Rock Light wiring help

I grabbed a set of

LEDMIRCY LED Rock Lights Red 8PCS for Off Road Truck Car Boat ATV SUV Waterproof High Power Underbody Neon Trail Lights Underglow Lights Interior Exterior Shockproof(8PCS-Red)

these rock lights off Amazon and am getting ready to order what I need to get them wired up and I am just wanting to verify that I am getting the proper size wire for them. I am looking to use possibly 6 or all 8 depending on how bright they are. Going by the info on Amazon, they are labeled as 9 watts but I believe thats at 32v which puts it at .28A. How would the wattage shift if I am running them at 13.7 volts? Based off of that I should be fine to run all of them on a 18 gauge wire correct?

Would it be worth bumping up to 16 gauge to have a buffer in case I upgrade to Baja Designs rock lights later on? With this coming in at under 5A, would that be a good fuse to put on this line? As for running the wiring, would I be best off running a single hot in a C and branch all of the lights off of it for the power and then hit a body/chassis ground near each light?

Thank you all for the help, I think I have this figured out, but wanting to make sure that I am actually doing this right and not just overdoing it for no reason.

 

18ga would be fine for those, if going to BD lights depending on how many you run 18ga is also fine, you can go overkill and use 16 if you want.

 

I'd like to have enough gauge to be able to at least replace with 8 BD lights in the future.

Does the way I am looking to wire this sound correct?

Thank you for the reply!

 

Can't really trust the cheap Amazon stuff voltage and wattage ratings. I'm sure 18 gauge would be fine and 16ga would be even better but I would suggest just testing the actual amp draw in your garage when you get them in the mail. You may find that 16ga will be way overkill. When you get your actual amp rating be sure to take the total distance of your wiring into consideration when choosing wire gauge. The longer you go, the higher gauge you will need. The hot "C" doesn't sound like a bad idea and would keep it simple. I don't think individual grounds would be a bad idea but I feel like it may introduce multiple failure points whereas a good solder at each joint and one ground can eliminate them. That's just me.

I bought a led bar that was supposed to draw 12amps but only drew 7amps in real life max one time lol But I had already setup my wiring before it arrived so overkill it is! Maybe I'll get a rigid one day or something.

 

I'm putting more into wiring these up properly then I did in the actual lights to future proof them and make them easy to replace in case I damage the lights. I am getting an order together for the wiring and weather packs on each light and wanting to make sure I have everything right before I drop the coin on it all.

 

I just wired up 8 of these on my rig. I suggest 16 gauge but you could probably use 18. 18 creeps me out because it's so thin. Think about the angry pixies!

If you're doing rock lights put one in front of the front tire, one just behind the front tire, one in front of the rear tire and one behind it. You'll be lit up.

I put each light on a quick disconnect so I can replace them easily if they get thrashed. Got some sweet mounts from Rago but they were expensive.

 

Let us know how you route the wires! I would appreciate if you get the chance to take some pictures, thanks!

 

It will be a bit, looks like I am spending more on the wiring then the lights, but I will be running the wires from the battery to the switch in the cab and then a c that runs inside the frame and snakes out for the lights where I want them when I check it at night for the light throw. Hopefully thats helpful!

 

Yea im having trouble finding a cost effective shielded wire than i can easily, what are you using?

 

I am looking at probably using SXL wiring from wiringdepot.com. Not exactly cost effective, but I believe thats the proper wiring for the use from what I have found reading around.

 

Are you planning on running the wire close to a high heat source? Standard automotive wiring will be fine. Which ever one you decide, I would still suggest covering the wiring with split-loom.

 

Any pics or videos that would be helpful? This is my first electrical job I’m gonna do. Thanks in advance.

 

Reviving this old thread!
What wire was used and how was it routed?