Light Bar Battery Source

[Red Rambler]

I am adding a 20" light bar to my 01. I will be making a bracket to add it under my rear hitch, somewhat hidden as much as possible as it is a slim lightbar. Can I run the harness to my non main battery without ill effects? I will be running an inline fuse as well as a relay. My goal is to flip the switch on while backing up to increase my visibility while backing as my reverse lights are not bright at all. Would it work best running from my main battery?

[Mopar1973Man]

You might look at my mod... Two 100 watt aircraft landing lights. 

 

 

Then I tapped in the reverse switch so that light are automatically on with reverse or manual on a switch.

 

[Red Rambler]

20 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

You might look at my mod... Two 100 watt aircraft landing lights. 

 

 

Then I tapped in the reverse switch so that light are automatically on with reverse or manual on a switch.

 

 

Thanks Michael. I like that setup. I have already ordered the lightbar, however, if that does not workout, I will for sure copy your setup. Would you advise against running the lights from the secondary battery?

Edited November 30, 2017 by Red Rambler

[Mopar1973Man]

Just now, Red Rambler said:

Would you advise against running the lights from the secondary battery?

 

 

I wouldn't make a run all the way to the front again for just battery power being there is a 10 AWG line already back there for the trailer power. It's got a 40 AMP fuse already too. So my reverse light are on a relay tucked in the left side tail light. Powered by the trailer power feed. Triggered by the reverse light lead. Now your wiring is much simpler and less voltage loss from making a long run.

[Red Rambler]

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

I wouldn't make a run all the way to the front again for just battery power being there is a 10 AWG line already back there for the trailer power. It's got a 40 AMP fuse already too. So my reverse light are on a relay tucked in the left side tail light. Powered by the trailer power feed. Triggered by the reverse light lead. Now your wiring is much simpler and less voltage loss from making a long run.

 

Awesome, did not even think about that. I was concerned in voltage drop with that long of a run. Should be much more simple with that bit of info, thanks again.

[Dieselfuture]

Just in case, when I put my air compressor in and extra lights for backing up or just to see behind me if I'm in the woods, I ran a piece of pex inside driver side frame as conduit and shoved whatever wires I needed in there, with few extra for who knows what. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Not a bad idea... I would measure out the PEX and stuff 14/4 trailer wire in the PEX first then run it through the frame with the bed off. Of course do this on the drivers side away from the hot exhaust. 

[Dieselfuture]

I didn't have to take the bad off just a bit of magic and it went in , maybe little sand in eyes.

[Red Rambler]

On 11/30/2017 at 10:09 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

 

I wouldn't make a run all the way to the front again for just battery power being there is a 10 AWG line already back there for the trailer power. It's got a 40 AMP fuse already too. So my reverse light are on a relay tucked in the left side tail light. Powered by the trailer power feed. Triggered by the reverse light lead. Now your wiring is much simpler and less voltage loss from making a long run.

Any idea what color the 10 AWG wire is? 

 

Edit: red/pink. I found it. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by Red Rambler

[GSP7]

4 hours ago, Red Rambler said:

Any idea what color the 10 AWG wire is? 

 

Edit: red/pink. I found it. 

 

 

10 AWG? So is one of the trailer plug wires larger gauge than the others wires?

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited December 27, 2017 by GSP7

[Red Rambler]

1 hour ago, GSP7 said:

 

 

10 AWG? So is one of the trailer plug wires larger gauge than the others wires?

 

 

 

 

 

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The wire I tapped into was more like 12 AWG. However it had 12 volts, so I know it was the correct wire. None of the wires that ran to the plug were this same wire. It appeared the main 12 was tied into the wires up stream. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Here you go... Right from the article database.

[Red Rambler]

8 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Here you go... Right from the article database.

Pardon my ignorance, what is the path to finding the above article.

[Mopar1973Man]

Just now, Red Rambler said:

Pardon my ignorance, what is the path to finding the above article.

 

Not a problem...

 

[Red Rambler]

10 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Not a problem...

 

Thanks, I completely skipped over the Wiring maps and went to the 01 engine wiring maps instead.

[GSP7]

So Mike, 

Are you running your two 100watt back up lights mounted on your rear axle off that red/org B+ wire from the trailer electric plug?

 

Id think you would be running a heavier gauge wire direct from your battery ?

[Mopar1973Man]

1 minute ago, GSP7 said:

So Mike, 

Are you running your two 100watt back up lights mounted on your rear axle off that red/org B+ wire from the trailer electric plug?

 

Id think you would be running a heavier gauge wire direct from your battery ?

 

Why? You've already got a 40 Amp circuit right there at the rear bumper. I used a relay to trigger the power to the lights. My relay is hidden in the driver side tail light area to keep the relay dry.

[Red Rambler]

6 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Why? You've already got a 40 Amp circuit right there at the rear bumper. I used a relay to trigger the power to the lights. My relay is hidden in the driver side tail light area to keep the relay dry.

This is how I did mine following Mike's advice.

Get a weatherproof relay as well.

Edited December 27, 2017 by Red Rambler

[GSP7]

8 minutes ago, GSP7 said:

So Mike, 

Are you running your two 100watt back up lights mounted on your rear axle off that red/org B+ wire from the trailer electric plug?

 

 

 

So the answer is Yes?

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

12 minutes ago, GSP7 said:

So Mike, 

Are you running your two 100watt back up lights mounted on your rear axle off that red/org B+ wire from the trailer electric plug?

 

Id think you would be running a heavier gauge wire direct from your battery ?

 

3 minutes ago, GSP7 said:

So the answer is Yes?

 

 

Yes...