55w fog light wiring question...

[mdub707]

To start, I am by no means an electrician. I'm a mechanical guy. I hit things with hammers and I turn wrenches. I know just enough electrical to get myself in trouble.

Ok so I have 4 55w Hella 500 series fog/driving lights that I am installing on my 06. I have the dual alternator setup, so I shouldn't have any issues keeping charge going. (I dont think...)

I am wanting to wire these up to be switched on/off with my upfitter switches. Now the wiring setup that comes with these lights have standard 30/85/86/87 relays. I think these are 15amp relays? Now the upfitters are already equipped with relays correct? Aux 1 and Aux2 are 30 amp relays correct? Now should I still use the wiring setup that came with these lights, or would it be silly using "two" relays in one line? Can I run all four lights off of one 30amp upfitter switch? Would there be any issues with that? Should I just wire the lights directly to the upfitters? I want to make this as painless as possible and have the least amount of "extra" wires under the hood.

Any and all help is appreciated. A lot of beer is consumed when I do electrical projects.

Thanks guys/gals.

[timgreen_555]

Originally Posted by mdub707

To start, I am by no means an electrician. I'm a mechanical guy. I hit things with hammers and I turn wrenches. I know just enough electrical to get myself in trouble.

Ok so I have 4 55w Hella 500 series fog/driving lights that I am installing on my 06. I have the dual alternator setup, so I shouldn't have any issues keeping charge going. (I dont think...)

I am wanting to wire these up to be switched on/off with my upfitter switches. Now the wiring setup that comes with these lights have standard 30/85/86/87 relays. I think these are 15amp relays? Now the upfitters are already equipped with relays correct? Aux 1 and Aux2 are 30 amp relays correct? Now should I still use the wiring setup that came with these lights, or would it be silly using "two" relays in one line? Can I run all four lights off of one 30amp upfitter switch? Would there be any issues with that? Should I just wire the lights directly to the upfitters? I want to make this as painless as possible and have the least amount of "extra" wires under the hood.

Any and all help is appreciated. A lot of beer is consumed when I do electrical projects.

Thanks guys/gals.

First off, I don't know for sure if the upfitter switches have a relay doesn't matter if its rated for 30 amps, and am not sure about the ampacity of the switches...If switch 1 and 2 are fused at 30 amps...You should be more than fine to run all 4 lights off of one switch...

Because 55Watt lights that means that each of the 4 lights draws 4.58amps at 12 Vdc...b/c...watts=volts * amps...so we know the voltage is 12volts and we know the wattage is 55 per light so divide 55 by 12, and that gives you 4.58.

So, all 4 lights together draw a total of 18.3 amps...Now, you never want to run something fully loaded...meaning that you would not want to put something that draws the full 30 amps, just becuase you are fused for that, you could but it is asking for trouble...

But you are fine...Because if you are fused for 30 amps on your upfitter switches and you are putting a total load of 18.3 amps on it you are only at 61% of full load on the circuit so you are good.

Let me say this about the relay...I would not use them if your upfitter is rated for 30 amps...I am almost fure the reason they gave you the relays is that most trucks do not have these heavy duty upfitter switches that we have, so the relays allow you to use a small toggle switch to turn the lights on by running a hot wire to the toggle switch and then from the toggle switch to the coil of the relay, and then take power straight from the battery to Normally Open contacts on the relay, so when you turn on your toggle switch the relay coil energizes and in turn cause contact closure on the relay and puts 12 volts to your Big Lights...

If you are still unsure about any of this, please let me know and I can explain it in more detail...I want to make sure you understand what I mean, and I may not have been as clear as I should be...

Hope this helps, and feel free to give me a shout if you have anymore questions..

Tim

[Davey~do]

Actually the above post would be correct. Either run the lights on a 30A upfitter; or use a 10A upfitter WITH the supplied relays and at least 12 gauge wiring!

[Snake]

I'll add that the factory upfitter switches do not have relay's

[mdub707]

Originally Posted by timgreen_555

First off, I don't know for sure if the upfitter switches have a relay doesn't matter if its rated for 30 amps, and am not sure about the ampacity of the switches...If switch 1 and 2 are fused at 30 amps...You should be more than fine to run all 4 lights off of one switch...

