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School me on wiring

LakeBeard

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I'm adding in a rock lights, back up lights and a whip to my jeep, so I want to add a rocker switch panel as well, the one below is what I bought, I'm wondering if I need to have a realy for each item or if I can use one large relay for the unit itself.

1582068965807.png


1582068965807.png
 

sintax

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I personally would run relays and fuse and wire each feed with a proper spec wire / fuse.
 

LakeBeard

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I personally would run relays and fuse and wire each feed with a proper spec wire / fuse.
This one has (2) built in fuses, should I still run some inline? I appreciate the advise
 

jailbird141

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Are the lights LED? What kind of current will they be drawing? For example, a relay just for an LED whip light is not necessary and way overkill. A relay for an LED light bar would be smart ..... fuses for everything regardless of the current draw.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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All depends on what those switches are rated for. You'd want individual relays if you did use them though.

For LED backup lights, LED rock lights and a lighted whip, those are only a couple amps each. You'd likely be OK with no relay, but check the amp draw of what you are adding to be sure.
 

liquid addiction

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I was late off the line
All depends on what those switches are rated for. You'd want individual relays if you did use them though.

For LED backup lights, LED rock lights and a lighted whip, those are only a couple amps each. You'd likely be OK with no relay, but check the amp draw of what you are adding to be sure.
 

LakeBeard

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One of the reviews on amazon said the red led light on the switch box stays on and needs a relay to not kill the battery. I leave my jeep in havasu all the time and only see it a few times a month. I don't want to come out to a dead battery
 

ka0tyk

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get yourself this:


618Demj0aNL._AC_SX679_.jpg


each relay run a fuse rated for the draw of the accessory you're gonna run. white wire to battery, blue to your accessory +12v, red to your switch panel, black to ground. easy stuff.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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get yourself this:


each relay run a fuse rated for the draw of the accessory you're gonna run to battery positive, one lead to ground, one lead out to the accessory you want to run, and one to your switch panel to trigger the relay on/off. sure the relay is 30a, but you might only be running a 10a load.

Good suggestion. I always keep some of those in stock for random projects.
 

rivermobster

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I'm adding in a rock lights, back up lights and a whip to my jeep, so I want to add a rocker switch panel as well, the one below is what I bought, I'm wondering if I need to have a realy for each item or if I can use one large relay for the unit itself.

View attachment 846132

View attachment 846132

Yes to both of your questions...

And that box will NOT handle 40 amps of power. The wires are Way too small.

Have the main power relay trigger with the key in the accessory position.

That should keep you fairly safe. 👍
 

johnnyC

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I would use a main feed to individual relays and switches and fuses so that all of the accessories are separated this way if you loose one to damage you don't loose them all
 

SBMech

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A few tips.

Relays are rated just like fuses. Wiring is rated for Amperage. Consult google for an easy chart showing what gauge wire is rated for what amount of continuous current.

Run a fuse at least 10 amps higher rated than the electrical device you are activating. Double the amperage for a relay and the fuse for anything higher than 30 amps continuous.

The idea is to eliminate resistance from heat from continuous operation, like a driving lamp. Single use switching like a blinker can be rated closer to it's consumption.

The order should be : Switch - relay - fuse - device. If you want over kill you can fuse the entire 12v in to the switch board to cover that too.

The idea is should anything short circuit or short to ground in an accident that you are protecting the rest of the chassis from shorting out.

You let the switches turn the relays on, so they handle very little current, the relays are designed to handle the heavy current.
 

rivermobster

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A few tips.

Relays are rated just like fuses. Wiring is rated for Amperage. Consult google for an easy chart showing what gauge wire is rated for what amount of continuous current.

Run a fuse at least 10 amps higher rated than the electrical device you are activating. Double the amperage for a relay and the fuse for anything higher than 30 amps continuous.

The idea is to eliminate resistance from heat from continuous operation, like a driving lamp. Single use switching like a blinker can be rated closer to it's consumption.

The order should be : Switch - relay - fuse - device. If you want over kill you can fuse the entire 12v in to the switch board to cover that too.

The idea is should anything short circuit or short to ground in an accident that you are protecting the rest of the chassis from shorting out.

You let the switches turn the relays on, so they handle very little current, the relays are designed to handle the heavy current.

Your order is a tiny bit off...

Depending on if you're using a positive or negative switch to the relay of course.

I always Try to switch a relay from the ground side. The less hot wires in a car the better, especially at the switch!

In the OP's situation, that box is going to output battery voltage from each switch.

Not the ideal situation.

So in Any case...

The fuse should Always come first in Any powered circuit. This is the reason they put fuse links and such right at the starter selinoid, to protect All the wiring in the car.

Then, individual fuses, to protect each circuit, at the fuse box.

:)

If you guys have a phone, and your doing wiring, this is a handy little app...

 

highvoltagehands

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Advice to Op is to take vehicle to a reputable shop and get work done or take their advice. As a person experienced in wiring everything from 12 volt DC automobile circuits to 500KV AC Utility Powerlines, the advice here is all over the place from good to fucking terrible. Posts #2 & #5 are good sound practices. The rest are open for debate....
 

