[duane1969]

During hunting season I ride my Rancher in the dark to my stand and starting this year 6 miles of that ride is on paved secondary roads. I would like to upgrade my lighting to include some auxiliary LED lights that I can switch on for the ride to my hunting property and then switch off once I get there. My concern is that the additional lighting will be too much of a drain on the electrical system.

The lights I am looking at adding are either a 12 inch 72w light bar or a set of two 18w fog lights.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[SamUK]

As with any additional lighting on any vehicle, run all lights through a relay and a fuse.

Two 18w will be fine without either but the 72w I would certainly wire through a relay.

 

[Z7What]

You will have no problems at all with the electrical system installing a light bar or two.

I upgraded my headlights to HIDs & have 2 7" LED lightbars with zero issues.

Like it was mentioned above, always wire them to a relay.

Wayne

 

[HondaHippie]

I have a 9" lightbar wired into the lowbeam side of my factory switch. Been there for a while with no issues. LEDs don't pull much power.

 

[SamUK]

I have a 9" lightbar wired into the lowbeam side of my factory switch. Been there for a while with no issues. LEDs don't pull much power.

As always, input is valued here However, the current draw is easily worked out by the gauge of the wire

 

[HondaHippie]

As always, input is valued here However, the current draw is easily worked out by the gauge of the wire

I understand that. I also understand that I have never used a relay for an LED, and have never had an issue with it. In fact, I look at the relay as yet another possible fail point when riding deep water. Also, power and current are two different things. You can give an LED as much or as little current as you want, it still won't pull much power.

 

[SamUK]

You can buy waterproof relays for not much more than a standard relay. It's the resistance through stock wiring and switches that would be of concern to me when wiring up multiple or high wattage lights. Always better to play it safe and wire through a relay and make it a fused circuit.