P1000 Will this BMF light bar overload my electrical system?

[Fdxjettech]

I just received my new NiLight 52" triple row curved light bar. According to the product description, (as I can't seem to find the actual specs) it pulls 738 watts. The online calculator comes back with the amperage draw for 12 vdc of 65.25 amps. As I read yesterday, the output of the alternator is about 700 watts. Will this overload my electrical system? I want as bright a light as I can get (for lighting up soybean fields at night when hunting 'dillos and coyotes) but of course don't want to overly drain or damage my system. It is supposed to put out 78,000 lumens. TIA

 

[Admin]

 

[Hondasxs]

You need to check the true draw. Most light bars list the "equivalent" wattage. While it is still a lot. I bet it is only around the 25a range.

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[TxDoc]

My 52 inch curved lightbar is rated at 300 watts and 30,000 lumens. That was about 31 amps.

I used a relay with my lighted OTRATTW rocker switch switch as it's rated at 20 amps.

Do you know what each LED diode is rated at? 1 watt, 3 watt?

On edit

I read this is the Amazon review:

" It's rated at a claimed 40A and 12V, when it arrived the input wiring was far too small to handle the claimed amperage, it’s appears to be 16 gauge. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and hooked it up to my 12V bench setup before installing on my truck. At full power it was drawing 7.3A, just over 80 Watts, not even a sixth of what it’s rated for. I assumed there was a problem with it and called Amazon for a replacement. Got the second one today and it was slightly better at 7.8A. Still massively under rated for what it should be putting out and was advertised for. For the size of this unit it was a massive letdown".

Under questions, type in "watts", and read the replies about wiring harnesses and brightness compared to other lower rated lightbars.

There may not be all truth in advertising.
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[Fdxjettech]

You need to check the true draw. Most light bars list the "equivalent" wattage. While it is still a lot. I bet it is only around the 25a range.

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Can I do that using the battery as a
Power source? I don’t have a bench inverter and will that much amperage burn out my Fluke meter?

 

[TxDoc]

Do you have a Fluke clamp meter,? Should read at least 400 amps upwards of 2500.

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[Fdxjettech]

Do you have a Fluke clamp meter,? Should read at least 400 amps upwards of 2500.

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No. Just a standard multi meter.

 

[TxDoc]

Nevermind. I was tired and thinking AC.

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[bumperm]

Your standard Fluke DVM will only read 10 amps max and that with the leads hooked up in series with the load.

I purchased and installed a 54" Nilight that had a claimed 312 watts. Measured current draw, using a LiFePO4 battery at 13.3 volts, was on the order of 16.5 amps. So call it 220 watts. Vastly overstated in the product description, BUT the dang thing sure is bright!! I think the reason for the grossly overstated wattage claim is there's an advertising competition between brands/sellers . . . and the general public isn't aware this is all smoke and mirrrors.

No worry about draining battery or overloading system, unless you have it hooked to an always on source and leave light on with engine-off.* I have an Aux battery and still have the big light powered by a relay from Aux with switched key-on.

*I do have the pod and back-up lights, each draws about one amp, wired so they can be on with ignition off. That way they can be used for utility/work lighting.

 

[Fdxjettech]

Your standard Fluke DVM will only read 10 amps max and that with the leads hooked up in series with the load.

I purchased and installed a 54" Nilight that had a claimed 312 watts. Measured current draw, using a LiFePO4 battery at 13.3 volts, was on the order of 16.5 amps. So call it 220 watts. Vastly overstated in the product description, BUT the dang thing sure is bright!! I think the reason for the grossly overstated wattage claim is there's an advertising competition between brands/sellers . . . and the general public isn't aware this is all smoke and mirrrors.

No worry about draining battery or overloading system, unless you have it hooked to an always on source and leave light on with engine-off.* I have an Aux battery and still have the big light powered by a relay from Aux with switched key-on.

View attachment 307884
*I do have the pod and back-up lights, each draws about one amp, wired so they can be on with ignition off. That way they can be used for utility/work lighting.

Thanks. I really want to use it but was afraid to hurt something. I think I’ll hook it up with a heavy duty relay (80 amp) and ten gauge wire then if I start having issues I’ll take it off, sell it, or trade it out.

 

[Jas sxs]

Your standard Fluke DVM will only read 10 amps max and that with the leads hooked up in series with the load.

I purchased and installed a 54" Nilight that had a claimed 312 watts. Measured current draw, using a LiFePO4 battery at 13.3 volts, was on the order of 16.5 amps. So call it 220 watts. Vastly overstated in the product description, BUT the dang thing sure is bright!! I think the reason for the grossly overstated wattage claim is there's an advertising competition between brands/sellers . . . and the general public isn't aware this is all smoke and mirrrors.

No worry about draining battery or overloading system, unless you have it hooked to an always on source and leave light on with engine-off.* I have an Aux battery and still have the big light powered by a relay from Aux with switched key-on.

View attachment 307884
*I do have the pod and back-up lights, each draws about one amp, wired so they can be on with ignition off. That way they can be used for utility/work lighting.

nice build what mount brackets did u use for the light bar

 

[bumperm]

10 Ga wire is more than enough, 12 would be fine. A "standard" Bosch type relay is 40/30 would be just fine, that's what I'm using. (The 40/30 means 40 amps on make or contact closure, and 30 on break - as when the contacts open is when most contact arcing occurs). With a LED light load of less than 20 amps, there's really no upside in going with a bigger relay. The Bosch relay, BOS-O-332-019-150 (sometimes referred to as Bosch 150 relay, is ubiquitous, it and it's clones are very widely used. Having one in your spare parts bag is never a mistake.

