SS5 7 POD CROSSLINK - Harness getting hot and burning relays…

So I finally got around to wiring the SS5 7 POD CROSSLINK, built my own relay harness using 10awg wiring, 80amp rated relay, have inline fuse rated at 50amps from the battery. I used one of the ground locations on the passenger side engine compartment. Also, noticed a slight flicker to the lights as well when they were on.

The positive wire from the battery and the power wire from the LED bar gets pretty hot, burned to relays. I was trying to save myself a few bucks by not purchasing the $200cad harness from Diode Dynamics but it looks like I have to if I can’t figure it out.



These are the specs for a single pod.


I am stumped, I’ve never had any like this happen before so this is a first for me lol!

 

First off there's no way that relay can handle 80 amps, it looks like a standard Bosch style 4/5 pin relay which are good for no more than 30 amps maybe 40 at most for short periods.

The lights look to be rated at 6.25 amps each, you have 7 of them so that's almost 44 amps.

 

Start with a reputable relay. A Bosch P/N 0986AH0082 is rated to 70A, and you can actually believe what it says on the tin.

Here's a link to a listing on Uncle Jeff's Chumbucket -

$13 BOSCH 0986AH0082 Normal Open Mini Relay - 4 Pins, 12V DC, 70 Amp - Single

https://www.amazon.com/0986AH0082-Operating-Temperature-Degree-without/dp/B07CQY3LSB

I have seen more problems with over-rated (in the electrical sense) relays and transformers than I could possibly keep track of, and when you start looking at stuff advertised explicitly as "automotive" and sold at a bargain price point, you are wading into a supply chain that is absolutely rife with shoddy, mislabeled, defective, and underbuilt components. Some of that price delta is the brand name tax, and there are definitely instances of "the same thing for less money", but that is less and less frequent these days.

 

Since the relay can’t handle the load, would that cause the positive wires to get hot and the lights to have a slight flicker to them?

 

Even your 10 AWG isn't rated for what you are trying to do..

 

Whats weird is, Diode Dynamics sells the harness with 10awg wiring.

 

Their own math doesn't add up.

"Power's 5-8 pods"

6.7 amps per pod
Thats 33.5-53.6 amps

"Harness poweres up to 45 amps of auxilary lights"

 

Is your wiring pure copper or Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA)? CCA is crap wire, but it's cheap If it doesn't say, it's probably CCA. Flickering or pulsing lights, when they aren't supposed to, often is a sign the wiring is overloaded.

 

it does say aluminum on it.

1 says it’s rated for 6 amps per pod while the other says 6.7. If it’s true, it’ll be 42 amps with 7 pods but at 6.7amps it will be almost 47 amps.

Just checked, it’s CCA.

 

That's a good point. 10 gage is only good/safe for 30 amps.

 

You also shouldn't be aiming to just barely cover the requirements of your system. Add 10-15% to whatever the system requirements are as a buffer for your wiring and relays.

 

Divide the lights into 2 sets on the wiring side. Lowers the total amps per DIY harnesses.