Light Bar Wiring

[SlashRacer]

This was a connection I put on to connect the factory wires under the glove compartment for the factory wires running up to the passenger side visor for a light bar. This is Aux 1 rocker switch which is a 30 amp switch.



I knew the wire size was too small to handle 30amps when I installed the light bar. I did not check to see how many amps my 40” light bar needs, but was thinking “LED = low watts and low amps”, so it won’t draw that many amps and everything will be OK. I was wrong!!!

I will be replacing this wire with a 10 gauge wire which is rated for 30 amps so I will no longer have this issue.

Glad I found this now so I can get this replaced now instead of when I am on a night ride 2,000 miles from home.

For those with light bars that used the factory wiring, check your connections and wires!!!

[BroncOitis]

This was a connection I put on to connect the factory wires under the glove compartment for the factory wires running up to the passenger side visor for a light bar. This is Aux 1 rocker switch which is a 30 amp switch.



I knew the wire size was too small to handle 30amps when I installed the light bar. I did not check to see how many amps my 40” light bar needs, but was thinking “LED = low watts and low amps”, so it won’t draw that many amps and everything will be OK. I was wrong!!!

I will be replacing this wire with a 10 gauge wire which is rated for 30 amps so I will no longer have this issue.

Glad I found this now so I can get this replaced now instead of when I am on a night ride 2,000 miles from home.

For those with light bars that used the factory wiring, check your connections and wires!!!

Most people like me wouldn’t give it a second thought, “in a sense,” because if the item that is drawing too much amperage would cause too much draw from that item, you would think that the fuse would blow, like it’s designed to do.
I totally understand that you don’t want to over do it, but if you are like me you would just assume Ford would have made the wiring with the correct rating for a 30 amp fuse.
The wiring shouldn’t burn up before the fuse blows!!!

[BroncOitis]

Looking at it closer, it looks like a connector may not have been crimped good enough and probably had a loose or weak connection through the two wires that were connected through the wire connector….

[TK1215]

Maybe old Frankie Goss was right all along!

[SlashRacer]

Most people like me wouldn’t give it a second thought, “in a sense,” because if the item that is drawing too much amperage would cause too much draw from that item, you would think that the fuse would blow, like it’s designed to do.
I totally understand that you don’t want to over do it, but if you are like me you would just assume Ford would have made the wiring with the correct rating for a 30 amp fuse.
The wiring shouldn’t burn up before the fuse blows!!!

When the wire is undersized, the wire will get hot from the amp draw. The fuse protects it from short circuit protection.

The electrician that crimped it on did a good job. I know him. He probably should have soldered the connection, but the wire is still undersized for the load and there still would be a problem.

I worked on machines for years and know about wire sizes and amp draw.