Oh, on the light brackets, I made those. A one-off, too much work to make without jigs, and heavier machinery that what I have at home - still trying to figure a way to get my little machine shop home home from the airport - just no room here.

​

 

[dezs1775]

Your standard Fluke DVM will only read 10 amps max and that with the leads hooked up in series with the load.

I purchased and installed a 54" Nilight that had a claimed 312 watts. Measured current draw, using a LiFePO4 battery at 13.3 volts, was on the order of 16.5 amps. So call it 220 watts. Vastly overstated in the product description, BUT the dang thing sure is bright!! I think the reason for the grossly overstated wattage claim is there's an advertising competition between brands/sellers . . . and the general public isn't aware this is all smoke and mirrrors.

No worry about draining battery or overloading system, unless you have it hooked to an always on source and leave light on with engine-off.* I have an Aux battery and still have the big light powered by a relay from Aux with switched key-on.

View attachment 307884
*I do have the pod and back-up lights, each draws about one amp, wired so they can be on with ignition off. That way they can be used for utility/work lighting.

What mounts are those for the top light bar? Thank you.

 

[bumperm]

What mounts are those for the top light bar? Thank you.

They are home made, I couldn't find any for sale that positioned the light exactly where I wanted it. Made cardboard patterns to get the shape and angles. I Used rivet nuts (threaded inserts) though one side of the gusset) for mounting, the similar ones online use a longer bolts though both sides of the gusset, I didn't want to squeeze the sides of the gusset together.

 

[StewB]

10 Ga wire is more than enough, 12 would be fine. A "standard" Bosch type relay is 40/30 would be just fine, that's what I'm using. (The 40/30 means 40 amps on make or contact closure, and 30 on break - as when the contacts open is when most contact arcing occurs). With a LED light load of less than 20 amps, there's really no upside in going with a bigger relay. The Bosch relay, BOS-O-332-019-150 (sometimes referred to as Bosch 150 relay, is ubiquitous, it and it's clones are very widely used. Having one in your spare parts bag is never a mistake.

Oh, on the light brackets, I made those. A one-off, too much work to make without jigs, and heavier machinery that what I have at home - still trying to figure a way to get my little machine shop home home from the airport - just no room here.

​

I'm going to give a good double plus one to what bumperm said about using "ubiquitous" relays for your machine.
You can cheaply buy a bulk-pack of relays for your add-ons and keep a spare under the seat or in your tool kit. You won't have to re-wire things later, just plug in the replacement relay on top.

 

[Fdxjettech]

One quick question guys. What is pin 87a for on my five pin relay? Only got a hot and ground to the light bar. TIA.

 

[Fdxjettech]

Well… it’s done. 52 inch. Three rows and two spots. 783 watts. Can’t wait til sundown. Lol

 

[bumperm]

Well… it’s done. 52 inch. Three rows and two spots. 783 watts. Can’t wait til sundown. Lol

View attachment 309094 View attachment 309095

I'm assuming 783 to be the "claimed" wattage figure. That would come to about 65 amps, and that's more than what your sxs's electrical system can sustain! Of course that high a current draw would work for the short while as it would draw down the needed current from your battery/s, even with the engine running. Also, the electrical operating system in your machine needs a significant amount of electrical power for computer, trans shifting etc. With a sustained added demand of 65 amps, your machine would malfunction or shut down on a longer run, potentially leaving you A - in the dark, or B - stranded.

The above is somewhat in jest, as I don't think your lights draw nearly that much current, but I'm sure they'll be bright! If you have an amp meter handy, it'd be interesting to get the actual current figures. Formula for Watts, is Watts = Amps X Voltage. So once you measure actual current in amps, multiply that by system voltage to arrive as the real wattage figure.

 

[bumperm]

One quick question guys. What is pin 87a for on my five pin relay? Only got a hot and ground to the light bar. TIA.

87a is the "Form C" normally closed relay contact. The relay armature is terminal 30, if you measure, with ohm meter from 30 to 87a you will find it shorted when the relay is not energized. When energized the relay armature, 30, opens with 87a and connects to terminal 87.

 

[Fdxjettech]

87a is the "Form C" normally closed relay contact. The relay armature is terminal 30, if you measure, with ohm meter from 30 to 87a you will find it shorted when the relay is not energized. When energized the relay armature, 30, opens with 87a and connects to terminal 87.

Thats what I found out with a little more research. so for this install I just capped the wire off.

 

[Fdxjettech]

I'm assuming 783 to be the "claimed" wattage figure. That would come to about 65 amps, and that's more than what your sxs's electrical system can sustain! Of course that high a current draw would work for the short while as it would draw down the needed current from your battery/s, even with the engine running. Also, the electrical operating system in your machine needs a significant amount of electrical power for computer, trans shifting etc. With a sustained added demand of 65 amps, your machine would malfunction or shut down on a longer run, potentially leaving you A - in the dark, or B - stranded.

The above is somewhat in jest, as I don't think your lights draw nearly that much current, but I'm sure they'll be bright! If you have an amp meter handy, it'd be interesting to get the actual current figures. Formula for Watts, is Watts = Amps X Voltage. So once you measure actual current in amps, multiply that by system voltage to arrive as the real wattage figure.

Which was exactly, why I started this thread. Lol. I dont know what is drawing for sure. At Idle, my aux battery voltage reads 14.1v. When I switch the BMF light on it drops to 13.9. So in my thinking this is showing its pulling more power than is being replaced? You have way more experience than me so Im going to defer to your judgement. I dont really plan to use it in a continual fashion. just for periodic lighting up a field to see if a varmint is around.