Wiring roof mounted lights... whats the best way....

[jjlaughner]

OK, since no one bit and I didn't get the lights on my plow rewired in time, I'm going to do a cab mounted lightbar and mount my 4 Dick Cepek Lights above the cab. I have 2- 6x9 and 2- 6" round lights.

I'm thinking of patterns to wire them in. First the lights are going to be mounted like this .0.[][].0. (round lights on the outside, 6x9's in the middle, the round lights will be side or ditch lights and the 6x9's will be centered on the road)

1. Wire the to two 6x9's together on one switch, then having the 6" lights wired on two seperate switches to control left right for street driving/plowing
2. Wire all four to seperate switches and have the interior looking like a lowrider
3. Wire 2 and 2
4. Wire them all together pee on oncoming traffic

Second part of the question...
10. Wire the lights and run all wires inside the cab then combine them (so if there is a power or ground problem it can be done inside the vehicle)
11. Wire one light and combine it in the back of the next light then bring it inside the cab
12... other ideas?

then the last part
how do you bring the wires in a make a good seal without pulling the wires in threw the door jam?

 

[Skigirl]

I'd gang the front 6 x 9's together and have the right side on one switch and the left on another. I'd ground the wires to the ligth bar, then ground the light bar to the cab roof. Then I'd bring the hot wires inside (each separately as you don't have that many wires to worry about), gang the center lights inside the truck at the relay (they have connectors that will do this). If you're running the light bar on the cab and want to run with the lights and top off, I think you'd have to run them into the truck at the cab/topper seal. Run the wires down the side of that seal and bring them in at the bed lip, then down to the relays.

 

[HarryH3]

I just installed driving and fog lights on our family truckster, a '94 Sub. I'm writing up a tech article that will include the wiring for the switches, relays, fusible links, fuses, etc. I have the switches wired so that they can only get power from either low beam (to the fog lights), high beam (to the driving lights), or parking lights (lets us turn on either or both sets of lights, independent from the headlights. But with this setup, when you turn the headlight switch all the way off, then all of the lights will go out. This will prevent inadvertently leaving the lights on, since the headlight alarm sounds even if the parking lights are left on. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif I just need to do the drawing of the schematic and get some pics developed. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[TJS]

jj,
Whatever you do make sure you use relays like the other people have stated here. Here is a pic of my plow truck with lights mounted on my "lightbar". The "rollbar" came out of my 79 k-5(RIP) that was a factory one in the rear.
I added longer legs to it and longer kickouts as well and flipped it around. Notice the LED third brake lite from a late model GM truck.

T.J.
www.tjsperformance.com

 

[Skigirl]

Hmmm, good idea on wiring to the parking lights Harry. Right now I have a 3 way switch that runs fog and driving independent of headlights, so one could leave them on inadvertently. Only thing that saves me is the battery kill switch that turns everything off.

Looking forward to seeing the tech writeup. Should be a quick fix to tie into the parking lights. TIA! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Grim-Reaper]

[ QUOTE ]
I just installed driving and fog lights on our family truckster, a '94 Sub. I'm writing up a tech article that will include the wiring for the switches, relays, fusible links, fuses, etc. I have the switches wired so that they can only get power from either low beam (to the fog lights), high beam (to the driving lights), or parking lights (lets us turn on either or both sets of lights, independent from the headlights. But with this setup, when you turn the headlight switch all the way off, then all of the lights will go out. This will prevent inadvertently leaving the lights on, since the headlight alarm sounds even if the parking lights are left on. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif I just need to do the drawing of the schematic and get some pics developed. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Hahaha sounds like how I just wired up my burb. Driving on with low beams and off with high. Hella Rallye 1000's tied into the high beams. I have a override so I can turn them on without the head lights. Sounds complicated but it's only three switches.

The rack will be moved back as soon as I can find a C track roof rack to mount on the roof. I don't want to use those hidious brackets that let you use a gutter mount. Once the rack is moved back it will get some Utility lights for left and right and a set of lites tied into reverse or on. I may toss some Hella 500's on the front of the rack.
The 1000's are at the grill hight because that's legal. It's not leagal to run lights mounted above the headlights on the street. I may still do it. Those 1000's do better the higher you can get them.

Still trying to figure out how to get the wires up there. IU really don't want to drill a hole through the roof. I hope I can sneak them in around the rear window or gate somehow. There is a trim peice with a gap around the window I can hide them under.

 

[afroman006]

When I put a roof rack on my burb, I plan on just running one large positive and one large ground wire up to the rack and having a box for all the relays w/ a power distribution block. I was thinking that running all the wires (power and switch relay) in a loom and securing them to the inside of the door hinges would make for a clean enough appearance and get the job done well. My roof rack is gonna be badass /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[fatboy]

Here is how I did my lights. I used a fuse switching panel and put it in the ashtray (since I dont smoke) stuck the relays next to the battery and ran my wires in the passenger side second door jam and up to the roof rack. I just used the black plastic wire covers to protect it. It has been like that for 5 years now and no problems yet.

 

[Cmoe]

Can you post or send me a pic of the ash tray switch panel.... This is what I am planing on doing with mine..... would like to here how you like it?

 

[jjlaughner]

I can't ground the lights back into the roof, I'm going to use expanding nuts to seal out the water

I'm also using allen head bolts for a finished look and make it harder to steal if someone was so inclined to do so. I used these expanding nuts to hold my ladder rack and they work great. I had a 24 foot ladder, 8foor folding ladder and tools straped to thee rack doing 102MPH on the way to work one morning and the ladders where still there when I got to work /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

I think the switchs in the ash try is a great idea but mines already taken

This is my Tach /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
Actually thats my Silver blazer so I could do the lights that way in the plow truck /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[k5guyva]

[ QUOTE ]
how do you bring the wires in a make a good seal without pulling the wires in threw the door jam?

[/ QUOTE ]

Boaters know more about wiring in bad weather than anyone.

Check out a marine store like West Marine (www.westmarine.com).
West Marine cable through-hull This lets you run a 5/16 cable through the roof and keep the water out.

West Marine cable connector This is the same, but it lets you unplug it when you need to service it.

West Marine is also great for real stainless hardware to survive the elements.

 

[fatboy]

sry i dont check this enough but will get a pic of the ashtry fuse pannel but all I had to do was trim it to fit because it came all ready in a kit