DLC

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Have you looked at the Spod switch system?
its plug and play I have it in my 05 rubi unlimited, works great and simple install


there are generic copycats you can find also, I think smithy built has one similar
 

hallett21

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So does DC current travel - to + or + to - [emoji41][emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SBMech

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Your order is a tiny bit off...

Depending on if you're using a positive or negative switch to the relay of course.

I always Try to switch a relay from the ground side. The less hot wires in a car the better, especially at the switch!

In the OP's situation, that box is going to output battery voltage from each switch.

Not the ideal situation.

So in Any case...

The fuse should Always come first in Any powered circuit. This is the reason they put fuse links and such right at the starter selinoid, to protect All the wiring in the car.

Then, individual fuses, to protect each circuit, at the fuse box.

:)

If you guys have a phone, and your doing wiring, this is a handy little app...


? Fused at the device...in your example at the starter...how is my order wrong?

Control - relay - fuse - device is how every circuit is wired in any modern vehicle, with additional fusing to protect modules and SAM modules etc as needed.

You can run multiple devices off a single powered circuit as long as you stay within the rated amperage.
 

rivermobster

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? Fused at the device...in your example at the starter...how is my order wrong?

Control - relay - fuse - device is how every circuit is wired in any modern vehicle, with additional fusing to protect modules and SAM modules etc as needed.

You can run multiple devices off a single powered circuit as long as you stay within the rated amperage.

Are you really going to make me explain this? I know you know the answer! LoL

The positive battery cable goes to the starter selinoid, on pretty much every car out there. The starter selinoid is nothing more than a giant relay! On a Ford anyway, in a Chevy it does double duty to engage the Bendix into flywheel, but that's a whole different topic...

From there, the power has to get to the fuse box. How does that happen? The power goes through the fuse links at the starter selinoid.

The only place power should go unfused, is to the starter to power it. the trigger to operate the starter comes from the ignition switch, through the netural safety switch.

Other than the starter itself, no wire on a car or boat should be unfused/protected.

So...

Fuse > switch > device

The fuse is Always first. 👍
 

SBMech

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Are you really going to make me explain this? I know you know the answer! LoL

The positive battery cable goes to the starter selinoid, on pretty much every car out there. The starter selinoid is nothing more than a giant relay! On a Ford anyway, in a Chevy it does double duty to engage the Bendix into flywheel, but that's a whole different topic...

From there, the power has to get to the fuse box. How does that happen? The power goes through the fuse links at the starter selinoid.

The only place power should go unfused, is to the starter to power it. the trigger to operate the starter comes from the ignition switch, through the netural safety switch.

Other than the starter itself, no wire on a car or boat should be unfused/protected.

So...

Fuse > switch > device

The fuse is Always first. 👍

Fuseable links were there to fuse the power supply to the alternator and the chassis before they had power distribution centers/modules...you are just jerking my chain with your primitive example Joe! 😝 Those fuses exist in every vehicle now as the Maxi fuses, fusing the main power supply as it's distributed throughout the chassis.

He's wiring lights. What is last in the link to a head lamp in any modern circuit? The fuse. He's wiring it into a switch panel that is already fused, so the current in is covered already.....

I am positive you and I are saying the same thing...;)
 

rivermobster

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Fuseable links were there to fuse the power supply to the alternator and the chassis before they had power distribution centers/modules...you are just jerking my chain with your primitive example Joe! 😝 Those fuses exist in every vehicle now as the Maxi fuses, fusing the main power supply as it's distributed throughout the chassis.

He's wiring lights. What is last in the link to a head lamp in any modern circuit? The fuse. He's wiring it into a switch panel that is already fused, so the current in is covered already.....

I am positive you and I are saying the same thing...;)

That's all I work on is dinasour shit anymore! LoL

I said goodbye to anything with a OBD connector years ago. 30 plus years of that shit was more than enough for me!

😁
 

coolchange

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I don't know why you would run a relay to a switch box. Just power it with the key in the on position. Wire it in just like you would a stereo off the vehicle fuse panel. With the key off the panel is off, no drain, no accidental light left on.
With relays that panel will never see even 1 amp load with all the switches on.
 

rivermobster

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I don't know why you would run a relay to a switch box. Just power it with the key in the on position. Wire it in just like you would a stereo off the vehicle fuse panel. With the key off the panel is off, no drain, no accidental light left on.

With relays that panel will never see even 1 amp load with all the switches on.

Your last statement is 100 percent correct.

Why use relay to power the switch box?

It's probably overkill truthfully, if he just powering relays with those switches.

But if he wants to power something directly in the future, the means to do it is already in place, and he won't have to worry about overloading a circuit somewhere.

Just thinking ahead is all.
 

SBMech

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I don't know why you would run a relay to a switch box. Just power it with the key in the on position. Wire it in just like you would a stereo off the vehicle fuse panel. With the key off the panel is off, no drain, no accidental light left on.
With relays that panel will never see even 1 amp load with all the switches on.
We are promoting the use of relays in powering the devices, and the switch box controlling the relays.

You are correct in that it should be wired to power on the accessory circuit.

I would not use a relay to power the switch box.
 
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