What gauge wire for 12v/100w car bulb?

[guiri]

Re: Grounding points

Your ground wiring should at least equal the positive wiring. Your current path is only as good as the weakest link.

Sorry, but I'm not too bright. Can you say this again in idiot terms?

Thanks

 

[guiri]

Well, I'll address the speed issue. I will not be driving faster due to more light, I just like to see where I'm going, ESPECIALLY in the country side

Here's a pic of the business end by the way http://www.georgepics.com/p30027000/h352b19f9#h352b19f9

 

[xul]

Re: Grounding points

Couldn't get any real numbers but it seems substandard lighting is the norm.
"According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, upwards of 90% of the vehicles on the road have some degree of lighting or illumination blockage due to these compromised cloudy headlights."

and

"Vehicles equipped with auxiliary lamps, a spotting light or any other lights used for lighting or clearance should not emit a beam with an intensity more than 300 candle power. Such vehicles will be restricted to four such lighting devices, in addition to the regular lighting equipment.

Federal Lighting Specifications
Upper beams shall range from 20,000 to 75,000 candela in intensity for each lamp. The lower beam will range from 15,000 to 20,000 candela in intensity for each lamp. These restrictions apply to Type 2 or 2A light classifications.

The Type 1 or 1A limitations for lighting stipulates an upper beam that will range from 18,000 to 60,000 candela intensity for each lamp.
"

 

[guiri]

Re: Grounding points

Well, I didn't like the output on my regular Excursion lights. Was told to upgrade to Sylvania Silverstars and I'm not impressed by them either which is why I got the 4 extra lights. Not all that impressed AND, I like the look of the roof rack so I'm adding more

My Volvo when I lived in Sweden had a total of 700 watts on brights. It was beautiful and god help anyone that didn't dim their headlights

 

[Morelite]

Re: Grounding points

Sorry, but I'm not too bright. Can you say this again in idiot terms?

Thanks

All that means is if you need 12ga wiring then you need it for both the positive and negative. It doesn't matter if you use one wire or six as long as it adds up the the needed current capacity.

 

[xul]

Re: Grounding points

And the vehicle body doesn't conduct as well as copper for the same cross section, but the vehicle body has a much larger cross section.
http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/cda/16plus/copelech2pg1.html

 

[guiri]

Re: Grounding points

So, I can use one stout wire for the ground AND six thinner wires (if I had to and as long as they hold up to the power going through them) if needed?

 

[Morelite]

Re: Grounding points

So, I can use one stout wire for the ground AND six thinner wires (if I had to and as long as they hold up to the power going through them) if needed?

You could but keep in mind that you will need a wire rated for a minimum of 50 amps (100w/12v = 8.33A x 6 = 50A)

 

[jackbombay]

Here's a pic of the business end by the way http://www.georgepics.com/p30027000/h352b19f9#h352b19f9

And you're adding more lights on a roof rack? If the lights on the grill are the only lights you can just run thin gauge wire through the grommet in the firewall to a large relay and the run from the battery to the relay to the lights will only be ~5 feet and you can run heavy gauge wire no problem.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I hope you have a larger than stock alternator in mind running these.

 

[guiri]

I hope you have a larger than stock alternator in mind running these.

The dealer/service dept assured me it would run it all. WAS going with a bigger alternator but they said no need. We will see, my stuff's under warranty

 

[guiri]

And you're adding more lights on a roof rack? If the lights on the grill are the only lights you can just run thin gauge wire through the grommet in the firewall to a large relay and the run from the battery to the relay to the lights will only be ~5 feet and you can run heavy gauge wire no problem.

Yes, I AM adding 4 more on the roof and two more on the roof as backup lights.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Why not ONE wire for power and ONE wire for ground for the forward lights, and again for the rear lights? Why one individual wire per light? Definitely run a relay for shortest wire distance. Also keep in mind that the figures Bizzel posted are for ONE lamp. If you wish to run six, you will need MUCH larger wire. 6 lamps, 48 amps, and a 12 awg conductor will give you 16.8% voltage drop. 4awg gets you down to 2.5%.

You're talking some serious power. Body or roof rack grounds will be completely inadequate.

ETA: All lamps can share a ground wire.

 

[guiri]

So what? Go with one red wire from lamp to lamp and continue on through the truck?

How many amp switch/on-off would I need for four lamps?

 

[guiri]

Also, if my current four lamps aren't hooked up with thick enough wire, you're saying that I might be getting less output than I could be getting?

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Also, if my current four lamps aren't hooked up with thick enough wire, you're saying that I might be getting less output than I could be getting?

Very possible. Perhaps you should read this page about relays which describes how to measure your voltage drop properly.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Yes, I AM adding 4 more on the roof

Make sure those roof lights don't light up your hood. They'll do you much more harm than good if the light's just bouncing off the hood into your eyes.

 

[guiri]

Will do (on both accounts)

Thanks

 

[xul]

Confirm the "inverse square law" on the Net. A decrease in intensity at the filament is a giant decrease in intensity 150' down the road. An "informed consumer" makes their own trade-offs in such a way that it affects not only themselves, but the people they share the road with. A "well-informed" consumer knows to not make dangerous trade-offs with a large safety impact and a very slight short-term financial impact.

Read up on Social Trap and Tragedy of the Commons.
And this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

And Deborah Tannen's works will help you with framing strategies.

 

[-Virgil-]

Re: Grounding points

Well, I didn't like the output on my regular Excursion lights.

There are various good upgrades for the headlights on an Excursion. Bulb swaps won't get you very far; the optics in the factory composite lights (any of them; there were a few different styles) are pretty sloppy. But offhand I can think of at least two good upgrades and Dan Stern or another expert/geek can probably think of more than that. You ought to focus in on your headlamps and not just try to compensate for their poor performance with off-road or driving (auxiliary high beam) lights which don't do you any good on the roadways.

Was told to upgrade to Sylvania Silverstars

Already mentioned, but that was a bum steer.