Ok so im working on hooking up all my lights right now... 4 PIAA offroaders on my lightbar, 2 Hella 500's to replace my headlights, 2 Hella 500's mounted on my front bumper, 4 Hella 500's (1 by each tire) for Night Crawling, and 2 crappy offbrand lights for backing up...

I am building a center console that will hold 6 switches for these loads and was going to run a seperate fusebox w/circuit breakers from my dual battery... and from the circuit breakers to the switches and then to the lights... tihs console will also hold my CB Radio and cupholders etc...

anyone have any views/opinions on wether i should try to keep with the circuit breakers or just stick to fuses? and on the same note... am i going about this right? just looking for input on my concept before i dive in...


Side note: i am currently putting in an electric fan at the same time and i was planning on hooking it up just with a switch so that it will supplement my belt driven fan... but then i was told i should get a temperature driven sending unit so that if my water/engine gets too hot it will automatically turn on and then automatically turn off when it gets down below that temp again... anyone have an opinion on that?

 

Well those lights all have relays to them. You can wire them with the relays or hard wire them.

IE:
1. + to auxillary fuse block, to relay to device

2. + to aux to fuse block, to inline circuit breaker.

I wire my lights using no relays..you dont need them imho so long as you have a circuit breaker type fuse (or a 20-30amp or better fuse) and your switch can handle it. I used to wire my tow trucks with 130w KC lights so I could see at night, so long as there were inline fuses or circuit breakers I was fine.

In your case I would recommend you set up a dual battery setup, your regular battery aint gonna handle all that, also a better alternator too.

 

I ditto with the above, and would like to add, Heavy Duty wiring, and make sure your fuse blocks are rated for high amps. With all that running through them, they'll get hot. Add up the amp rating for each system you want to run at the same time, then get a block that can handle it. Otherwise you'll flip your switches on and get that beautiful blue smoke and globs of plastic dripping from its mounting place. Goodluck!

 

relays make it all easier. use ground control with the switches.. and you only have to run one wire per circuit. (repeat) relay make it easier

as far as the breaker and fuse.. why have two weak links in a system?

 

As i said this is all coming from my dual battery that is already set up with an ISO + 90amp ALT


If my sestem is all in line... like going from the fuse/breaker panel to the switch and then to the lights (and all layed out in the same direction to) should i still try and use relays? i wouldnt think so if its all in line because then im just running more wires in the same place right?

and i was asking if anyone had an opinion about wether fuses or circuit breakers were better not if i should use both...


I already think im going to go with circuit breakers but.. eh... and anyone have an opinion about how i should set up my fan? temp setting vs manual switch?

thanks again