Another wiring question..... Fuse/relay box....

[Alpine Warthog]

Hey all, Adding some old school relays and toggle switches and opted for a pre-wired fuse box from True Mod.

I know enough about wiring to get myself into trouble.... So I'm trying to ensure the trouble is minimized. Normally, I just buy wire that matches whatever pigtails the light is using. BUT THIS TIME>>>>

The trumod box comes prewired and has 12AWG power wires (blue and yellow) and a pair of 16 AWG wires (black and white) coming off the relays.
Wiring up some KC halogens (two pairs) a set of ditch pods and eventually rock lights.

The wires sold at parts store don't come in AWG, just "gauge". I know enough that these aren't the same. so now, I don't really know what to use. The pigtails on the halogen KCs look like 16 or 14 gauge so I'm not really sure if I'm ok wiring 16 or 14 to a big, fat 12AWG.....

Advice?
Link to the relay box

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[Mr._Bill]

The problem with this setup is you need a good idea of what to do and how to wire it. It is just six relays packed in one container. It is not like the Aux Switches, or any of the replacements, where you just connect the lights to the positive wire for the associated switch.

 

[Hootbro]

The pigtails on the halogen KCs look like 16 or 14 gauge so I'm not really sure if I'm ok wiring 16 or 14 to a big, fat 12AWG.....

Since the load side use wires are smaller gauge, it not a big deal wiring into heavier gauge so long as the circuit amp rating is not exceeded.

Biggest issue will be making sure the proper joining connection method is used. Generally butt splice connections are 10-12 AWG and 14-16 AWG.

 

[FL Robert]

I have the same relay box. Where are you mounting it? I think I'm going to mount mine above the brake booster.

AWG and gauge are indeed the same thing. AWG stands for American Wire Gauge.

 

[Lost1wing]

We live in a world that it is now possible to order items from around the world. Amazon for example, you can purchase wire with a ##ga. If from Europe, it could be a swg wire. Ga is used for swg in some references. Made in China? All bets are off as to what you will get, even if the package says awg or swg. The big auto stores sell wire that just call out ##ga. Awg is what it is most of the time.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

We live in a world that it is now possible to order items from around the world. Amazon for example, you can purchase wire with a ##ga. If from Europe, it could be a swg wire. Ga is used for swg in some references. Made in China? All bets are off as to what you will get, even if the package says awg or swg. The big auto stores sell wire that just call out ##ga. Awg is what it is most of the time.

This is what I thought as well.... but I took the box down to the parts store and thier 12 gauge was wayyyyy smaller than the 12AWG coming out of the box....

 

[Alpine Warthog]

I have the same relay box. Where are you mounting it? I think I'm going to mount mine above the brake booster.

I'm going underneath the booster on the fire wall, in behind the wheel liner. There's some convenient studs under there and being water "proof" (notice the quotes) I'm going to hope it stays dry enough.

 

[Lost1wing]

This is what I thought as well.... but I took the box down to the parts store and thier 12 gauge was wayyyyy smaller than the 12AWG coming out of the box....

And I suspect that the wire from the parts store was made in China and is for another marker area. I looked at the spools of wire that I bought off of Amazon. They also are labeled 16ga and 18ga. Stripers work fine and I've had no issues of under crimping wires.

 

[Lost1wing]

I have an STech relay box mounted on the drivers side fender rail. It is up pretty high there and not too concerned about water. The STech box came with a mount bracket. If you were to install you fuse box there, you would need to make a bracket.

 

[FL Robert]

I have an STech relay box mounted on the drivers side fender rail. It is up pretty high there and not too concerned about water. The STech box came with a mount bracket. If you were to install you fuse box there, you would need to make a bracket.

Do you have pics of where and how its mounted?

 

[ChrisNLA]

This is what I thought as well.... but I took the box down to the parts store and thier 12 gauge was wayyyyy smaller than the 12AWG coming out of the box....

Box is probably using cheap wire that doesn't even meet a certain spec, or it has really cheap, thick, insulation that makes the wire seem larger than it is.

I stock TXL and GXL wire for my projects and paid projects (based on what I can get my hands on in a given size) and I consider it to be the best go-to for automotive projects - for wire 22 gauge to 8 gauge anyway. It's very high quality and meets all the big automaker specs. Can't even find it at auto parts stores around here so I order in small spools and sell it to my friends.

14 gauge is fine for the lights unless hey are particularly huge/powerful or the run is really long. For these applications I actually bought 250 feet of duplex cable. It has two conductors already inside a nice grey sheath.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Since the load side use wires are smaller gauge, it not a big deal wiring into heavier gauge so long as the circuit amp rating is not exceeded.

Biggest issue will be making sure the proper joining connection method is used. Generally butt splice connections are 10-12 AWG and 14-16 AWG.

This - just fuse according to the smallest wire in the run.

Also, they do make step down splices - usually yellow with blue stripe (10-12 down to 14-16) and blue with pink(red) stripe (14-16 down to 18-22).

 

[Lost1wing]

Do you have pics of where and how its mounted?

Do you have pics of where and how its mounted?

 

[Lost1wing]

Another thread showing the Vos switchbox install.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...ch-from-auxiliary-light-wiring-harness.58686/

 

[FL Robert]

Thank you!

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