Adding spots, neatly! no scotch locks?

Hi,

Is there any way to add a pair of spot lights to the front of my Defender without cutting into existing wires etc.

One of my mechanic mates once told me scotch locks (blue crimp on wire doublers, think there called scotch locks) were a pain and are often the cause of electrical faults in future.

Is it possible to remove the exisiting feed to the current headlamps and then plug it into a new twin wire made up piece instead of cutting into existing factory wires?

I suppose what Im asking is it possible to fit a set of spotters which could be removed in time and leave all factory wires as there were originally?

Thanks

No, is the basic answer. What you are talking of doing runs the very real risk of overloading the existing wiring. Car manufacturers don't waste money fitting cables any heavier than required.

Your mechanic is correct, Scotchloc type devices are for muppets.

Im not sure of the specifics of wiring spot lights as mine was already done when i bought it, but the original connections are all bullet connectors, so, to my mind it should be possible to replace the bullet connectors on the original connectors and when crimping in the new one, stuff a wire in for the spots?! i could be totally wrong with that suggestion though...

Probably best to run a separate supply to the spots with a switch on the dash.

It's adding the power required by the spots to the existing wiring that's the danger.

The correct way is to take a feed from the headlight supply to a relay and run a new supply for the spots. Using the solder and heatshrink method then finishing with some proper tape I can do this so that it looks like part of the original wiring. If you need to be able to easily remove the spots simply fit a plug into the supply.

is it ok to run new wiring, but use the original switch to run a relay to the spots?!

-Defender110- said:

is it ok to run new wiring, but use the original switch to run a relay to the spots?!

Click to expand...

If you simply use the wiring to the headlight as the trigger for the relay then this will only add about one amp to the draw so your wiring, switch and fuse will accommodate this. Then run a separate fused supply to the relay then to your spots. If you want to be able to remove the spots then fit an appropriate plug between the relay and the spots.

If you use the feed to your headlights to power the spots you will overload the existing wiring as already mentioned! On main beam you are drawing just over 9 amps at a nominal 12 volts. Add to this the extra requirements of your spots and things such as the dim/dip switch will start to get hot as well as the wiring.

You should use the existing headlamp feed to operate a relay with its own suitably rated and fused +ve feed to power the spots.

Two 100 watt spots will draw nearly 17 amps.

Maybe I have been confusing then. I think you are thinking I am planning to simply scotchblock into the existing head lamps and add spotters to this same circuit. I dont think I am planning that!

I am looking to put a pair of Wipac 100w spots on and typically I have seen a spot wiring pack with relay for around £12 from various makes. I would use this but I thought this also would require me to cut into existing original wiring with scotchblok connectors?

I presume using these kits with the relay etc is the correct way to do it? Dogsbody, Shifty?

But do these kits not still require you to cut into existing wiring?

Are these kits really DIY kits. I am very competent mechanically but not very good with electrics.

Thanks

Glenbirnie said:

Maybe I have been confusing then. I think you are thinking I am planning to simply scotchblock into the existing head lamps and add spotters to this same circuit. I dont think I am planning that!

I am looking to put a pair of Wipac 100w spots on and typically I have seen a spot wiring pack with relay for around £12 from various makes. I would use this but I thought this also would require me to cut into existing original wiring with scotchblok connectors?

I presume using these kits with the relay etc is the correct way to do it? Dogsbody, Shifty?

But do these kits not still require you to cut into existing wiring?
Are these kits really DIY kits. I am very competent mechanically but not very good with electrics.

Thanks

Click to expand...

You will need to cut into the wiring supply to the main beam to supply the relay. This will trigger the switch to draw the power for the spots direct from the battery( in my case) thus putting no additional load on existing wiring. You could cut back the insulation on the main beam feed and solder a small length of wire with a bullet connector on the end. Heat shrink this connection and in the future you can dissconect the spots just leaving a stubby piece of wire with a bullet connetor on like you will find in any landy engine bay.

