Bongo Fury

Do you need to use a relay to wire a FEW tiny leds not bdc style just thought about a couple of parking lights running off leisure battery,and maybe one on side step...

chipvan wrote:Do you need to use a relay to wire a FEW tiny leds not bdc style just thought about a couple of parking lights running off leisure battery,and maybe one on side step...

See link http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 44&t=53291

Leds are very low voltage so will only need a live an earth and a switch no need for a relay, my external Leds are wired in with the sidelights no relay no problems

M 80NGO wrote:Leds are very low voltage so will only need a live an earth and a switch no need for a relay, my external Leds are wired in with the sidelights no relay no problems

Remember you still need an appropriate fuse at the source of supply to protect the wiring.

dave_aber wrote:

M 80NGO wrote:Leds are very low voltage so will only need a live an earth and a switch no need for a relay, my external Leds are wired in with the sidelights no relay no problems

Remember you still need an appropriate fuse at the source of supply to protect the wiring.

i'm still running the standard sidelight fuse without issues and tbh the leds draw such little current it shouldn't really make a differance.

The draw from the LEDs is irrelevant. In fact, the fact they draw so little is where the danger lies.

I'm guessing these figures to illustrate the point here :

Sidelights draw 3A. Fused at 4A, cable rated at 5A. So, fuse doesn't blow under normal use, but if the 5A cable chafes through, the 4A fuse blows before the 5A cable overheats and causes a fire.

So, add on a 0.5A set of LEDs. Use 1A cable. Don't add a fuse. If the 1A cable shorts out (or partially shorts), it will overheat and melt / ignite when it draws 2-3A. Your 4A fuse won't blow. You will have a red hot wire, melting plastic and possibly a fire.

You should always fuse a spur at a rating higher than the full load condition of the device (or the fuse will keep blowing), and use cable rated higher than that fuse, so the fuse is the weak link, not the cable.

Of course, if you have extended your sidelight wiring with the same rating of cable, then the whole leg is fused at a current below the failure level for the cable so you should be safe.

Thanks guys..been wanting extra lights for ages..