Light switch melted - Help!!

[KiotiJohn]

I HATE electrical stuff! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif John

 

[BB_TX]

I agree with Brian that 50 amps is one heck of a switch. We use a lot of heavy duty switches here. I looked in some our catalogs and could not find anything approaching 50 amps in a toggle. Especially DC. I expect it was not marked correctly or severely overrated.

 

[nitroxn]

My suggestion it to use small toggle switch to activate a bosch relay. Most relays in automotive stores are rated for 30 amps DC. Looks like your lights 4 bulbs x 55 watts divided by 12 volts gives you just under 20 amps of current. I would stick with the 20 amp fuse BUT put it close to the battery so it can protect the tractor. Example your fuse is 1 foot from your switch the switch is 4 feet away from battery. What keeps the other three feet from shorting and catching the tractor on fire? If you need any diagrams I will be glad to help.



Curtis

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> If you need any diagrams I will be glad to help.</font>
A diagram, including wire size, location of relays, switches, etc., would help me. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I'd like to redo my aux lights and doing it right would be nice. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I bought 2 automotive kits that came with switches and relays. I'd like to use a switch panel in the dash instead of 2 separate ones near the ROPS.

 

[KiotiKevin]

Thanks Guys,
First of all I want to say thank you for all the responses, I really appreciate it !
I picked up a 40A-12VDC relay & plug with 5 wires today. I found a guy to explain where each wire goes. I am going to try to attach a couple of pics and maybe you guys can let me know if this is the right one. wires - red85 -blue30-white86-yellow87- & green87a. Can someone tell me which wire goes where . Then I will know if that guy gave me the right info. Thanks
Kevin My Tractor Pics

 

[Inspector507]

Kevin,
Looks like 30 is where your battery feed for your lights go.
87 and 87A are where you connect the wire that goes to the lights.
85 and 86 are where your switched 12V power goes.

That's from looking at the picture you attached.

 

[BB_TX]

You might try the first picture in this attachment. The relay coil would be 86/85 and the contact would be 30/87. You would also need a fuse in the 12v source line of course. DC devices are often polarized (i.e. makes a difference on which side you put the positive wire) but there is no indication on that device that it is polarized.

 

[KiotiKevin]

I apologize for not being up to speed on the electrical jargen like polarized etc. To simplify - could you tell me if I would be right by doing this - I tye the red85 & blue30 together connect it to the inline fuse(feed) then I attach yellow87 to light #1 & green87a to light #2 then I attach white86 to one side of the toggle switch then I run a ground from the other side of the toggle switch ? So actually the only wire going to the toggle switch from the relay is the white86 ? Would it also be safe to say that I would be ok with the 1 toggle switch for the 2 lights ?
Kevin
My Tractor Pics

 

[BB_TX]

Kevin - I modified the sketch a little. You wire from the fuse to 30 on the relay and to your switch. Wire from 87 to your lights. Wire from the other side of the switch to 85. Then wire the grounds as shown. Wiring this way, there is very little current that goes thru the switch (only the relay coil current). The main load goes directly from the fuse to the relay contact to the lights.
Look carefully at the relay module. See if there might be a small + sign at or near either the 85 or 86, or any where for that matter. If there is a + sign, then it is polarity sensitive and we may need to revisit it. If there is no + sign then it should not matter.

 

[KiotiKevin]

Thanks Bill, I hope you don't get frustrated with me but I'm not much for technical diagrams although it looks pretty straight forward for most. I guess I can't see past the 5 colored wires with the relay and toggle switch.
Please correct me where I'm wrong :
1/"You wire from the fuse to 30 on the relay and to your switch." - I hook the Blue#30 to the fuse(what color# goes to the switch?)
2/"Wire from 87 to your lights." - There are 2-#87 wires Yellow#87 & Green#87A (do I hook up one to each light?)
3/"Wire from the other side of the switch to 85." (does that mean I hook up Red#85 to the other side of the switch?)
4/What do I do with White#86 ?
Thanks for tolerating me !
Kevin
My Tractor Pics