Roof rack lights and wiring

[benlaud87]

I've been pretty busy the past month, but I have luckily had some time to fix up my wiring for roof rack lights and brush guard lights. I know I've seen other vehicles in person that had the same issue as I did with a rats nest of wires all leading to the battery. First I had to run out and get some supplies from radio shack.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103229 Barrier strip

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103227 jumper

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062477 30a relay

Various wire connectors and some wire if you don't have any, zip ties, conduit, etc

I got some switches from autozone

I decided to mount my switches on the daystar dash panel.
Only one switch mounted while I was installing

I ran the wires for ground load and supply through the hole under the dash mount and down through the dash to the drivers side .

Locating the switches on the daystar dash panel required a little modification

The plastic tabs were in the way of the wires so they had to be cut out.


The relay is setup to only run the lights while the vehicle is on or the engine is running.

I cut the connectors off of the lights and rewired them together. The power and ground was run down the A pillar where my marker light wires are. I'm going to add the PIAA lights to the distribution block tomorrow and still have to drill holes for my 20" light bar to go in the center of ,y rack.

I will add final pictures this weekend hopefully if I have time to drill the holes for my 20" bar. I hate drilling through steel.

 

[alrock]

Cool. So are you going to have all of the lights on one switch- the PIAAs and the three roof lights?

 

[benlaud87]

the PIAAs will be on a different switch and i cant decide if i want the three roof lights on the same switch or not. someone brought up a point to me about wiring the two outer lights together then the 20" light bar separate so i could use them separately if i needed to based on conditions. not quite sure wht those conditions are though. i wanted the blue sea marine distribution block but there is no west marine near me and im may too impatient to wait on shipping right now.

i want to get otrattw switches eventually so i may just wire all roof rack lights together and then the brushguard lights separate so i dont have too many switches.

 

[Medic_Morgan]

What kinda of PIAA's are those? How's the pattern look at night and what 20" Lightbar did you go w/? just trying to get good ideas for my lighting situation

 

[benlaud87]

the PIAA lights are on my brushguard and are 520 fog light pattern. the two on the roof now are anzo 4" LED lights. the 20" is an LED bar as well. ill get a picture of it later as well as hopefully the entire setup depending on when i get home.

 

[Medic_Morgan]

Awesome. Still looking into some good LED's that throw good light so def let me know how those Anzo's work out

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

Looks great! Any fully vehcile photos

 

[MSC]

Ben, have you thought about using trucker mirror mount cb antenna mounts for your lights so you don't have to drill your rack tubing?
Just a thought.

 

[benlaud87]

I have a steel plate right behind the tubing to mount lights. I'll post up some pictures when I get home

 

[benlaud87]

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

Looks great! Rigid Industries lights always look great!

 

[06 H3]

I think those are anzas

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

I think those are anzas

Im thought the center one was Rigid, not sure on the outer ones.

 

[benlaud87]

Outer ones are anzo

Anzo only makes a 4", 6", and 10"

 

[MSC]

Lights look great on that rack!

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

Dam those are bright! Im gonna have to get some new lights sometime soon!:thumbs:

 

[benlaud87]

i was worried about how an led bar would look in the center since i had the rack built initially with plans of putting more PIAA 520s on the roof rack. i think it turned out pretty well. drilling the holes today took about 10 seconds on each side since i went out and bought a new drill bit.

now on to new mods.

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

How much power does it draw from your batteries?

 

[cgalpha08]

Lights look good!!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[benlaud87]

How much power does it draw from your batteries?

the 4" lights draw less than an amp each and the 20" draws around 3 amps. low enough so i can run all lights off of one 30a relay

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

Wow that seems pretty low!

 

[Pappibri]

Looks Sweet.. Wont have any problems seeing on any night runs now....

 

[alrock]

The 20" draws 5.9 amps per Rigid's site. A typical 100W KC light draws about 8.3 amps but you would probably need about 4 of them to come close to the output of that 20" light bar.

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

Have you gotten any chance to use them on a "test" nightrun?

 

[benlaud87]

there isnt anywhere to go around me. i have to either drive to nj or go ro rausch creek. i might be able to drive on a small trail tonight to test them out if i get a chance.