Inexpensive LED flood lights.
- Thread starter t4rman
- Start date
hikingff77
Adventurer
I just got one of the same lights you put on. Could you give me some pointers of how you have them wired up? For example, I'm going to be putting the light on the rear roof of my truck cap, I have no wire back there with now, but plan on running some. What gauge is recommended?
hikingff77
Adventurer
No, sorry, I meant the OP. I was given the light as a xmas present and it only has pigtails on it.
zukrider
Explorer
hikingff77. wiring is as easy or complex as you would like. you can run some power to the rear and have a dedicated switch for when you "need it". put the switch in the cap.
you can have it switched by the reverse lights. you can have it switched by the "cargo lights" if your truck is so equipped. easiest would be a dedicated switch in cab. this would work well because if you ever pull the cap off for some awkward load, the light and switch stay in the cap. just make sure the pass from bed to cap has a disconnect.
for one light this size, at less than 2 amps, you could get away with 22 gauge wire. but i prefer to stay 18 ga and above, as the thicker wire is more "hardy". plus, 18 ga will be able to carry 3-4 of these 6LZ lights. run a wire off the positive cable with an inline fuse within 18" of battery. then run it the safest route possible to the bed. have it jump the gap at the rail, or in a stake hole.
another option is power off the running lights from your taillight. feed to a switch, then to light. id run an inline fuse from junction to switch, so a light failure wont take out the running light fuse.
your welcome to ask any questions you like. im a honda mechanic and journeyman level electrician. good luck
you can have it switched by the reverse lights. you can have it switched by the "cargo lights" if your truck is so equipped. easiest would be a dedicated switch in cab. this would work well because if you ever pull the cap off for some awkward load, the light and switch stay in the cap. just make sure the pass from bed to cap has a disconnect.
for one light this size, at less than 2 amps, you could get away with 22 gauge wire. but i prefer to stay 18 ga and above, as the thicker wire is more "hardy". plus, 18 ga will be able to carry 3-4 of these 6LZ lights. run a wire off the positive cable with an inline fuse within 18" of battery. then run it the safest route possible to the bed. have it jump the gap at the rail, or in a stake hole.
another option is power off the running lights from your taillight. feed to a switch, then to light. id run an inline fuse from junction to switch, so a light failure wont take out the running light fuse.
your welcome to ask any questions you like. im a honda mechanic and journeyman level electrician. good luck
DR1665
Gearheads United
Got to thinking about these on the way to work tonight. You can't be the price with a stick, but I wonder how far out does the beam remain usable? That is, would these - in a pencil/spot beam, of course - be good enough for doing upwards of 90mph on dirt out in the boonies?
Thanks.
Thanks.
88Xj
Banned
No they won't be near enough light for that, I know as I've death first hand with them. Now I'm not speaking down, they are great and serve a purpose but for what ur talking about your gonna need more than what these can offer. These pics were borrowed from a fellow jeeper that built his jeep more as a prerunner/desert runner, so light out front is key. He ended up with 2x 30" duals mounted right out front.
1 7" kraken hid, euro beam, 35w
Head on, blitz pro vs 7" kraken
BP
Bp alone
I'm in the desert where the go fast happens
honestly I love my 40" single for everything but ive got a 20 single & 23x3 pods all shooting foward..i honestly prefer the low profile of the singles i sell. I think a single 12" dual, or 2 6" duals so you can aim them separately would be best and that should be more than you'd ever need. Some people are happy with less. He'll 4 of my 3x3s would suffice pending how you mounted them. A single 10 & a set of pods or a 6" dual and pods seems to be a very popular order for me. some guys have more to blow and splurge on bigger bar or roof mount a 30 or 40 but 90% of users will be extremely pleased with a small to medium bar and a pair of pods. A lot depends on budget, where you want what & how you will use them. I'm not the guy to fight for a sale, ill be the guy to give you honest opinions to get your needs met, wether it be with my lights or someone else's. or even led, hid or halogen. There's pros and cons to them all.
I also know BP had a pod & even a few other lights but from everything I've heard you get a really diluted flood or a spot, literally a circle spot. I can't comment more as I've only dealt with there small 6" bar. Maybe someone else can help here?
