how can multiple lights be attached to a car?
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Hamilton Felix
Enlightened
On late model cars, there often aren't many options for mounting anything on the front. Driving lights (best mounted up above the bumper) would look silly on today's little "jelly bean" shaped cars.
Below the bumper, you are often stuck with the factory foglight openings, or else you have to do surgery on the front air dam.
On Kathleen's Grand Cherokee, I plan to use existing 1" square receivers for a towbar, to support a brush guard than can carry lights.
If you're talking a modern small car, good luck. The solutions of the past, like mounts that clamped to the bumper, or brackets the extended under/over the bumper and grabbed the frame, just won't help you.
I'mproving the factory lights might be your best option.
Below the bumper, you are often stuck with the factory foglight openings, or else you have to do surgery on the front air dam.
On Kathleen's Grand Cherokee, I plan to use existing 1" square receivers for a towbar, to support a brush guard than can carry lights.
If you're talking a modern small car, good luck. The solutions of the past, like mounts that clamped to the bumper, or brackets the extended under/over the bumper and grabbed the frame, just won't help you.
I'mproving the factory lights might be your best option.
Ken_McE
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Post picture of grill.
Random Guy
Enlightened
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Duct tape! 
Hilldweller
Enlightened
Find your mounting locations (easy for me) and run your power through a relay.
I have mine switched inside the cabin; the trip is wired to the running lights so that I don't leave the fogs on by mistake.
I have mine switched inside the cabin; the trip is wired to the running lights so that I don't leave the fogs on by mistake.
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Hamilton Felix
Enlightened
Hilldweller, that Jeep looks NICE. :thumbsup:
A co-worker here would like to improve lighting on his 2009 Jeep Liberty. It has the same problem as modern cars; it's pretty much all sculpted plastic up front.
Searching online, I find that, other than roof or A-pillar lights, he's going to need a brush guard to mount driving lights. There is a factory foglight option, but that won't help with his high beams.
We ruled out a relay that keeps low on with high, like I did on the 1993 and 1996 Suburbans, because he has single dual filament bulbs.
I miss the old rigs...
A co-worker here would like to improve lighting on his 2009 Jeep Liberty. It has the same problem as modern cars; it's pretty much all sculpted plastic up front.
Searching online, I find that, other than roof or A-pillar lights, he's going to need a brush guard to mount driving lights. There is a factory foglight option, but that won't help with his high beams.
We ruled out a relay that keeps low on with high, like I did on the 1993 and 1996 Suburbans, because he has single dual filament bulbs.
I miss the old rigs...
Hilldweller
Enlightened
Thanks; it really is starting to come together.
Have your friend join JeepForum; the link is to their Libby section.
It's always good to see what others have done; let them make the mistakes and sort out problems ahead of you...
Yup it does, but...are those still the stock H13 headlights I see on there?
Maybe a Carr Light Wing?
http://www.carr.com/store/carrlightwings.asp
Smart thinking; some people (including the vendors of commercial products to do this that are nothing more than a brand-named, marked-up relay or diode) dismiss the hazards of running low + high in a single bulb at the same time for longer than a few moments at a time.
Hilldweller
Enlightened
Until Saturday.
I have a pair of Hella housings, bulbs, wires, & relays sitting on my bench at home. I can't wait.
Hilldweller
Enlightened
In a similar vein, how does one attach multiple PAIRS of lights?
Can they all be run into the same relay? Seperate relays/seperate switches? I wonder, how safe can it be if you have several lights running to the battery, and are there ways to attach them without directly plugging into the + terminal?
Thanks!
Can they all be run into the same relay? Seperate relays/seperate switches? I wonder, how safe can it be if you have several lights running to the battery, and are there ways to attach them without directly plugging into the + terminal?
