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excossack

Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5857

1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue

What wire for spotlights

I am planning on fitting 4 rectangle spot lights on the roof rack. Two fogs and two driving lights.
Each pair will either be on one switch with 2 settings or two separate switches and each will have initially 55w bulbs.
The cable route will be from the relays either from under the drivers seat or at the rear of the car out the back up the ladder (yet to be purchased) along the roof rack to the front.
I was thinking engine bay, up the A pillar and onto the rack. But I don't have a suitable place to hide the wire such as a snorkel.

I was thinking either 16amp thin wall or maybe 32amp thin wall? 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock

2nd Apr 2014 8:22pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

4 x 55w will draw around 18 amps, so if you want them all on the same switch then your 32 amp wire will be plenty. If switched in two pairs then 2 x 16 amp cables will also be fine. Either way, 1 x 32 amp earth cable daisy chained to all four will reduce the number of individual cables needed to roof level. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

2nd Apr 2014 8:32pm

bpman

Member Since: 21 May 2008
Location: Oslo
Posts: 8069

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black

I ran the power for my light bar from the battery box, inside convoluted trunking next to the main +ve feed then up behind the heater and out behind the back of the bonnet.

I plan to buy another windscreen "hinge thingy" and weld/bolt a tube that will go up as far as the rack and run the convoluted trunking / wires inside.

Polevolt.co.uk sell some good quality twin cable by the metre, together with quality relays etc.

3rd Apr 2014 6:20am

excossack

Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5857

Cheers chaps for the info. I was wondering about the voltage drop hence going for higher amp wire. 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock

5th Apr 2014 11:49am

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20472

The bigger the better.

(with in reason) I'd recommend thin wall too, that way you get max conductor size with smaller OD.
Most new vehicles always run thin wall generally, type in thin wall on eBay and you'll usually find some.
I normally use this place:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-24v-AUTOMOTI...3a8a9bd3b8
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Choice-Cables

5th Apr 2014 12:46pm

excossack

Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5857

Cheers. C90. I have been using http://stores.ebay.co.uk/kojaycatvehiclewiring/ 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock

5th Apr 2014 4:44pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20472

2 core might be the neatest solution for more visible areas, it's what I've used.

5th Apr 2014 5:18pm

excossack

Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5857

That sounds like a good idea to me! I was going to use split tubing and single strands of wire for each connection 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock

8th Apr 2014 12:05pm

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