[Chafin1708]

I just ordered some 24vdc led flood lights and I was wandering how to wire them correctly because they have three wires coming out of them and I don't want to guess wrong and fry the light, if anyone can help thanks

 

[Ronroper]

I would contact the seller and ask the color code, a hot to a ground will not be good.

What colors are they?

 

[NuffDaddy]

Yup. Will be able to help if I know the colors.

 

[DonArkie]

Mine had brown, blue, yellow wires. Brown positive, blue negative, yellow wasnt use. Mine were hooked up 12V I find if you buy from a supplier other bowfisherman use like Customfitz or SEELite they will imform you of the wiring code. Beware of the ebay & others on-line suppliers. I found out with a converter once, when I should went through Garrett instead. I found that you can alway rely on Customfitz & SEELites for questions "if" you purchased the lights from them. Remember sometime paying cheap doesnt always come out the way you was hoping for. Look into these 2 companies, lots of bowfishing folks have and done business with them.

Brown: Positive

Blue: Negative

Yellow: N/A

I ran my wiring to marine grade 50amp bus bars, (2) on each side or positive & negitive connections. Color code your wiring with red & black, blacking being negative. I used troller motor plugs too, this way I can disconnect my deck and remove it after unpluging it if I need to do work or add more lights (like in 1st picture). Another is switches, use a outdoor type waterproof switch (like in 2nd picture), troller motor dont matter what you paid for it, get a 50amp breaker (for troller motors) or connect a 50 amp fuse & fuse connector, trollers are too dang expenisive nowdays I have both. Wiring size for "my" lights I went with 10ga. woven copper wire, try not to have butt joint in your wiring. Run full runs (lengths w/o cuts or spicing them). I had a master electrician help me and point good pointers for proper wiring . Another keep your wiring clean looking zip tied and together from run to run. This way it make for a nice clean looking and easy to track problems, my runs are labled in groups. I've seen some horrible wiring (viking funnel types) sorry about the pic, forgot to reset my camera settings from the other night. I use my under the deck area for storage, life jackets, tool kit. This way you can use the area under the deck for storage w/o having sloppy wiring hanging everywere or snagging on to wires. You'll be suprised how much wire you will use. Wire clips help too to keep your wiring from hanging or drooping. NO tape to hold them up. Tape will come loose. Take your time, think about every set you do and picture the over all look and you will have a good reliabile wiring job. NO SHORT CUTS, that equals problems

 

[Chafin1708]

Thanks donarkie that helps a lot, however you said you ran 10 ga wires for your lights is that nessecary with 24v the wires coming out of the lights looks like 18 ga

 

[DonArkie]

mine are hook up 12V so I wanted heavier wire for the more amp 12V draw, 24w draw less so what you feel comfortable using.

 

[Chafin1708]

Okay thanks that makes sense, I plan on running the lights off one of those fancy lookin busses with individual fuses what size fuse do you think will be adequate? I'm a newbie with wiring of stuff and just want to make sure all of my bases are covered

 

[DonArkie]

consideration of fuse value is based on the gauge of the wire it protects, otherwise common misconception about choosing the correct fuse size is that it's dependent the load of the circuit.

 

[NuffDaddy]

Wire size and fuses depend on your amp draw. Do you know what it is for your lights...or the wattage of the lights?

 

[DonArkie]

yes I do, why you ask? I trying to understand the real meaning of your question. To be quite honest, sounds a bit condescending.

 

[NuffDaddy]

yes I do, why you ask? I trying to understand the real meaning of your question. To be quite honest, sounds a bit condescending.

Sorry...Question wasn't to you. Was just asking the OP what what his lights were so I could give him a minimum wire/fuse recommendation.
Didn't mean it the way it read.

 

[NuffDaddy]

You got me beat in wiring knowledge...especially when it comes to 12/24 v setups.

 

[Chafin1708]

They're 50 watt lights, I found a switch panel with 10 amp breakers going to each light, I'm using 16 ga wire, I figured that would suffice because the wire on the light is like an 18 or 20 ga, hopefully that'll be enough

 

[NuffDaddy]

You don't need to run a hot wire to every light. You can run 1 hot wire all the way around and splice the lead of each light into it. You will need heavier wire for that though but will keep things simpler.

 

[DonArkie]

run 50 amp marine grade bus bars (1 for POS. & 1 for NEG) like the picture shown on my post #4, then all you'll need is 1 hot lead. If your running 24V's the smallest wire I suggest is 14ga., if its 12V I ran 10ga. a little more hearvier is alway safer. If you have to splice, use solder to your splice or electrical glue, then heat shrink tubing to water proof your splice. Dont twist them and tape them, you'll have problems.

 

[DonArkie]

Thanks donarkie that helps a lot, however you said you ran 10 ga wires for your lights is that nessecary with 24v the wires coming out of the lights looks like 18 ga

you always want to run a little heavier than what it calls for. Not what the light fixture has either, what is reconmended by a wiring & amp chart. Then bump it up to the next size. Its always safer, no risk of hot wires that could end up with a viking funnel. Electrical isnt one to take short cuts on. I watched a boat on the water smoke and melted the electrical all because the owner done it 1/2 azz and took shortcuts all because he wanted to save money. Them types are dumb azz's

 

[DonArkie]

They're 50 watt lights, I found a switch panel with 10 amp breakers going to each light, I'm using 16 ga wire, I figured that would suffice because the wire on the light is like an 18 or 20 ga, hopefully that'll be enough

you sure the 10 amp fuse breaker panel will work?, You should look at the wiring chart & amp chart , once you determan your wiring size & amperage then look into what size fuses to use. Buying something because it has switches & fuses labled marine dont mean its the right for your application. Most of them were design for navigation lights, bilge pump and other accessories. Look into a unverisal fuse panel, then again once YOU determan your proper size wiring for the amps then you can determan your correct fuse size. I went with a unversial fuse panel, once I determan MY amp draw & correct wire size (which I bumped up to the next size) I knew what was my correct fuse size was. Fuses are typically made for single time use only, it is design for over-current protection.........it's function to stop electricity from flowing to a particular component of the system by creating an open circuit as a result of an unsafe electrical condition. Like I said earlier in a post I watched a boat smoke and melt the complete electric all because it wasn't done correctly. He was lucky it didnt catch the fuel tanks on fire.

I learnt alot with my master electrian friend and doing my boat. I'm far from a expert on electrical.

 

[Chafin1708]

I spoke with one of my mechanic buddies and he said the 10 amp breakers should be more than enough for those lights. How would I determine what the amperage draw is for those lights?

 

[NuffDaddy]

Amps=watt/volt

 

[Chafin1708]

So what you're saying is my 50 watt lights divided by my 24 volt system means they're approximately 2 amps?....