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Author Topic: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)  (Read 1873 times)

Trucker

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Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« on: January 13, 2019, 09:41:57 am »

All, i have a set of LED foot well lights, type you buy from flea bay, i intend to put them in my lorry cab powered from the 12v socket, but inorder to hide the power cable i want to make the existing lead a lot longer by cutting and soldering in a new longer piece of cable, but, i dont know what size cable to use, i have no idea what watts or amps the original lights are but im going along the lines that most sat navs are about 5 to 8 amps, SO, if i purchase 11amp twin 12v cable would this be ok, thoughts and answers please  {:-{
       
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Techi question for electricians...
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2019, 10:08:59 am »

LED lamps are generally noted for not using much current.  Unless you intend to put upwards of 10 yards of extra length in, just using the same weight of wire will be just fine.  Anything heavier will be overkill, but won't do any harm.  But make sure you go leg for leg, it is a DC environment, and LEDs are semicinductors and don't like reverse voltage.
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roycv

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Re: Techi question for electricians...
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2019, 10:10:09 am »

Hi, LED lights take 1/10th the power of incandescent (bulb) lights 5 amp wire will be more than enough. 

With 12 volts at 4 amps then you could use 50 watt ordinary lights, the equivalent in LED lights would be almost 10 times that nearly 500 watts, I imagine footwell lights would be a fairly low wattage.
regards.Roy
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roycv

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Re: Techi question for electricians...
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2019, 10:11:41 am »

Hi Malcolm I see our replies were 1 second apart!
Roy
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Mark T

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Re: Techi question for electricians...
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2019, 12:27:00 pm »

All, i have a set of LED foot well lights, type you buy from flea bay, i intend to put them in my lorry cab powered from the 12v socket, but inorder to hide the power cable i want to make the existing lead a lot longer by cutting and soldering in a new longer piece of cable, but, i dont know what size cable to use, i have no idea what watts or amps the original lights are but im going along the lines that most sat navs are about 5 to 8 amps, SO, if i purchase 11amp twin 12v cable would this be ok, thoughts and answers please  {:-{
     


I've got these in my truck - If they are the type that comes on a ribbon that is self adhesive you can use the smallest cable you like.  They draw virtually no current at all

Trucker

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Re: Techi question for electricians...
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2019, 03:47:26 pm »

many thanks for all your replies, the lights are not of ribbon type and are DC current, they are incased in a plastic covered block , im sure the same thoughts would apply, so, thanks for the help and out with the soldering iron... :-))
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Trucker

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Re: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2019, 08:20:59 pm »

ok, back for more info, i have made the lead for lights but have no power to lights, im no expert with this only experience from DIY. so this is what ive got and i would like to know if its ok and should i expect it to actually work...
i have a power dropper plugged into the lorry 24v socket, this out puts the 12v to power my lights, i noticed today its rated at a max 8amp out put, i have purchased my new 12v cable which is rated at 11 amp, lead made but nothing,,,is there no power because the extension lead is 11amp, 3amp over the droppers max 8amp  %%  hope some one has the know how that could point the finger...


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boneash

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Re: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2019, 01:10:12 am »

Hi Trucker Don't worry about the amp numbers, there will be no problem there.You've either got a bad connection or have not kept the positive and negative  (red and black) around the right way.the + at the output of the voltage reducer must go to the red + of the Led wires.
If you're really stuck PM me I live in Kent not far from M20/M26 junction.

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Mark T

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Re: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2019, 04:22:32 am »

What make truck are you doing this in?

malcolmfrary

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Re: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2019, 09:43:18 am »

Does anything else work in that socket?
Is the dropper a "plug in, socket out" type? If so, does anything else work plugged into it?

Just because the cable is rated at 11A does not mean that it will somehow pull 11A. If the dropper maxes out at 8A, that is all that is going to go through the cable, so it isn't going to act like a big fuse and incinerate your cab.  Similarly, what the cable actually does carry depends on the load at the end, a big load will pull a lot, a few LEDs will pull very little.  LEDs should be at the low end of current draw.
Assuming that there is 12 volts coming out of the dropper, and the lights don't, current is not flowing through the lights.  Either no volts getting to the light unit, or the current is going elsewhere.
A broken wire stops the current.  A bad connection counts as a broken wire.
A short will bypass the intended load, so the lights will stay out.  This usually results in the fuse blowing, same eventual result as the broken wire. 
LEDs are polarity sensitive, so must be connected the right way round.  If not either a safety prevents both operation and damage, OR they die.  Either way, they don't light up, but if there is a safety device in there, you get another try without buying again.

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Trucker

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Re: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2019, 04:57:10 pm »

 :embarrassed:  i have found my problem, i have had a bad solder day, this is what happens when rushing and trying to do the job in my shed by torch light, any way im going to redo over the week end. thank you all for your input.
Hey, Mark T, im driving a Axor, (Merc) blue and red from Lenham, you may know the company  :}


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Mark T

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Re: Techi question for electricians... (LEDs)
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2019, 05:34:04 pm »

Well done bud  :-))   The reason I asked what type of truck is because Scania's have very dodgy ciggy sockets and they burn out very easily. I know Lenhams well - I used to load European freight out of there mainly for Southern Ireland and Germany.  Good lads in the yard but the office always kept me waiting  O0
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