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KC lights Location       #: 1598

 Moderated by: NoPower, Mike69, MaDMaXX,
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Poll ended on May-04-2019 at 18:00
Grill or Bumper
Chewy_719
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 Posted: Mon Apr 22nd, 2019 06:58 pm
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Chewy_719
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I am trying to figure our the best options on where to mount my KC lights. I have room on my bumper for them but they are the larger 6" Daylighters. I wouldn't mind putting them in the grill either. 

What do you guys think?

Attachment: Ranger 2.JPG (Downloaded 87 times)

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 Posted: Mon Apr 22nd, 2019 11:28 pm
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Scrambler82
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The Bumper is the best place, the grille the second and anything above that is more glare back at ya !

Get a Grille Guard, just the one tube type with light tabs, might be called a Bull Bar, you can add tabs if you want/need more lights.



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2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !
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 Posted: Wed Apr 24th, 2019 03:26 pm
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Bumper on the 98/00 style like yours. The 01/02/03 looked better in the grill since it was honeycomb.



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 Posted: Wed Apr 24th, 2019 04:35 pm
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I changed the grille & front lights to the 01-03 style & mounted the lights behind the grille. You could also get a safari light bar like I have & mount them on the bar which has light mounting tabs. It is made by Westin, I purchased it from Amazon & it cost $108.81 for the bar Pt-#30-0005, plus the mounting kit $41.99 which is Pt-#30-1055.



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 Posted: Thu Apr 25th, 2019 10:56 pm
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Scrambler82
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Chewy_719,

Any thoughts so far, I know it hasn't been long for the Poll but what are your ideas.



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Ltr,
2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !
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 Posted: Fri Apr 26th, 2019 09:59 am
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Chewy_719
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Scrambler82 wrote:
Chewy_719,

Any thoughts so far, I know it hasn't been long for the Poll but what are your ideas.

I think I'm going to go with the bumper. I just don't know if my battery and charging system will be able to handle the lights.

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 Posted: Fri Apr 26th, 2019 10:04 am
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If you use the relay and wiring harness that came with lights you will be fine



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 Posted: Fri Apr 26th, 2019 11:46 am
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Scrambler82
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Chewy_719 wrote:
Scrambler82 wrote:

Chewy_719,

Any thoughts so far, I know it hasn't been long for the Poll but what are your ideas.

I think I'm going to go with the bumper. I just don't know if my battery and charging system will be able to handle the lights.


There are OEM Replacement Alternator that can raise your total system output 10 or 15 amps, that alone could do the trick BUT !

How many lights are you planning and what wattage will they be ?
Two 150 Watt KC's will require 25 amps to run at full brightness, can you alternator, battery and wiring handle that ?  Along with a good harness.
A good harness is one that has a Main Power Wire of sufficient gauge and Components rated for the full current of the circuit and will carry the total current of the lights, plus a safety factor.
The trick is to buy high amperage components, your circuit will call for 25 amps for the lights, a small safety factor would be to run a 30 amp relay but the 40 amp relay is only a small amount of money more ($1) but increases the your safety factor of 5 amps by three.

I'm getting carried away, as usual, when you get to the lighting install, and you find you need another voice in the mix, let me know I will help where I can.  What ever I offer for help will be heavy duty but my advice will let you get to your hunting area with all the light you want and get back without worrying about a dead vehicle battery.

Good Luck on your project either way !

Last edited on Fri Apr 26th, 2019 11:48 am by Scrambler82



____________________
Ltr,
2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !
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 Posted: Fri Apr 26th, 2019 12:14 pm
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Chewy_719
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Scrambler82,
I will installing only two Daylighters for now, with the wiring harness the kit cam with. Later on i will be adding LED bed lights and extra reverse lights, as well as two interior lights (LED) for the back seat area.
Soon I will be putting in a Marine battery to help with that and I will be installing a high output alternator. Figuring out the wiring and what size I should be running, I don't have clue on. I don't know if my battery will last with those lights. I won't have to worry about being stranded, I'll just push start it if it comes to that and hopefully that will work. Eventually I will build myself a new bumper but for now the stock one will have to due.

Last edited on Fri Apr 26th, 2019 12:18 pm by Chewy_719

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 Posted: Fri Apr 26th, 2019 07:48 pm
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Scrambler82
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Chewy_719 wrote:
Scrambler82,
I will installing only two Daylighters for now, with the wiring harness the kit cam with. Later on i will be adding LED bed lights and extra reverse lights, as well as two interior lights (LED) for the back seat area.
Soon I will be putting in a Marine battery to help with that and I will be installing a high output alternator. Figuring out the wiring and what size I should be running, I don't have clue on. I don't know if my battery will last with those lights. I won't have to worry about being stranded, I'll just push start it if it comes to that and hopefully that will work. Eventually I will build myself a new bumper but for now the stock one will have to due.

OK then, two might be ok IF you don't run them too long.
A marine battery and a high output alternator will do the trick.