1 7" kraken hid, euro beam, 35w
Head on, blitz pro vs 7" kraken
BP
Bp alone
I'm in the desert where the go fast happens
honestly I love my 40" single for everything but ive got a 20 single & 23x3 pods all shooting foward..i honestly prefer the low profile of the singles i sell. I think a single 12" dual, or 2 6" duals so you can aim them separately would be best and that should be more than you'd ever need. Some people are happy with less. He'll 4 of my 3x3s would suffice pending how you mounted them. A single 10 & a set of pods or a 6" dual and pods seems to be a very popular order for me. some guys have more to blow and splurge on bigger bar or roof mount a 30 or 40 but 90% of users will be extremely pleased with a small to medium bar and a pair of pods. A lot depends on budget, where you want what & how you will use them. I'm not the guy to fight for a sale, ill be the guy to give you honest opinions to get your needs met, wether it be with my lights or someone else's. or even led, hid or halogen. There's pros and cons to them all. I also know BP had a pod & even a few other lights but from everything I've heard you get a really diluted flood or a spot, literally a circle spot. I can't comment more as I've only dealt with there small 6" bar. Maybe someone else can help here?
hikingff77
Adventurer
Zukrider, thanks. I'm pretty good at the whole electrical thing for house stuff, and have a good understanding of how switches work, etc. What I want is to have the switch in the cab, the light will be mounted just above my third brake light on the cap. I want it for backing up when I want it and lighting for tailgating or car camping, etc.
I eventually want to run a couple 12v outlets in the back, but we'll see however long that takes me to accomplish.
I eventually want to run a couple 12v outlets in the back, but we'll see however long that takes me to accomplish.
zukrider
Explorer
i hear that bro. would be easiest to tap off the reverse wire at the trans, wherever that is accessible. use that tap to run into the cab and feed a relay. then the reverse lights will feed it. to have it independantly switchable, a 5 pin relay would be best. if you tap off the feed to relay from the in cab switch, said switch needs to be powered by the same fuse feeding the power through the reverse switch. the 5 pin will allow 2 separate control sources for one given power source.
i plan to do just this. im gonna run 2 Blitzpro 3LR floods for reverse lights. already have one. they will be fed directly from a Blue Sea fuse box. the switching will come from a headliner mounted switch for reverse/trailer loading/night wheeling purposes. as well as from the reverse light wire. my roof rack will have a 6LZ on each side and to the rear, very similar to the OP setup. they will be fed with a master switch, this will feed 3 independent switches.
i plan to do just this. im gonna run 2 Blitzpro 3LR floods for reverse lights. already have one. they will be fed directly from a Blue Sea fuse box. the switching will come from a headliner mounted switch for reverse/trailer loading/night wheeling purposes. as well as from the reverse light wire. my roof rack will have a 6LZ on each side and to the rear, very similar to the OP setup. they will be fed with a master switch, this will feed 3 independent switches.
88Xj
Banned
I actually use the 2x2 spots as back up & 1 of the 2x2 pods of either side at the b pillar. Personally I think the 18w that are similar the 6lzs are to bright. As a camping light I don't want something over power tht hurts to look at or is distracting or overpowering. That's just me preference' I also use the flood version as my rock lights and have literally ran them over..still pumping strong other ham some nicks and powerboats scratches.
I deleted a bunch of posts by 88XJ in which he advertises LED lights for sale. He needs to become a forum sponsor to directly solicit business from ExPo members. I have communicated with 88XJ before on this subject. If he continues, he will be banned.
I know it's frustrating for 88XJ because he has not yet been contacted by Brian McVickers, ExPo's business manager, about the sponsors program. And we want vendors with expertise in lighting participating on ExPo. But that's no excuse for bending the rules.
I know it's frustrating for 88XJ because he has not yet been contacted by Brian McVickers, ExPo's business manager, about the sponsors program. And we want vendors with expertise in lighting participating on ExPo. But that's no excuse for bending the rules.
88Xj
Banned
I didn't feel as if I were breaking rules because I am literally just waiting on Brian more or less. Sorry for an mishap.