Head light wiring up grade

[Jimbos76cj]

So I pretty much got all the wiring done for my head light upgrade today.

Heres the reason for the upgrade



The bottom plug is your standard CJ/Yj head light plug. its 18ga.. maybe 20.
The top is my new plug with my upgraded 12 gauge wire.. Yes its missing a groun only because I forgot to pick it up.

Heres a pic of the relays and breakers for it


The top relay with the yellow wire coming out of it is the low beam. Green is the high beams. After the wire comes out of the relay they go into thier individual 20 amp breakers. then out to the head lights


I have installed a EZ wire kit into my jeep so the switch wire for the relay was easy to find.. On a stock CJ they are not hard to locate I believe they are green and grey and run down the loom on the drivers fender. They come out of the small side of the fuse block. When I do this with stock jeeps I track down the stock wires and pull them over to the passenger side so they are close to the battery. Idealy you want the bigger wires as short as possible. I get my power from the batt side of the solenoid through more 16 ga wires.




Normally the head light switch takes all the power for the head lights and can increase the resistance dramatically. The power go's from the battery, into the fuse box, out to the switch, back into the fuse box and then through horribly under rated wire out to the lights.. thats a lot of power to draw through a switch.. ask any one who has had thier plug in the back of the swith melt.

Now the only current running through my switch operates the markers and the low amps needed to activate the relays..

FWIW that 8 gar red wire to the 30 amp breaker is for the Taurus fan. I need to finish the wiring for it.

 

[IOPort51]

I think 20 amps is a bit much for the breaker. I thought the lights were on a 10 amp fuse.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

I think 20 amps is a bit much for the breaker. I thought the lights were on a 10 amp fuse.

Thanks.. Ill look into the stock fuse size.. I was staring at them in the isle and couldn't remember if it was 10 or 20..

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Ooh I did some quick high school math that was lingering in the back of my head and came up with this

2 bulbs x 55 watts = 110/12 volts x 10%= 10.1.. So I'd be over my amperage (barely) with the 10 amp breaker there is no 15 amp breakers that Ive seen locally.

High beams 2x65= 130/12 = 10.8 x 1.1 = 11.9.. Ill keep my eye open for a 15 breaker but for now will run the 20's

 

[73CJ]

I put in 100/80 halogen bulbs and ran high and low on at the same time. Worked great for a short time, then melted. That was 30 amps. (Watts/volts=amps)

Did a similar relay for each beam. 12 gage to each bulb from each relay. I put the relays inside by the OEM fuse panel (75 transplant fuse panel and harness). Nice and dry. I like mud and water. . .

Nice write-up!

 

[Jimbos76cj]

I put in 100/80 halogen bulbs and ran high and low on at the same time. Worked great for a short time, then melted. That was 30 amps. (Watts/volts=amps)

Did a similar relay for each beam. 12 gage to each bulb from each relay. I put the relays inside by the OEM fuse panel (75 transplant fuse panel and harness). Nice and dry. I like mud and water. . .

Nice write-up!

Wow.. I'm surprised it help up to that load at all..

 

[73CJ]

Many years ago with a bigger fuse . ..

I fully understand wire gauge and fuse size now.

 

[PaRenegade]

Wait a minute. You got to learn math in highschool??

Nice job on the write up. But shouldn't the breakers go before the relays, right after the solenoid? And are they the "resetting" type breakers since they're headlights, so if they do trip it won't stay dark for long.

 

[toddmonty]

Jimbo,

I really like the relays you made for me !!! They rock!!

I'm adding fog lights, could you make me up a harness for them?? 2 on the end of the front bumper! I'd like to switch them with a switch mounted to bottom of dash to the left of steering wheel. I'd like for the relays, wiring, etc to match!!!

Thx

Todd



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[johnbilt]

I think you will be fine with the 20A protection. It will still protect the wire if you happen to have a short circuit.