Hilux/4runner Roof Spotties - Wires???

[luxbloke]

Hey Lads,

I'm installing an overhead Lightbar on my 1990 4runner and I wanted to know if any of you had run wiring to a rig ontop of your trucks before?

The dilema I have is with it being a wagon I can't run down between the tray and the cab to go underneath the body of the truck...

Any idea's on where to run the cable - bearing in mind that it's a couple of circuts (with heavy duty cable) as I have 2 Lightforce 240's and 5 Hella 140's...???

Any Idea's would be a help

[spazbot]

dont plug em in

[De-lux]

HOW THE FARK ARE YOU GOING TO FIT THAT MANY LIGHTS ON YOUR ROOF???

[luxbloke]

I'm currently fabing up a two level ally rig (maybe checker plate ). Havn't decided if i'm gunna split them onto the two levels or i'll reduce the number of 140's and keep the top level as a tree/branch protector

[Webbie]

Would it be safe to say that your scared of the dark.

[DamTriton]

40-60 amps in overhead lighting could be a problem with your alternator too. By the time you add the normal lights and the power needed to run the vehicle you could well exceed the peak alternator output which will do one of two things, kill the alt, or flatten the battery. Alternators are given their rating at ~3-4000 engine revs (~2400 for diesels) with the output dropping by an inverse square rule, ie. at 1500revs you will have less than 1/4 of the rated output. Bigger batteries will only lengthen the time it takes to go flat, but they will nonetheless go flat. A bigger/second alternator with dual bateries (+/- isolator) could be a solution to run overhead lights and other accessories (radios, ARB compressor, etc., just don't run the two alts back-to-back into the same battery.

Then of course there is the winch to run ........................

[luxbloke]

I'll be installing everthing you mentioned shortly - I wanted to make sure it was all going to work before i installed the second battery. But is there a need to install the bigger alternator though???

The'll both be heavy duty batteries so I thought - The duty on the second battery won't be run for a long time... Hence the stock alterator would still be able to top both up?

If need be I don't have to hook all the lights up...

[DamTriton]

I'll be installing everthing you mentioned shortly - I wanted to make sure it was all going to work before i installed the second battery. But is there a need to install the bigger alternator though???

The'll both be heavy duty batteries so I thought - The duty on the second battery won't be run for a long time... Hence the stock alterator would still be able to top both up?

If need be I don't have to hook all the lights up...

Add up all the power that you think you will need in amps for your "normal nocturnal activities" ie lights (all not just spotties), engine (add ~12 Amps average), heater fan, A/C fan, and other bits and pieces. If that exceeds about half of ther rated capacity of the altrnator you could be in trouble in a very short time.

Most batteries are around 60-90 Amp/Hour, and dont take too kindly to being discharged more than half their A/H rating. Most alternators are 60 -120 amp rating (noting what I said earlier about their performance vs revs). If your outs dont equal your ins plus the reserve capacity of your battery over time, then you can consider yourself a sitting duck for a flat battery sooner or later. The size of the battery will only dictate how much later....

The recommendation would be to go to a 140 Amp alternator and electronic battery isolator/charger (with hardwire override to paralell them up should it be necessary), or two alternators (Hint: on seperate belts, failsafe) charging two batteries with the load of the vehicle taken for the most part by one battery, but with something (ARB comp, radios) off the other one to "exercise" the battery a bit. Second battery would be the winch battery

Don' take this as gospel, I'm sure there would be autoleccies that may have their own thoughts, but from an electronics tradesman point of view(one of a few feathers in the cap) it seems reasonable advice.

[whiteknight]

I can see it now..

Koalas will falling from the trees as you head by..

[DamTriton]

I can see it now..

Koalas will falling from the trees as you head by..

I'll be waiting to see the 747 on final approach.........

[ausyota]

Rig up the lights so the pair of lightforce are on a separate circut to the other lights and just use them 99% of the time by them selves and flick on the others just when you need to on tracks etc (or when you need to show off )
Paul.

[longlux]

the longlux has 2 x 100 watt on high beam 2 x 150 watt & 2 x 130 watt driving lights 760 watts total

[luxbloke]

Hey Longlux,

Did you install a bigger Alternator as well as duel batteries -

[ToyTruck]

i ran 4 roof spots of 4mm cable on a 1985 4runner
the cable was twin (red + black) plus double insulated and it fit perfectly in the windscreen gutter not sure if your model has it ...

you will definatley need bigger alternator ... more batteries will just mean more work for you old alternator

the alternator i ran on the 4runner was off a VN commodore 85 amps plus it had the multi V pulley .... it was a direct replacement (bracket wise) it just needed the warning light and batt wire hooked . the VN alternator ran at 14.4 volts all the time made a massive improvement to the 16inch thermo fan and tha ARB air compressor output
i had 6 spotties and 16inch thermo and all the rest of the stereo etc etc and only 1 battery.

dual batterys is only for backup battery while camping or winching

[luxbloke]

Thanks for your input lads! Great Help!