Lights,,,,,,,,,,,lack of
Discussion
A few basics first...
Wire has a set amperage, that is the maximum power that can be drawn down it. For example you could not power your headlights with the same wire you would use to feed your speakers. Wire is measured in strands and strand thickness, which gives a nominal current draw. Here is an example; a roll of 14/0.30mm wire is 8.75amps, which means it has 14 strands of 0.30mm wire. The more strands you have the more current can be passed down it. Any wire must be fused between the supply (this is the battery) and the load (this is the object taking the power) and must be greater than the wires rating. You can calculate the required fuse with this formula: Wattage / Voltage = Amperage. This is best shown with spot lights, they are usually 55watts and the battery is 13.2 with the engine running, so divide 55 by 13.2 and you get 4.2, so an 8 amp fuse would be suitable for this lamp. Just remember each item on a line must be added together, so if you have 2 spot lights on the same feed you will need to double your figures, giving a maximum draw of 8.4 amps and therefore a bigger fuse and thicker wire.
A relay is a unit that allows a low power switch to turn on something that requires a much higher draw. A good example of this is a cheap plastic switch that comes with a set of spotlights. Without a relay the switch would burn out. As I mentioned before two 55-watt bulbs draw 8.4 amps and most plastic toggle switches can only cope with about 2 amps, so you fit a relay. The relay is only an electro magnet which when turned on makes a separate contact. This means that the low power circuit has no electrical contact with the high power circuit. A relay usually draws less than 1 amp so almost any switch will cope with this, and most relays can cope with about 30 amps.
It's really easy to do yourself, just use the existing wiring to "switch" a “switching” relay and then take a feed from the battery or very near to it for the supply to the relay and lights. Don't forget to fit a fuse on this feed.
The result is that you'll have as close to 12v as possible at each bulb and a hugely increased light output and you can even uprate the bulbs without fear of cooking the wiring. You do the same for both sides (2 relays). 55/60w bulbs are the maximum legal wattage you can fit but it's unlikely a MOT tester will take them out and check.
The relay will have a contact for switching, a contact in for supply to the relay and a contact out to supply the lights.
And ....unrelated to headlights directly but it will also help.
At the same time, also clean up the main earthing points to the chassis, take off the cables, wire brush them and the points of contact on the brackets and/or chassis and re-fit them and cover them in vaseline or copperslip. It's also worth doing the same to the starter motor and alternator cable/contacts.
You should then have little or no resistance across any contacts and this will help with voltage supply and charging and starting.
I hope that helps.
>> Edited by Kentish on Thursday 12th May 11:02
Wire has a set amperage, that is the maximum power that can be drawn down it. For example you could not power your headlights with the same wire you would use to feed your speakers. Wire is measured in strands and strand thickness, which gives a nominal current draw. Here is an example; a roll of 14/0.30mm wire is 8.75amps, which means it has 14 strands of 0.30mm wire. The more strands you have the more current can be passed down it. Any wire must be fused between the supply (this is the battery) and the load (this is the object taking the power) and must be greater than the wires rating. You can calculate the required fuse with this formula: Wattage / Voltage = Amperage. This is best shown with spot lights, they are usually 55watts and the battery is 13.2 with the engine running, so divide 55 by 13.2 and you get 4.2, so an 8 amp fuse would be suitable for this lamp. Just remember each item on a line must be added together, so if you have 2 spot lights on the same feed you will need to double your figures, giving a maximum draw of 8.4 amps and therefore a bigger fuse and thicker wire.
A relay is a unit that allows a low power switch to turn on something that requires a much higher draw. A good example of this is a cheap plastic switch that comes with a set of spotlights. Without a relay the switch would burn out. As I mentioned before two 55-watt bulbs draw 8.4 amps and most plastic toggle switches can only cope with about 2 amps, so you fit a relay. The relay is only an electro magnet which when turned on makes a separate contact. This means that the low power circuit has no electrical contact with the high power circuit. A relay usually draws less than 1 amp so almost any switch will cope with this, and most relays can cope with about 30 amps.
It's really easy to do yourself, just use the existing wiring to "switch" a “switching” relay and then take a feed from the battery or very near to it for the supply to the relay and lights. Don't forget to fit a fuse on this feed.
The result is that you'll have as close to 12v as possible at each bulb and a hugely increased light output and you can even uprate the bulbs without fear of cooking the wiring. You do the same for both sides (2 relays). 55/60w bulbs are the maximum legal wattage you can fit but it's unlikely a MOT tester will take them out and check.
The relay will have a contact for switching, a contact in for supply to the relay and a contact out to supply the lights.
And ....unrelated to headlights directly but it will also help.
At the same time, also clean up the main earthing points to the chassis, take off the cables, wire brush them and the points of contact on the brackets and/or chassis and re-fit them and cover them in vaseline or copperslip. It's also worth doing the same to the starter motor and alternator cable/contacts.
You should then have little or no resistance across any contacts and this will help with voltage supply and charging and starting.
I hope that helps.
>> Edited by Kentish on Thursday 12th May 11:02
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