Multiple LED Lights / Harness thoughts

[quid_non]

Following several recent threads here - - gonna get multiple LED lights (likely the 48W spots, up to 4- 6 of 'em) for plowing/back lighting. I've pretty much identified the lights (thanks to many posts here) and wondering if any one has recommendations on how to wire these up. Thinking 4 48W spots in front and 2 48 spots in back. Two switches (front and back independent) but do I need three wiring harnesses of only 2 (2 leg - - 1 for front, 1 for back). For the 4 lights in front can I use a 2 leg harness and combine 2 lights/ leg. Specs on the LED lights are 12 V / 48W 2A/ light - - so 8A draw in front (192W) and 4A (96W) in rear. looking for recommendation on harnesses to use or make myself. Concerned about some of the comments on flea bay harness self destructing. Please advise.
Thanks

 

[avantiguy]

I think you are 1/2 the required rating. 48/12=4 amps X 4 lights = 16 amps. I'd personally feed a pair of relays with a single 30 amp fused circuit and use a switch to the four front and and a second switch to feed the rear lights to control the relays to feed the lights. Use the appropriate gauge wire for the amperage required.

Watts/Volts = Amps IIRC, Bob

 

[D&D Farm]

For me, I am a keep it simple when it comes to electric accessory wiring.

First there is the wire/cable. Easy to find out what gauge of wire you need by figuring out how much amperage the circuit is gonna pull and then go one step of size above that is called for.

Fuse EACH circuit. Yes, the main one coming from the battery to the junction/fuse/breaker panel and each one of course out of there. I would hook straight in to the battery itself............MANY different panels, switches, and circuitl boxes to pick from. For me, I like lighted switches. Even in the daytime it's nice to be able to visually see that that pump back there is turned on or off.

Make your panel/box larger than just the lights. For me, I run a set of wiring back to the corner of the bed for accessories there....pumps, sprayers, etc.........

Run however many legs you want for the lights but for me, I tend to run all of the functions of something to one switch. That would mean that your front lights would have one switch, if they are all the same function. Four wires coming out of a switch is kind of cumbersone so branching would make sense..........

Leave a few spaces in your switch panel empty or with blank switches for future use.......
My overhead switch panel has currently 4 different "accessories" currently; but has 6 switches........
Solder.....Shrink tubing..................on and on...........God bless.....Dennis

 

[Mark.Sibole]

Personally what I have done with all of my lighting is add relays.Most switches cant take much more than a 4 amp draw without heating up and having a melt down.I have relays on everything from the plow to my strobes.Relays are cheap and come with the harnesses.I picked up a pack of 12 on ebay for under 30 bucks.Hell you pay almost 8 bucks for just the relays in an auto parts store.Wireing to trip the relay can be as simple as a 20 guage wire ans there is no amperage involved to trip the relay.From there you can run a 16 guage to each light or if you want to puggyback them or add in series go to a 14 or 12 guage wire.Objject is let the relay do all of the work as they are generally rated at 30 amps.Hope this helps

Mark

 

[cchaffee]

I bought my 4 6"x1 1/12" Led lights off Amazon. I wanted them to fit under the roof of my cabbed 2005 900. Yes i could have wired it, i work for an automation company but i saw the harness with relay and lighted switch on amazon for $20.
i opted for that because at the time i had 5 quads in my shop (it's my hobby) and the time to build the harness versus $20 just didn't add up. I fixed someone else's, they paid for my lighting setup

And yes i branched the harness, not a problem with the amperage. I utilized shrink tube sealing male-female crimp wire ends because it was my first time with Leds. If they failed or i want to put larger ones in the change will be easier. Plus i stock them for the bikes and they look real clean

So, I am still sitting here in Northeast PA, with a heated cab, new lighting, curtis plow, and NOT ONE BIT OF PLOWABLE SNOW THIS YEAR! Ras-um-fras-um-frickin-frackin.....


Curt

 

[Keifer]

Like others have posted here, I like to use the "KISS" application, (Keep It Simple Stupid). Whenever I add an electrical circuit to the RTV, I wrap it in that cheap split cable covering from the auto parts store AND secure it with neon green zip ties. That way I know it's my work and not part of the original Kubota wiring harness.

 

[ovrszd]

Personally what I have done with all of my lighting is add relays.Most switches cant take much more than a 4 amp draw without heating up and having a melt down.I have relays on everything from the plow to my strobes.Relays are cheap and come with the harnesses.I picked up a pack of 12 on ebay for under 30 bucks.Hell you pay almost 8 bucks for just the relays in an auto parts store.Wireing to trip the relay can be as simple as a 20 guage wire ans there is no amperage involved to trip the relay.From there you can run a 16 guage to each light or if you want to puggyback them or add in series go to a 14 or 12 guage wire.Objject is let the relay do all of the work as they are generally rated at 30 amps.Hope this helps

Mark

After years of homemade wiring harnesses in offroad buggies, I second this post!!! I always use relays. The most common failure of non relay circuits is the switch.

 

[Mark.Sibole]

here 1 of the best deals for relays and the harness plugs you cant beat the deal

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PACK-REL...211675?hash=item41a3657d5b:g:b6IAAOSwnipWa1l~
All of my 12 volt accessorys have these relays on them no matter what...

 

[ovrszd]

Excellent price and a quality product. Thanks for the link Mark!!!