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Relay Help Needed

1

1978Blazerk5

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Alrite, well I just picked up a relay to wire up my Aftermarket reverse lights. Well my first question is the 2 55W lights are gonna be putting out roughly 10A, so would 18AWG wire be enough? And power from the switch i was told that you can put it to the isolator on the firewall, but what post would you use(see pic below)?
DSC00361.jpg


And then the relay digram has a 85 termanal that has a 86- and ground pointing to it. I dont understand.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/blackhawk812/Relay1.jpg

And power out is for the lights right? or is it the other way around?

Thanks
 
10 amps is a fair amount.. you'll have decent voltage loss over that length to the back with 18.. I would be running 14, that'd put the loss at under 1 volt... You do NOT want the wire to be the failpoint...

that relay pic is fubarred... #30 is your power supply for the relay (and eventually the lights).... #85 is your grd. #86 is your trigger (switch)... 87 is your power out to the lights..
 
ryoken said:
10 amps is a fair amount.. you'll have decent voltage loss over that length to the back with 18.. I would be running 14, that'd put the loss at under 1 volt... You do NOT want the wire to be the failpoint...

that relay pic is fubarred... #30 is your power supply for the relay (and eventually the lights).... #85 is your grd. #86 is your trigger (switch)... 87 is your power out to the lights..
Click to expand...


Ok, would 16 be ok cause i already bought a roll of 18AWG cause i though it would be enough. And i am 90% sure i got a roll of 16AWG in my tool box.

And for the relay I drew EXACTLY how it was on the box, I would of scaned in but my scanner is broke.
 
If you really want to use the 18awg or 16awg I would run 2 wires, 1 to each light.
 
Last edited:
GsxrMike said:
If you really want to use the 18awg or 16awg I would run 2 wires, 1 too each light.
Click to expand...


The lights i bought have it where they tie into each other, its a connector in there and the wire they used is at most probaly only 16.

IDK it could be 14awg.
 
1978Blazerk5 said:
The lights i bought have it where they tie into each other, its a connector in there and the wire they used is at most probaly only 16.

IDK it could be 14awg.
Click to expand...
If you are running lights on the back of the truck you will have to run a longer wire and dc voltage has a greater voltage drop than ac. So the wire on your lights might be 16awg but that is a short distance. You could try 16awg if you have it (should be good up to about 13amp I belive but I would only want to run the wire once. If you take into consideration the voltage drop and if you ever drop below 12v you are going to be pretty close to 13amps. So to sum it up...16 would work...14 would be a safer bet. You can buy wire by the foot at home depot, lowes, etc.
 
Radioshack sells automotive wire, but on there website i cant find anything.

Does anyone know if they sell 14AWG, cause other wise i gotta drive or i could go to radioshack cause it is right up the road, every place else is quite a drive and at $3.56 a gallon i dont wanna have to drive more than i have to.:doah:
 
Ok before i start wiring, I wanna make damned sure i got this write.

Use 14 awg wire.

and for the relay

85-ground
86-Switch
30-battery power
87-Lights
 
Hijack/ what is the purpose of the jblock in the first picture. am trying to clean up my wiring and can't find that this block does anything special( using my DMM) Thanks in advance Kenny
 
2 more question,

Would the inside of the fender be enough of a ground for the relay?

And the switch, i have no more room on the factory fuse box, so i was gonna hook the switch up to the isoloator(jbox or whatever its called), do i need to use a fuse between that and the switch?


Thanks
 
I used self tapping screws into the frame for a ground on all my lights, but I would think the fender should work just fine.
 
Kenny78 said:
Hijack/ what is the purpose of the jblock in the first picture. am trying to clean up my wiring and can't find that this block does anything special( using my DMM) Thanks in advance Kenny
Click to expand...
I wondered that also....?
 
another question

I picked up some lights for the front there like 55W

So i was thinking 16-18AWG then splice the lights together into 14gauge.

WOuld that work?
 
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