Wire Size or Gauge:
5 amp draw = 18 ga wire
10 amps = 16 ga wire
15 amps = 14 ga wire
20 amps = 12 ga wire
30 amps = 10 ga wire

That should cover anything you do on the vehicle.
If you go higher in amperage then 30 amps you will need to review what you are doing and what the safety factors are.
I know you are using the Harness that came with the lights, but make sure the main wire is large enough to handle the load plus a safety factor.  You would think they would but it doesn't hurt to check it out !

Enjoy the projects !

Ltr



____________________
Ltr,
2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !
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 Posted: Mon Apr 29th, 2019 10:14 am
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Chewy_719
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Scrambler82 wrote:
Chewy_719 wrote:

Scrambler82,
I will installing only two Daylighters for now, with the wiring harness the kit cam with. Later on i will be adding LED bed lights and extra reverse lights, as well as two interior lights (LED) for the back seat area.
Soon I will be putting in a Marine battery to help with that and I will be installing a high output alternator. Figuring out the wiring and what size I should be running, I don't have clue on. I don't know if my battery will last with those lights. I won't have to worry about being stranded, I'll just push start it if it comes to that and hopefully that will work. Eventually I will build myself a new bumper but for now the stock one will have to due.

OK then, two might be ok IF you don't run them too long.
A marine battery and a high output alternator will do the trick.

Wire Size or Gauge:
5 amp draw = 18 ga wire
10 amps = 16 ga wire
15 amps = 14 ga wire
20 amps = 12 ga wire
30 amps = 10 ga wire

That should cover anything you do on the vehicle.
If you go higher in amperage then 30 amps you will need to review what you are doing and what the safety factors are.
I know you are using the Harness that came with the lights, but make sure the main wire is large enough to handle the load plus a safety factor.  You would think they would but it doesn't hurt to check it out !

Enjoy the projects !

Ltr

Thanks, I will keep that in mind. Do you think it would be a good idea to add another fuse box with relays?

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 Posted: Mon Apr 29th, 2019 12:06 pm
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Scrambler82
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Chewy_719 wrote:

Thanks, I will keep that in mind. Do you think it would be a good idea to add another fuse box with relays?



Any high amperage draw component need at least a separate power line, with a fuse and a relay.  The fuse should be as close to the power source as possible and all component need to be rated for 125% of the total current draw, i.e. wire, fuse and relay !   LED Lighting changes thing a little but the idea and theory is still the same.

To answer your question, "No to a fuse box with relays".
The problem with a Panel with fuses and relays, although a nice item to have for smaller components, is the total amperage draw is not always up where you need it and then it is divided between all of the circuits in the Panel.
Some of the panels are rated for 30 or 40 amps total, and in your case, the first 30amps are taken by the lights, that leaves 10 amp excess to work for other components, not a lot left over.

IMHO... it would be overall safer to run your two KC Lights with a separate harness and save the Fuse/Relay Panel for smaller components, just watch the total amperage.

 The Fuse/Relay Panel:  Although at this time you only have one big amperage circuit, the KC Lights, it is best to look a little ahead.  What if... you wanted another set of KC Day Lighters, (30 amps more), What IF... you wanted to add power seats... (at least 20 amps), or the backup lights, you can overpower a Fuse/Relay Panel quickly unless you pay the price, $$$, upfront and buy a really good one.
OR... you can just add your own harnesses with fuses and really, easier to do than talk about, you can build any rating in a harness that you need, subject to your electrical charging system and the overall condition of your battery and other components.
Where I am going..., if not clear, it is for you to build  your own harnesses, in fact over build because the cost is minor when you do it yourself.  The biggest gain other than a safety factor, is if your KC's go out, you know exactly what circuit, wiring, relay, etc is at fault.
The Panel from Painless Wiring is a nice one, each Fuse/Relay Circuit is rated higher than most other panels on the market and the total amperage that the panel can handle is rated higher, BUT $$$ !.
If the Panel you are talking about, no brand given, has a total amperage that fits what you are doing... AND had at least two high amperage rated circuits, then it could work for you.  The question that pops up is the quality of the component in the panel.

 OK I got carried away AGAIN, sorry to chew your ear off, but my main idea is build an electrical system that will survive the Hunting Trips today and tomorrow and get you back.
No matter which way you go with your electrical, good luck, take your time and "Do It Right The First Time"... !

Ltr

Last edited on Mon Apr 29th, 2019 12:58 pm by Scrambler82



____________________
Ltr,
2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !
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 Posted: Wed May 8th, 2019 10:14 pm
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Chewy_719
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Well I put them on my bumper. I ended up getting a universal light mount that mounts on your license plate. It doesn't look bad.

Attachment: KIMG1747.JPG (Downloaded 16 times)

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 Posted: Wed May 8th, 2019 10:33 pm
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Scrambler82
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Looks good, I have the same Red Lettered Covers, nice touch.

That mount simplfied the install, good idea.



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Ltr,
2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !
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