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What do I need for these lights?

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by 12DblCab, Aug 24, 2012.

  1. Aug 24, 2012 at 9:49 AM
    #1
    12DblCab

    12DblCab [OP] I don't know what to write here

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    What do I need to mount these lights? A (what amp?) inline fuse, (unknown) gauge wire, and a switch? I haven't put aftermarket lights on a vehicle since my Jeep over 8 years ago, and those lights came in a kit. If I mount a strip on each side under the hood, can I splice the wires together before it gets to the fuse? Thanks for the help.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056Z036A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A2YUWVZ0U5K5TO
    [​IMG]

    Here are some inline fuses. Not sure what to get... :eek:
    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_gnr_...2&keywords=inline+fuse&ie=UTF8&qid=1345826765
     
  2. Aug 24, 2012 at 10:20 AM
    #2
    ProForce

    ProForce IG @proforce.expeditions OB#5411

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    I would not get these lights to begin with. They look very cheap and ship from China. Nothing against china, but you don't exactly get the highest quality stuff there. Hence the reason its so cheap.

    That being said, if you do get them, or any other similar led strips, wire them all together, negative to negative, positive to positive. Once you have a single + and - wire for all your lights, negative gets grounded to the frame, or any metal body panel that eventually attaches to the frame in some way. Positive goes to a relay. The relay gets wired as follows:
    (Instead of Fogs, it would be your led strips)

    Addingfoglightsrelay_160ec3947d85da3b4f06a5344fccb07b40d4d903.jpg

    30 and 86 go to a fuse, then battery.
    87a is not used
    87 goes to + on all you led strips
    85 goes to a switch, then then other side of switch goes to ground.

    You can use a 10amp fuse and 16awg wire. This setup allows the lights to be tired on anytime, even with the truck off. I figure since you wanted these for under the hood work lights, that's how you would want it. If you want it to only work with key, then 30 goes to battery positive with a 10amp fuse and 86 goes to accessory + with a separate 10amp fuse.
    I find this wiring to be the easiest, but if you have a switch with an indicator light, then the wiring gets changed as follows:

    30- battery + w/ 10a fuse
    87- to + lights
    87a- not used
    85- ground
    86- to switch
    Then the other side of the switch gets attached to either battery + or accessory + with a 10amp fuse.

    Even 18awg wire is more then enough for some small led strips, but 16 is easier to work with and you can use 14 if you wanna get crazy with it, but it really doesn't matter for lights with such a small current draw. And even a 5amp fuse is probably enough, but 10 will be fine.

    Check out superbrightleds.com and oznium.com

    They have much higher quality lights at a good price still :thumbup:
     
  3. Aug 24, 2012 at 10:23 AM
    #3
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    for LED's you really dont need a relay since they draw next to nothing for power.

    Ive always had mine fused then to a switch then to the battery.

    for LED strips check out Oznium.com and superbrightleds.com
    Ive had good luck with both companies
     
  4. Aug 24, 2012 at 10:31 AM
    #4
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    Those small LED's will draw next to nothing. Get the smallest fuse you can find, probably 2.5A and any relay will be big enough to handle them.

    To wire them under the hood, this is what I would do: Battery power - Inline Fuse - Inline Switch (mounted under the hood, outdoor switch) - Lights. Tie all the grounds together and ground them together. No relay required because of the low draw and I'm assuming you'd want to turn these on even when the engine is not on so no need for a 'trigger' for a relay.
     
  5. Aug 24, 2012 at 10:36 AM
    #5
    ProForce

    ProForce IG @proforce.expeditions OB#5411

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    Both replies are correct in that a relay is not required. However, i still choose to relay all accessories for added protection and quality. Toyota systems are very sensitive and the electrical system needs to remain as isolated as possible. But to avoid the headache, I'd just say skip the relay. Still use 16awg wire, and reduce the fuse from 10 to 5. Even a 2.5 would work, but I'd stick with 5





     
  6. Aug 24, 2012 at 6:43 PM
    #6
    09DBLCAB09

    09DBLCAB09 Well-Known Member

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    99.9% of light that are sold in America were made in China
     
  7. Sep 6, 2012 at 5:57 PM
    #7
    12DblCab

    12DblCab [OP] I don't know what to write here

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    I worked on the lights today. Keep in mind, this is the $5 pair of (4) LED strips I got off Amazon.

    Here is the engine compartment without the lights on.
    sb4oko_33c9f84fb1728452b99c6e0020de98c8389c0415.jpg

    Here is part of the wiring showing the 10 amp fuse and switch.
    33w9v95_fe367d57f99a83e863bdcf225ea32b7582d4dbd1.jpg

    Annnnd... the final product. I only used 2 of the 4 strips, and they supplied more than enough light for the engine compartment. They are angled inward a little bit instead of straight down. If I don't use the other strips for anything else, I might splice them in and put them next to the other strips.
    2rhoa3q_3d8c3a4c21feb1548c39ab89358144833d23e564.jpg
     
  8. Sep 6, 2012 at 5:59 PM
    #8
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    Loods good! I like the underhood lighting mods, very useful :thumbsup:
     
  9. Sep 6, 2012 at 6:02 PM
    #9
    12DblCab

    12DblCab [OP] I don't know what to write here

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    One last question...

    I used all three prongs of the switch, using the copper colored prong for the ground as recommended on other websites. The switch LED stays lit whether it is in the OFF or ON position. Should it be doing that? I figured it would only light the LED indicator in the ON position.

    This is a different switch, but with the same connections...
    2007761963989164_1743b1f5626bebf0b595be5571004dfc2c446593.jpg

    A big thank you to all of you that helped. I tried to Rep everyone.
     
  10. Sep 6, 2012 at 6:36 PM
    #10
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    Try switching the power in and power out tabs on the switch (leave the ground and switch the other 2). Depending on the internal of the switch, that might make it so the switch is only lighted when it's in the on position.
     

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