Is a relay needed for 120w LED light bar?

As per title really.

Going to wire this bad boy up tomorrow. My workings out say not necessary but more than happy to be corrected.

120w 42" LED bar. I have some 25amp cable and 10amp fuse going through a 20amp carling switch

Cheers in advance

I have to get mine wired up also, plus two LED spots. I won't be able to get it done till Wednesday. Hope all goes well, look forward to hearing how you get on and if they are any good. I fitted a LED flood on the rear and that works very well. I'm not very good with electrics so I'm getting my local Landy guy to do it.

In theory it is fine as 120W @ 12V = 10A but my personal preference is never to run the load through a switch but to use a relay instead.
Not only does it mean that over a long period of time the switch contacts will never be subject to a high(ish) current but it also means that you don't need to take such heavy gauge wire to the switch (which can be useful behind a congested dashboard). Also, depending on where you are taking the supply from and mount the relay, the cable length may be shorter which will mean less voltage drop.

Technically probably not .. in practise I use a relay ..

Mines all fitted, just need to wire it up. I cut channels on the heatsink and mounted it up high in the grill. I'm happy with where it is and how it look, sits flush and doesn't ruin the 'lines' (I know I sound poncy saying that)

I fabbed some simple right angle brackets and welded directly to the brace bars.

Ok thanks guys, I have a spare relay in the car so will go with that

Cheers

...runs off to find the pin outs I had once

huffhuff said:

As per title really.

Going to wire this bad boy up tomorrow. My workings out say not necessary but more than happy to be corrected.

120w 42" LED bar. I have some 25amp cable and 10amp fuse going through a 20amp carling switch

Cheers in advance

Click to expand...

huffhuff said:

Mines all fitted, just need to wire it up. I cut channels on the heatsink and mounted it up high in the grill. I'm happy with where it is and how it look, sits flush and doesn't ruin the 'lines' (I know I sound poncy saying that)

I fabbed some simple right angle brackets and welded directly to the brace bars.

View attachment 90842

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If that's a 42" light bar then you have a veeeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyy wide Defender

I think its about two foot long.

huffhuff said:

Mines all fitted, just need to wire it up. I cut channels on the heatsink and mounted it up high in the grill. I'm happy with where it is and how it look, sits flush and doesn't ruin the 'lines' (I know I sound poncy saying that)

I fabbed some simple right angle brackets and welded directly to the brace bars.

View attachment 90842

Click to expand...

I did look at mounting mine on the front grill but I have put two small spots there and I don't want to restrict the airflow to the rad too much, I will be off to Morocco next spring. I'm wandering though if the glare from the lights on the roof bar onto the bonnet might cause a problem.

Ha. Well I obviously meant a 24" LED light bar you know what it's like...always exaggerating the length

I held mine up on the roof and there was a fair bit of glare off/on the bonnet.

I have actually increased airflow to the rad/intercooler as before the LEDs I had my number plate fixed to the grill. The lightbar is thinner. I've got clips to move the plate to the rollers of the winch

That doesn't sound encouraging about the glare from the roof bar. I had two large spots on the front before which would have restricted the air flow a lot more. It did survive a trip to Morocco last year, but the temp did move towards the red a couple of times. One spot stopped working , in my attempt to fix it I ended up buggering up the other one. So I decided to replace them with smaller LED ones. I will know on Wednesday if it has all worked out.

Paul D said:

Technically probably not .. in practise I use a relay ..

Click to expand...

+1

mikescuba said:

I did look at mounting mine on the front grill but I have put two small spots there and I don't want to restrict the airflow to the rad too much, I will be off to Morocco next spring. I'm wandering though if the glare from the lights on the roof bar onto the bonnet might cause a problem.

View attachment 90863

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You do know that your steering wheel is on the wrong side?

All done, thanks guys.

Good luck in Morocco Mike

mick the builder said:

You do know that your steering wheel is on the wrong side?

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Bugger, another job I need to do.

huffhuff said:

All done, thanks guys.

Good luck in Morocco Mike

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Thanks, we had a fantastic time last time. The same group is going again with one or two more coming along.
Chris Suddell did a blog of the trip. There is a couple of short video clips in the blog.
http://land-rover-discovery-1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/day-2-morocco-trip.html

The relay will make it a lot easier when you want to add another.

mikescuba said:

Thanks, we had a fantastic time last time. The same group is going again with one or two more coming along.
Chris Suddell did a blog of the trip. There is a couple of short video clips in the blog.
http://land-rover-discovery-1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/day-2-morocco-trip.html

Click to expand...

I did a 2 week survival expedition on the Sahara side of Morocco which involved quite a bit of driving and disaster recovery type stuff with the vehicles in the sand. You know, all that Bear Grylls and Ray Mears stuff I'll give that blog a read

guys the glares not that bad, I have a 52" on my roof and although yes you can see the bonnet, it doesn't reflect back at you.
What is pretty bad is using it in fog / rain. The water droplets refract it everywhere!

vilguy said:

guys the glares not that bad, I have a 52" on my roof and although yes you can see the bonnet, it doesn't reflect back at you.
What is pretty bad is using it in fog / rain. The water droplets refract it everywhere!

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Just the same as usual spots then?

I'll be ordering one off you possibly this payday.