ballast placement/distribution block question

[ELVATO]

Where are you mounting it? Does it need to be waterproof? How are you going to wire it?

I was going to reply to your other thread, but I wouldn't use 10 gauge wire to "feed" the distribution block. I'd go for at least 8 guage, depending on how long the wire will be. You can't have too much. When calculating, you want to take a safety factor into account. Don't rememeber what people usually do, 20% of the load? If you do 20%, that brings you to 720W.

Also, I think the 55W is for continous use, not the peak value (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Bulbs (HIDs as well) pull more at startup, then stablize out. You'll want to take that into account as well.

 

[panda24619]

for now no not water proff. the way my light hook up is the power goes threw a fuse to the switch then to the lights. the switch is grounded and the lights as well. so the shorter the wire to the block the more wire i have to reach the lights up top. since KC only gave me a limit amount of wire i figured cant go wrong with a block the goes under my center console. here.
http://www.kchilites.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/6301-Harness.pdf
i figured since the wire to the block isnt going to be on the roof for now that a 10 gauge would be enough. if not ill go bigger. not a big deal. and then maybe 8 up to the roof when i do hid.

 

[ELVATO]

Not expedition forum, but interesting info: http://www.thenewx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25718

Are you going to put everything on one switch, or wire the lights in groups (or 2 or 3). Either way, you'll probably need relays, a larger one if only doing one switch.

 

[panda24619]

actually not with this kit. my front 130 watts need a relay cause thats what it says. and these dont. its weird.
http://www.kchilites.com/lights/daylighter/
some need relays and some dont. the ones im going to put on top dont need a relay. and im doing 2 lights per switch like the instrustions say. so 8 lights total 4 switches.

and thats the guy i was looking at to switch my kcs to hids. thats the block i was looking for too. thanks. this is like a 2 stage light thing. 1st stage wire up the kcs as normal. then 2nd stage wire them as hids.

walla!
http://bluesea.com/category/9/35/productline/186
thats what ive been looking for. its called a busbar! sweet. thanks elvato!

 

[anjy834u]

well u r trying some high end stuff.. how about taking a guess from a professional ??!!

 

[panda24619]

so i just my dual busbar in today from ups. things is MASSIVE! okay about the size an i-phone and about as thick of a handle from a screw driver. thing will work great. got 2 sides. + and - gonna rewire my light switch to it. so from what ive been told maybe 10 gauge wont be big enough well i found some cheap and i mean cheap "4 gauge" cable laying around. its 8 gauge copper 4 gauge cable. gonna use that for the power for this and ground. then hook up my switch to it. should i ad a fuse in between the battery and busbar? it doesnt say i should or shouldnt.

 

[anjy834u]

well adding a fuse definitely sounds sensible to me..have u already tried something like that before ?