Thanks!
mdocod
Flashaholic
Most auxiliary lighting kits will include inline fuses, so you can plug in anywhere you have a solid connection to positive, and then ground anywhere that makes you feel good (usually best to drill and tap a fresh ground close to the unit for best performance). Connecting directly into the battery terminal is actually one of the best places to maximize performance by reducing resistance (only important for incans, HIDs will makup for voltage loss from resistance by just drawing more current). For a cleaner look under the hood, check your fuse box/es for auxiliary fuses (many modern cars will have a couple extras that are unused). Also, you can often tie directly into an already used fuse, provided that the fuse has enough over-head to run whatever it is you want to run. Or you could move up a rating (like from 10A to 15A) on one of the fuses and tap into that one (this is probably not the best idea but I'm willing to bet that the risks are pretty low). Also, Many of the lighting kits will include a thin blade style connector that I have found will slip right along side a regular fuse, allowing you to tap into positive power without really loading that fuse much at all, and using the in-line for protection.
If you are using relays to maximize performance, you could run everything through one relay, if you wanted all of you aux lights to run simultaneously, (like say, whenever the high beam is activated). The only issue is you must make sure to run a relay that is rated to throw that load reliably. Add up the load and work from there, (like, say you modded your high beams and 3 pairs of aux lights to all kick on simultaneously, you would want to have a relay rated at least say, 16V 50A minimum, I would shoot for a 60+A rating for better long term reliability). Might be easier to run several relays all wired to the same switch for activation, just depends on space limitations and and where you can run wires and all.
There are tons of ways to do it. Just depends on how "deep" you want to take it. Just keep in mind that the quality of any connections you make is important to the performance of the lights.
As for the maximum number of lights you can run. The limitation for continuous burns is at the alternator. Technically, it is best not to use an alternator at it's maximum rating, but rather, stay within say, 80% of that or less whenever possible as this will extend the life of the alternator.
With that in mind, do a little research and figure out how many amps your alternator is rated for, then do a little more research to estimate the power consumption of all the normal devices in the car. Running the rear defrost, heated mirrors, heated seats, blower on high for front heat/defrost, regular headlights on, windshield wipers going, engine computer, engine ignition system, abs computer, fuel pump, cell phone charger, heated coffee mug, dash lights, radio, rear marker lights, blinkers, etc etc etc all adds up amazingly fast. It's not unusual for a vehicle to be going down the road using hundreds of watts, or even well over a thousand watts while going down the road. Many high end luxery cars will have 150+ amp alternators, whereas, most more typical vehicles will have somewhere between 60 and 80 amp alternators. Plan on around 9 amps for a pair of typical 55W auxiliary driving or fog lights (incan).
-Eric
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Wow, thanks!
So, it seems like the big things for me are to A) upgrade the wiring from the battery to the lights to probably 10gauge (probably 18 now), and B) check that the relay can hold that load. I've already got my switch plugged into a fuse slot that gets power with the ignition.
As for my alternator, I don't run too many electrical device add-ons. Lights, radio are about it. Occasional GPS. FWIW, I run a tacoma with the tow-package, so the alterantor is supposed to be rated at a higher load than the standard one. I'll check into it, but I have a feeling that I could probably carry 2 55W and 2 135W lights if I really wanted to. I've seen folks on the 4x4 forums running multiple pairs of 135W lights, but haven't seen their alternator either!
So, it seems like the big things for me are to A) upgrade the wiring from the battery to the lights to probably 10gauge (probably 18 now), and B) check that the relay can hold that load. I've already got my switch plugged into a fuse slot that gets power with the ignition.
As for my alternator, I don't run too many electrical device add-ons. Lights, radio are about it. Occasional GPS. FWIW, I run a tacoma with the tow-package, so the alterantor is supposed to be rated at a higher load than the standard one. I'll check into it, but I have a feeling that I could probably carry 2 55W and 2 135W lights if I really wanted to. I've seen folks on the 4x4 forums running multiple pairs of 135W lights, but haven't seen their alternator either!
mdocod
Flashaholic
I just did a little google search. Sounds like the late model tacoma tow package comes with a 130 amp alternator. That should leave you plenty of over-head to play with.
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