6 replies to this topic

[mike.]

I know this has been asked before but i searched and couldn't find what i was looking for.

I'm going to get the wiring and things i need to wire up my spotlights tonight. So what will i need? I was thinking:

Relay
In line Fuseholder - What amp fuse should i get?
Wiring - I'll need some for the earth and some for the lamps right? What sort of amp should i be looking at? and how much will i need?

and my dad will have the crimp connections and things.

Anything else i need?

[DaveRob]

100W bulbs at 12Vdc is 8.3 amps PER LIGHT........ 65W bulbs is 5.42 amp PER LIGHT..... you will need at least 20 amp relays for 100W and 15Amp for 65Watt at least.....wire you relay coil into the main beam select circuit and source the power for the spots through the relay from your starter solenoid connection and NOT through your existing wiring.... Minis wiring cant cope with high currents so you will have to put in ALL the power wiring to the spots. Wires will need to cope with either 17A or 11A depending on bulbs 100W and 65W respectivley, I suggest silicon coated flexible but thats my pref and it will need to be rated to cope with the current you are drawing. If you dont know what your doing then ask again on here before you go ahead.......no one wants you to set fire to your loom..... also check your alternator capacity with 200W and 17amps in 2 bulbs remember you have to power all the other lights and sounds. or you will just flatten the battery. With my cibies on and my main beams on in the dark Mini will draw up to 40A.......go on check the total from you Haynes it all adds up. And usually 46A is the max a std alternater on a Mini will supply. Check your alt as if your car is early modle it might have less capacity.

Hope this helps

DaveRob

Edited by DaveRob, 23 January 2008 - 03:43 PM.

[mike.]

Yeah thats a great help cheers. I'll be using 65w bulbs by the way. So 15 amp relays - Do i need one or 2 relays? I'm just wiring in 2 spotlamps.

So i'll need a 15amp in line fuse too?

Any idea on how much wire i'll need?

[DaveRob]

Just spots...ie 2 lamps Id use 1 relay at 15A minimum. Wiring is only about a meter to one and a half meter total as you will be comming off the starter solenoid throigh your line fuse and into the relay which I mounted behind the verticle part of the front panel stay, ( I covered mine in heatshrink after id wired up to make sure no water got in), and from the relay to the lamps you can wire 2 cables one to each lamp. Usually the lamps earth to the chasis through the mounting brackets or just wire direct to chasis or bodywork. For the relay coil circuit, wire from the connector that lurks under the dash tag into the main beam wire and route under your dash and into your engine bay cable tye as you go the all the way to the relay coil term. This wire only needs to handle very low current, (only 50mA max so just about anything with decent insulation on it and flexible enough will do), connnect to your relay coil terminal and connect the other relay coil term to body earth. Use GOOD quallity crimps and INSULATED everywhere. Female ends go on live feeds and earth ends must be the male part of the connector. This stops fires if connectors come apart. Use ring terms for the starter solenoid and for your body earths. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY EARTH STRAP before you start or you will end up welding your spanner between the solenoid and the front pannel.

Hope this helps

DaveRob

[yorkshirechris]

You will need

Red wire from starter motor nut

Inline fuseholder with 15 amp fuse

red wire to 30amp relay

from the relay you have an earth

YOu also have a wire (cant rememebr which pin) to the 'switch' i.e. where you control the lights, i used block connector for main beam

You also has two wires coming from one terminal which go to the lamps.

I have some brand new relays in stock, fuseholders and fuses if you want them but you will have to source your own wire

Chris

[Bass Man]

Picked this up off here at some point

 relay_wireing.JPG   56.13K   56 downloads

[GraemeC]

Make sure the cabling for the earth side of the lamps is or equal spec to the cabling for the +12V side.