rating is too low it stresses out the switch.

12 dc volt fuse ratings are usually based 13.8 vdc. and should be slightly higher than your Load rating.

if you have four pods you would be switching over 400 watts.

17 amps + 7 amps + (4 x 1.3 amps pods) = 29.2 amps x 14 = 408.8 watts.

You would need a 35 or 40 amp switch.

Here's a wire size calculator and chart

http://www.colemanair.us/vp_asp/Scripts/Articles/TheBasicsAndBeyond5_WireSize.htm

Amps = watts / volts
Current = power / volts
Watts = amps x volts
Click to expand...

I have the 50-inch light bar on a separate switch.

The 12-inch and the pods would go on another switch.

I found out from the manufacturer of this switch that it's 15 amps. That's actually less than the 50-inch light bar, which draws 17 amps. But I haven't had problems yet and I haven't over-used it either.
 
You should be fine running them through a quality 20a switch. However I personally would not run them without a relay. Im just not a big fan of running that much current through a cheap switch of unknown origins.



A 15 or 20 amp switch should be enough to switch the relays.
Click to expand...

A relay requires less than 1a for switching. If you are running relays you can basically run the lowest rated switch you can find.

If you are going to run straight through a switch at least buy a 30a or higher just to be on the safe side. stressed switches can and do cause fires. ive seen it first hand.
 
NorIdaWheeler said:
You should be fine running them through a quality 20a switch. However I personally would not run them without a relay. Im just not a big fan of running that much current through a cheap switch of unknown origins.





A relay requires less than 1a for switching. If you are running relays you can basically run the lowest rated switch you can find.

If you are going to run straight through a switch at least buy a 30a or higher just to be on the safe side. stressed switches can and do cause fires. ive seen it first hand.
Click to expand...

I'm running 15 amp switches, but ALL of my LED light bars have harnesses that include relays.
 
Right, This was the diagram I scribbled out for him yesterday.

(Forgot to at a fuse)

Relay_zpsb97f7db1.jpg
 
Lowrange2 said:
Right, This was the diagram I scribbled out for him yesterday.

(Forgot to at a fuse)

Relay_zpsb97f7db1.jpg
Click to expand...

I think you're suppose to fuse a circuit several inches from the battery. ~10 amp for the 12" LED + Pods and ~20 amp for the 50 inch.

I guessing the fuse should be approx. = (amps) + (10 % x (amps))

Some types of automotive auxiliary circuits you're suppose to fuse at both ends. Copper wire is able to heat up much higher than the fusing, it's the jacketing that catches fire. DC is often more dangerous than AC which doesn't produce as much heat.

I have aux. fuses and connections from the main battery that creates somewhat of a mess in the engine compartment.

What some people do is modify the PDC to use unused fuse sockets. There's a write somewhere, how to dismantle the PDC and add external wiring for the vacant fuse sockets.
 
Last edited:
Diagram is nice and all, but he wants the 50" to stay on a seperate switch. All power wires should be fuse protected on your rig, that is a given.
 
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