Driving light install ??

[JR2]

Ok one of you wiring gurus out there help me. I am going to install my new driving lights and need to know what gauge wire to use to run from the relay to the battery and from the relay to the lights. Bellow is the diagram of there suggested hook up. The diagram says 30 amp wire in one place and 40 in another, just what gauge is 30 and 40 amp wire.

Also what gauge do I have to use to trigger the relay, I know all it does is close the relay so it should not have alot of draw on it.



Thanks in advance.



BTW - the lights are from Light Force and I have to give them credit for the attached wiring diagram that I swiped from there website.

 

[Thomas]

Light output drops rapidily as the voltage available across the lamp filament drops. I would use 12 gauge (or even 10 gauge) on the part of the circuit that powers the lamps. This will minimize resistance (and therefore voltage drop) in the rest of the circuit.



The switch side can be easily handled by 14 or 16 gauge wire. Even this is overkill, but the size of the wire gives you greater mechanical strength that can help avoid accidental breakage.

 

[Midnite]

I just installed a set of 100 watt KC Daylighters on mine, and the kit included 12ga. wire for both Bat. --> Relay and Relay --> Lamps.



You might just want to take the safe route and get 10ga. for everything on the high power side of the circuit.



Mike

 

[cullyguy]

In General:

14Ga max 15 amps

12Ga max 20amps

10Ga max 30Amps

8Ga max 40Amps

6Ga max 50 Amps



You should always derate your circut by 20% for Safety. in other words, on a 30 amp circut using 10Ga wire, plan for a maximum load of 24 Amps.

 

[BRobertson]

I would go with the 10gauge . Technically you can use 12 gauge for up to 5 feet, but why not use 10g?? If you go to a heavy truck store you can get some real neat 2,3,4,etc wire encased in neopreme

 

[RamStud139419850]

I have a question also? On a Ram with the sport package, could you use the factory wiring and headlight switch to run off road lights. For example, switching from factory bumper to Denver Off Road bumper, and adding 2 Piaa's. Could you cut the wires from the factory fog lights and wire up to the Piaa's, and run 'em from the headlight switch, or is there too much amperage or whatever. I know nothing about wireing or electrical. Has anyone tried this?

 

[Turbo Terry]

Yeah I remember you laughing at the size of my wire for my fast idle. LMAO If you need wiring help I would be glad to assist. Heated garage and GOOD cold beer. Oh yeah did I tell you I need help on my fuel system. Stay in touch. Getting pretty slick here now. No more poofs only winter driving. Later TT

 

[JR2]

Terry- what is all this white stuff anyway? I go away for a week and come home to find the snow and ice had invaded. I was not done doing burnouts and smokeouts yet..... now all I do is spin my tires on the ice... this is not fun. I am going to go buy the wire today and then help my Dad put his lights in, then I will do mine, probably next week.

 

[Un-Hemi]

Snyder, you'd be wise to install a relay to run the Piaas. The original fog lights are only 35 watts, and the Piaas could be anything from 50 watts up. The Dodge electrical system is only adequate at best, and there is little margin for overload.



Relay kits can be had at most auto parts stores. I believe that Piaa has them too.



10 gauge wire is the largest size that will fit comfortably in a yellow crimp connector, and it's big enough for most lighting applications.



BTW, there's snow on the hills in Central British Columbia!

 

[Fish On]

Hello JR2 or TT, I live out here in the Mat-su Valley. Saw that both of you have DTT equip in your trucks. Did you find a good shop here in AK to put it in for you? How do you like your DTT equip? Does it really make that much difference?

Thanks for your help! Time to get the sled out and get ready for the first trip to the mountains.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Big O on 4th street done them. Yes big differance in the auto especially under power. It was worth the money as this was the WEAKEST LINK LOL

 

[JR2]

If I could only do one bomb to my truck it would be the DTT tv and vb..... with out a doubt. Best money I spent on my truck.

 

[Jack in Alaska]

Wire size

JR2 & TT

If you use 10 ga. wire and it is long enough you can always use it in an emergency as a tow rope to pull Fords & Chebbies out of the ditch this winter.

Actually the wire stub coming out of the lights from the factory is no more than 14 ga. and the distance from the light to the relay is approx. 3'. I would think 12 ga or even 14 ga would be sufficient.

That is just my opinion but I could be wrong.

 

[klenger]

After looking at the schematic again, I noticed that the lamps are 75 - 100 watts each. If you used 2 ea 100 watt lamps, the maximum current draw for both lamps would be about 15 amps. 10 ga wire should work fine, is easy to find, and still light enough that it's not to hard to work with.



Important Note:

Also, even thought it's not shown on the schematic, you really should put a 25 amp fuse or current limiter where the feed wire is connected to the battery. The reason for the fuse is to protect the wire if it shorts to chassis ground. The battery can deliver hundreds of amps, and if the wire shorts, it will burn up, possible causing a fire.

 

[JR2]

Well I was thinking about that too... . it seems like there ought to be a fues or something. I am going to hook the big power wire to the fues that protects my painless wiring setup. I only have a couple of gauges and my PE box on the painless so I figure the fues will work just fine.



I found some really nice 8 gauge wire that is used for stereo amp installs. It is clear and quite flexable.