I am going to put 4 500's across my yak rack and was wondering if this can be done with one switch and one relay. You'd have to splice the hot wires coming off the lights together to plug them into the relay but would that overheat the relay or anything. Just curious because I already have 2 relays and about 2 miles of wiring from my other lights and I really can't fathom putting two more in there.

 

Joey, somewhere here on the forum is a post by me using a formala (I don't have it in my head) on figuring out how many watts a 30 amp relay can handle.

Right now you have 110 watts (same as me) from two 55 watt H3 bulbs going to one Hella 30 amp relay.

Adding two more Hella 500s would peak that out to 220 watts.
Wish I knew where the post was, but it should turn up with a search here.
Hang on....
Found a post with the info.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&highlight=220

Look for my post a little further down the page, and the info should tell you if your relay can handle it or not.

 

For the switch, yes you can if you want to control all four lights at the same time.

For the relay, however, you have to select the right current rating. I think Corey said it all. Use this simple formula to calculate between power consumtion and current: P (in watt) = V (voltage ~12.5) x I (Current in Ampere) ---- P=VxI. Oh don't forget to hook the right fuse too. Generally, Whatever the current is, multiply by 2.5, that's your fuse rating!

Good luck,

Nam

 

Yes you can. I have a heavy duty Blazer Desert Fox relay harness that can handle up to 330 watts and I had 4 hella lights run off that one relay in parallel. I have since replaced 2 of the lights with some ProComp 100 watt lights(swapped to 55 watt bulbs) all on the same wiring harness.

 

Thanks guys. Mabye I'll just wire the two relays through one switch. Makes sense to use both Relays since Hella supplies them. Now just gotta find somewhere to stick them. Seafarinman where do you have your relays at? Right now the two I have are mounted up near the firewall on the passenger side under my hood. Also I have no more space to bolt stuff onto my battery any ideas for that? Was thinking of getting an Optima with side posts or something. Right now I have my alarm, amp, electric fan, and two lights power wires all stuck under a bolt on the positive post

 

UKMyers,
I have the same problem with my Optima. I bought a remote positive terminal at a local marine store. It has a main post in the center, and like 8 smaller posts in a circle around it for all of the accessories to attach to. I would move all of the wires to this terminal, and just put a single 4 ga wire from the center terminal to the positive terminal on the battery. BTW I have my relays on the inside fender right next to the battery and some on the firewall. The remote terminal is similar to this:

http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/w...29&cat2=342219

My positive terminal is a regular rats nest right now. There are like at least 15 wires on there!:pat:

 

Joey, I have about 4 relays on my firewall.

What you can also do for the battery is use an external fuse box like I have on my drivers side firewall for all of my taps that use to be in the inside fuse box.

I too will be adding a 2nd box to my battery just for this purpose for the things that actually go right to the battery with their fuses.

 

Could you guys post a pic of your relay locations? Thanks

 

Not a good close-up, but it's all I have for now.
http://www.toyotaoffroad.net/tando/e...ash/clean2.jpg