I'm not sure what exactly you get with your kit, but if it were me i'd wire everything new (not spliced into anything) with the exception of the feed off the high beam switch. You have to splice into that at some point if you want your spot relay to be powered from it. If you really don't want to use a scotch block for it, find a suitable spade crimp (either on the switch or the fuse it uses (sorry I don't have the wiring diagram to hand so can't be more specific)) and either replace with a piggybacked crimp, or chose your crimp size correctly and replace it by putting two wires twisted together in one spade crimp.

Tbh though. As you say you're not good with electrics, I'd guess you don't have a proper crimp tool (rachet ones are the best). If you are doing this yourself (I'm sure i'll now be slated for saying this) a scotch block might well be your best bet for tapping into that wire. I'm sure you have some pliers, just make sure the wires are in the block correctly and make sure it's properly clamped down and shut. A bit of insulation tape around it afterward wouldn't go a miss either.

Circuit wise, youre spots need to be fused as does (ideally) your relay coil. Hopefully your kit reflects this and has the appropriate wiring diagram.

Hi,
I used a stripping tool that just push the insulation out of the way so I could solder on the lead to energise the relay without splitting the wire. I then closed the gap and used self amalgamating tape.

Hope this helps you.

I bought two of these kits for my spots and found that there is not enough wire so only used the relays. Go to a motor factors and by yout relay and enough wire for the job.

In the past I have put the feed wire for the relay into the hole on the spade connecter on the main beam and shoved the bulb connector on over the top. As long as its secure, and you feed the wire out though the rubber bulb cover if there is one, there should be no problems.

Scotchloks do tend to wreck your loom in the long term as they let water in, and rot the copper, or they cut some of the strands of thicker wires, which in the case of main beam light cable, will cause problems later.

Best permenatly solution is to find a connector and piggyback it, or split the plastic outer with a wire stripper and solder on a feed. Finish off with a heat shrink or insulating tape if not.

If you use a short piece of feed wire with a insulated female spade, it can just be all unplugged and returned to almost standard.

I like the relays with the fuses built in. It makes a neater job.

Glenbirnie said:

Hi,

Is there any way to add a pair of spot lights to the front of my Defender without cutting into existing wires etc.

Yes

One of my mechanic mates once told me scotch locks (blue crimp on wire doublers, think there called scotch locks) were a pain and are often the cause of electrical faults in future.

They are

Is it possible to remove the exisiting feed to the current headlamps and then plug it into a new twin wire made up piece instead of cutting into existing factory wires?

Yes as long as the new wire went to a relay. Not straight to the spotlamp.
or you could buy a piggy back spade connector and use that to do thew same thing

I suppose what Im asking is it possible to fit a set of spotters which could be removed in time and leave all factory wires as there were originally?

Thanks

Click to expand...

See above..

Thanks for your comments, no scotchbloks then, good stuff.

The spot lamp kit fitted to my old Jeep Cherokee had an extra connector that fitted between the lamp and the original connector to take the relay control feed. It was simply a case of unplugging one of the lamps, fitting the connector to the lamp and replugging the original connector to the new connector. Adds about an inch of depth to the back of the lamp.

I reused that loom on my Defender as I pulled the lamps of the Jeep when it got written off.

I'm sure with a little googling you should be able to buy them. SOme better kits will supply the same or similar in the wiring kit.

Maybe you could mod something like this?
http://www.devon4x4.com/index.php?p...ry_id=1013076&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=14

This what you need.

A Bar Spot light/lamp Wiring Kit Defender 90/110 Land Rover DEDICATED SPECIFIC | eBay

wonderdust said:

This what you need.

A Bar Spot light/lamp Wiring Kit Defender 90/110 Land Rover DEDICATED SPECIFIC | eBay

Click to expand...

Damn someone beat me to it
I have been trying to post the link above since yesterday, but not being a member stopped me lol.

I brought the wipac spot lights and wiring kit from bolton bits as they where the best price around, work great as like said above done draw loads of power through your original circuit If you dont want to run the cable through into your battery box they just connect it to the alternator as it easier

First post....Many more to come

i have one of those on my 110. To be honest... the electrical components are on the cheap side chinese quality but they do work.

and its zero hassle to have all the work done for you.