Running Multiple Off-Road Lights off the same relay

I have one set of KC's outfitted with 130 watt halogens running off of one relay, it's not wired to the headlight circuit at all, it's completely separate. My Question is, I have another set of lights that are going to be re-fitted with 130 watters and can i run all four off of the same relay (and therefore, the same switch)?

EDIT: I am thinking of running a new hot wire from the relay to the second set, I am not going to daisy-chain them.

 

HIDs FTW
would only use 140watts for all 4 lights and be brighter

Pulling 520 watts on 1 switch and adding that all to your battery is a huge load.

 

That's a little more than 43 amps... Hope you're planning on stepping up your alternator if you're going to be running (4) 130w lights

 

I run 6 100w lights, use separate relays trust me unless you like electrical fires.

 

I didnt do the math, but if this is true about that being 43 amps, then no, 1 relay is not enough. A standard 5 pin automotive relay is rated for 40 amps max. I just installed offroad lights (2 led and 2 hid) on another members truck, each light pulls less than 5 amps each and I still used 2 relays.

and what you said about daisy chain them... im a little confused by what your trying to say, but to clarify for you, you cant power both relays with 1 wire. You need 2 seperate power wires. Otherwise your wires will melt and ground out and fry your battery and lights, or just catch on fire.

 

No, you can't run the new lights off the same relay.

You need a completely separate circuit for the new lights. Start with a fuse holder at the battery, run a new wire to a new relay, then wire your lights. Just like the existing set.

You can run more than one relay off of the same switch though. There isn't any load running through the switch. A relay's trigger coil isn't going to pull more than half an amp.

 

I currently have 4 55w HID hella 500 and i used 2 relays. Each relay has its own ground, own draw from the battery and own leads to the lights. However you can run both trigger wires to the same switch. In your case i would use multiple relays

 

I was referring to running the hot wires (load), all together to the relay.

Thanks everyone for the responses, i kinda thought there should be a second relay. Since their is no load to the switch I can split that wire to go to both relays then I would assume.
Hids would be nice, but not something I am getting into at the moment.

 

You can use the switch as the trigger power for 2 relays. The load to the lights shouldn't be running through the switch, it should be fused power from the battery to the relay, then to the lights.

 

Yep, that's how the existing pair is wired up.

 

You're good to go then, just add the second relay and give the guy in front of you a sunburn on the back of his neck

 

lol, actually i want to read the thoughts in their heads

 

How many lights can the battery and alternator power?

 

Quantity of lights has nothing to do with it, it's the number of amps that the system produces in excess of what's required to run the vehicle. That being said, I have no idea how much excess power the Tacoma produces.

 

Thanks to everyone's input. I added the two extra' lights, now pushing four 130 watters off the same switch. I had the KC's rewired with 14 GA instead of 16 and I did the same to the new ones. I added a relay that has two hot blades for the lights and ran 14GA grounds as well. No wiring is hot and it's bright as hell.



Btw, all the wiring is now neatly zip-tied together

 

Looks good. Glad you went with 2 relays

 

Thanks! Me too

 

how bright are they compared to headlights?

 

Stupid bright, i was facing a dark area and with the grillers on i turned on my brights, the only way i could tell my brights were on is that the brights had more lateral light than the grillers

 

Spoke to the dealership yesterday and talked about the power for these lights, they said the stock alternator (with tow package), puts out 130 amps. he said I should upgrade that to handle the heavier load of the lights.