how to fit spotlights

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
W

waddle

New Member
Posts
26
hey,
iv been given a set of spotlights but they dont have any diagrams with them :(

at the moment they have an earth and a live wire comein out of the back of each one, i want to run them as a pair so would i be right in thinking that i attach the earths to eather the negitive terminal or chassis and then splice the live wires together then attach them to the positive terminals but just put a switch and a fuse inbetween the positive and the lights ?


thanks in advance :)
 
It'd be better to use a relay, then you could take off a + from the main beam circuit so yer spots come on and off with main beam, its gonna be a ball ache reaching for the switch every time another car comes round the corner.
 
i think i would switch the earth rather than the positive. dont know why or if there is any advantage or disadvantage of this but its just the way i would do it. unless of corse i earthed it threw the boult holding the spot to a bumper or other mounting point.
 
Leon. said:
have i said something daft? am i about to get an onslort of abuse? sorry if i have and if not why are you eating popcorn sean?
Click to expand...

am watching a film on TV where this blokes landy catches fire due to him wiring up his spots having just followed your advise

bit touchy ant ya ?
 
Last edited:
leon. said:
i think i would switch the earth rather than the positive. Dont know why or if there is any advantage or disadvantage of this but its just the way i would do it. Unless of corse i earthed it threw the boult holding the spot to a bumper or other mounting point.
Click to expand...

no!
 
no. i just know haw it works hear. one slip up and a few people pull up chairs, grab a bear and everyone else chastises you till you ether snap and say something you regret or grovel enough that people forgive you.

just thought i would apologize before this happens. just in case. i haven't time for an argument.
 
Leon. said:
no. i just know haw it works hear. one slip up and a few people pull up chairs, grab a bear and everyone else chastises you till you ether snap and say something you regret or grovel enough that people forgive you.

just thought i would apologize before this happens. just in case. i haven't time for an argument.
Click to expand...

don't be grabbing bears - they bite

also don't be switching earths either
 
haha yh i was going to rub off the paint around the hole in the bumperand earth them to that.
please gan i have some pointers on how to take a relay off of the main beem as this will be the first time i will be using a relay
thanks :)
 
On a relay you have 4 ports of interest, on most relays (and from memory) there will be ports numbered: 30, 85, 86 and 87.

On the switched live wire going to the current head lights (i.e. the cable which when you put your main beam on is live, but when you switch it off is dead) cut into this -

then using a Y'split crimp, scotch block (not advised by most) or chocky-block re-connect it together, but take an extra wire from this and connect it port 86 on the relay

Connect port 85 to the common (chassis etc.)

Connect the battery through a fuse to port 30.

Connect port 87 to the spot lights - and then the otherside to the earth.

Job done. Hopefully.

I'll see if i can draw it for you if it will help?

Mike
 
Little drawing hopefully attached :)

Edit:
switch at top being your current main beam switch - though you can cut into the wire at any point so you don't have to take your dash to bits if you can identify the wire closer to the head lights
 

Attachments

  • spotlights.jpg
    spotlights.jpg
    14.4 KB · Views: 5,677
Last edited:
Put simply, a relay allows you to switch high voltages and currents using very low voltages and currents, which means, your switch has probably less than 1 amp flowing through it to turn on/off your lights, where as your lights will have several amps flowing through them. It is quite simply a safety device.

You will find that switches are only rated to a certain switch load, if the load exceeds this the switch may fail - or in a worst case scenario electrocute the user.

A relay also can be used to make a 'clean' turn on - switches can cause a slight pulsage in the turn on voltage, which can damage sensitive equipment, a relay is a good clean contact.

Finally! All a relay is is a magnet and switch - when a small current flows through one side it either attracts or repels (can't remember which) i bit of metal which makes a contact between the other two pins. The magnet only needs a small amount of power to repel / attract the metal, however, the bit of metal can breach the gap between two very high powered pins.

Hope that makes sense - i'm sure there are many other advantages to relays too - but that's the basics!

Mike

EDIT:

Also - if you are using really high power head lights / spots it means you can run really thick wire from the battery, through the relay to the spots - keep the wire runs as short as practical and it will mean you can have much brighter head lights - again because you can get more power to them but not having to switch them. If you are doing this it is worth taking the lamp to bits and replacing the standard factory wiring as this tends to be a bit thin.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
permanent live in engine bay for spotlights
Replies
10
Views
581
lynall
L
spins
What does this do, and how do I connect it please?
Replies
6
Views
591
saxavordian
saxavordian
T
Testing and changing the glow plugs on a TD5
Replies
11
Views
674
Twinnie
T
J
Help please! Electrical issue with 1995 Defender 110 County, 300 tdi
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
Oliverryan96
O
E
How to correct bent door pillars
Replies
9
Views
464
elise2000
E
Back
Top