Because 55Watt lights that means that each of the 4 lights draws 4.58amps at 12 Vdc...b/c...watts=volts * amps...so we know the voltage is 12volts and we know the wattage is 55 per light so divide 55 by 12, and that gives you 4.58.

So, all 4 lights together draw a total of 18.3 amps...Now, you never want to run something fully loaded...meaning that you would not want to put something that draws the full 30 amps, just becuase you are fused for that, you could but it is asking for trouble...

But you are fine...Because if you are fused for 30 amps on your upfitter switches and you are putting a total load of 18.3 amps on it you are only at 61% of full load on the circuit so you are good.

Let me say this about the relay...I would not use them if your upfitter is rated for 30 amps...I am almost fure the reason they gave you the relays is that most trucks do not have these heavy duty upfitter switches that we have, so the relays allow you to use a small toggle switch to turn the lights on by running a hot wire to the toggle switch and then from the toggle switch to the coil of the relay, and then take power straight from the battery to Normally Open contacts on the relay, so when you turn on your toggle switch the relay coil energizes and in turn cause contact closure on the relay and puts 12 volts to your Big Lights...

If you are still unsure about any of this, please let me know and I can explain it in more detail...I want to make sure you understand what I mean, and I may not have been as clear as I should be...

Hope this helps, and feel free to give me a shout if you have anymore questions..

Tim

That makes sense. I understand basic concepts and theories, I have taken some electrical courses during my mechanical studies, so I can follow along pretty well. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Snake

I'll add that the factory upfitter switches do not have relay's

Ok, but they are "fused" at 30A correct?




So I should be OK running all four lights, direct wired to one of the 30A upfitters then, not using the supplied relays, or should I still use those?



Thanks guys for the quick responses.

[Snake]

I've added 2 PIAA lights in my bumper and have 3 more to wire. The PIAA's are using the supplied switch, but I plan on using my factory foglight switch for the other 3 lights (KC 180k candlepower).

IMO, the right way of wiring up your lights is to use the factory upfitter in conjunction with relays (one relay for 2 lights). Power for the lights should come directly from the battery.

And you're right -- 2 of the upfitters (#1 and #2) are fused at 30 amps and the other 2 are fused at 10 amps (#3 and #4).

[timgreen_555]

I think I remember reading a thread on here about the upfitter switches, and it sounds correct that a couple of them are fused at 30 amps. I am not positive about this though.

As for the above post there is no reason for running relays if you have the ampacity to run the lights straight off the switch...Adding a relay is just another device that can fail...The only reason the relays are in the kit is for the reason I stated previously, Ampacity or lack there of on most toggle switches...Using a relay for this is called an "interposing relay"...basically controlling a big load with a small load...like the coil of a relay.

Make sure its the upfitter switch is fused at 30A and wire 'em up straight through the switch...That's what I would do, and I'm an electrical designer/PLC Programmer, so it's just my thoughts, either way works.

[mdub707]

Originally Posted by timgreen_555

I think I remember reading a thread on here about the upfitter switches, and it sounds correct that a couple of them are fused at 30 amps. I am not positive about this though.

As for the above post there is no reason for running relays if you have the ampacity to run the lights straight off the switch...Adding a relay is just another device that can fail...The only reason the relays are in the kit is for the reason I stated previously, Ampacity or lack there of on most toggle switches...Using a relay for this is called an "interposing relay"...basically controlling a big load with a small load...like the coil of a relay.

Make sure its the upfitter switch is fused at 30A and wire 'em up straight through the switch...That's what I would do, and I'm an electrical designer/PLC Programmer, so it's just my thoughts, either way works.

Ok thanks. My thinking was correct, just needed to verify!

#1+#2 are both 30amp and #3+#4 upfitters are 10amp. I have my high idle on #4.

Thanks a bunch timgreen_555

[timgreen_555]

no problem bud...keep us posted on how it turns out.

[mdub707]

Originally Posted by timgreen_555

no problem bud...keep us posted on how it turns out.

Definitely. I have the lights mounted up on an N-fab light bar, just need to wire them up. Tough to do when it hasn't been above freezing the last few weeks.