If you need a wide light beam while driving at night, an LED light bar is ideal for you. It has become popular over the years as LED is more efficient than traditional lights.
The light that comes from LED has better visibility when driving off-road.
However, some people want to use a lightbar without a relay because sometimes it creates extra hassle.
So, If you want to know how to wire led light bar without relay, then stick with this blog post till the end and mount your LED lightbar easily.
Summary: Wiring an LED light bar without a relay is possible, though it may not be the most recommended method due to the higher risk of electrical issues. However, if you decide to proceed without a relay, ensure you have the necessary tools and equipment, such as a wiring kit, fuse, switch, wire stripper, and connectors. Additionally, make sure the LED light bar is compatible with your vehicle’s electrical system and that the wiring can handle the current draw from the light bar.
To begin, disconnect your car’s battery to prevent any electrical accidents. Connect the LED light bar’s positive (red) wire directly to the positive terminal of your battery or an existing power source within the vehicle. Next, install an inline fuse holder between the power source and the light bar to protect against electrical surges. Connect the light bar’s negative (black) wire to the negative terminal of your battery or a suitable grounding point on the car’s chassis.
To control the LED light bar, install a switch by connecting one end of a wire to the positive wire of the light bar and the other end to the switch. After ensuring all connections are secure, reconnect the car’s battery and test the LED light bar for proper functionality. Remember to secure any loose wiring using zip ties or other fasteners to keep it in place.
What is Relay?
Relays are Electromagnetic Switches That let a low current circuit convert into high current circuits. The conversions occur when electrical inputs activate electromagnets.
Relays effectively work as a switch or an amplifier by leveraging the weak information powering into stronger currents. Many electronics have variations of relay inside.
Relays can be used as a converter switch from low current to high current or switching circuit on or off, reverse polarity, and much more.
For example, when adding large amp led lights like off-road light bars, driving lights, or other work lights to your vehicle, you must need a relay switch to power the light adequately.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Relay
Advantages of Relay:
- Relays consume low current. However, it can activate large machines with great power.
- It can work well in high temperatures.
- Relays are cost-effective but have great value and performance. It offers essential functions and can be integrated into a variety of circuit types.
- Relay can switch multiple contacts with just a single contact at once.
- Relay can be used both as a dc (direct current) or ac (alternating current) system relatively to protect AC and DC equipment.
Disadvantages of Relay:
- Relays contacts can affect over time due to continuous use, dust, and pollutions. As time passes, the component inside the relay grows weak.
- They generate a lot of noise with the activation and deactivation of the contacts. This noise could be so much disturbing if you use a lot of relays in your system.
- Like contactors relay cannot withstand high inrush currents. So, they are of no use in the microelectronic circuits because the relay’s coil needs a high number of currents to energize. As a result, additional circuitry is required to withstand high inrush current.
- It needs periodic testing and maintenance, unlike static relays.
- Due to the design, relay parts are subject to mechanical and electrical wear and may cause ignition between the switching contacts. Which must be taken into consideration when setting up the circuits.
Process: How to Wire Led Light Bar Without Relay
Step 1:
First, select an LED light bar that is best suitable. Next, you need to determine some common things when choosing your led light bar.
Some Factors include color temperature, lifespan watt, and voltage consumption of the lightbar.
Step 2:
The next thing you need to do is locate the appropriate location to mount the led light bar. You can choose a bulbar, rooftop, or any other location of your vehicle that is best suitable for your needs.
Try to be creative in this part because an appropriate mounting location can make a big difference.
Step 3:
Once You have found the right place to mount the LED light bar, drill the accurate size hole to the appropriate location, you want to mark the place before drilling.
So that you know you are drilling in the right place. Also, be careful that you do not damage any other parts of your vehicle while drilling.
Step 4:
After you have completed the drilling process, it is time to mount the brackets of the LED lightbar. Make sure you’ve all the screws available.
Secure it firmly with the given screws and lightbar. You can make adjustments and tweak them as you want. But do not overtighten it, as it will need future adjustments.
Step 5:
Now it is time to mount the switch. But before that, you want to lose the wire connection from your car battery.
Also, doing attachment while the car battery is active can cause electric shock. So, it is wise to make sure there are no harm issues during the process.
Step 6:
After you have secured the car battery now, it is time to identify the place where you will mount the switch. You want to mount the switch where it is easily accessible.
Once you find the switch’s exact location, it’s time to mount the switch with a power supply. You need to make sure the power supply can handle the same voltage and wattage required for the LED lightbar.
Step 7:
Once you determine the suitable power supply for your LED lightbar, connect the switch with the power supply.
You also need to pick a resistor to resist the high current value that passes through it. If you do not, then there is a high chance it can damage your LED lightbar.
This part requires some calculations of voltage and amperage before picking up the suitable resistor.
Step 8:
When you pick up the appropriate resistor, then it’s time to mount the switch. First, you need to make sure the switch is in off mode to avoid any mishap.
You can use copper wire to connect the switch with the resistor.
When connecting the wire, you must attach both ends with their respective position and solder them alongside.
After that, connect the other side of the switch with the power supply. You also need to connect the led lightbar with the power supply.
Step 9:
Once you have connected all the parts now, you need to connect the remaining part with the harnesses.
You should connect the ground wire earthen with the negative battery terminal and the other side with the switch.
Step 10:
Once you have connected all the wires and plugged them correctly, it is time to check everything. First, see if there is any loose connection or wire.
If there is any, tape them properly so that they will not get loose over time. Next, check again if the LED lightbar fitted properly; tighten them up so that they are mounted accordingly.
If everything seems ok, then now it is time to test and activate the LED light bar. If the lightbar is turning on without any problem, then Congratulations! You have just connected a LED light bar without any relay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Wire a Light Bar Directly?
Yes, you can wire a light bar directly. The process is not difficult, but it does require some knowledge of electrical wiring and lighting. Before you begin, you’ll need to gather the following items:
1. A light bar
2. A power supply (wall plug, battery, etc.)
3. Wiring supplies (wire strippers, connectors, etc.)
4. A voltmeter
5. A test light
6. An ohm meter
7. A drill
8. A screwdriver
9. An electrician
10. Safety goggles
11. A ladder
12. Protection (e.g., dust mask, gloves)
The first step in wiring a light bar is to determine the desired configuration of the lights. This will help you choose the correct wiring supplies and connectors. Once you have determined the desired configuration, measure the distance between each light and the power supply. This will be your wiring length. Next, mark the ends of your wire lengths with a marker or a sharpie and cut them to the desired length with a wire stripper/cutter. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation off each end of the wires and strip about an inch of insulation off each end of the light cable(s). Twist each wire around a connector until it forms a secure knot, then slide the connector onto one end of the light cable(s). Repeat this process for all lights in your configuration. Note: If you are wiring multiple lights together in series (or parallel), make sure that the connectors are facing in the same direction! Next, connect one end of your power supply to one connector on your light bar and connect the other end of your power supply to another connector on your light bar (or to another connector on another light in your configuration). Finally, connect one end of each wire from your power supply to each wire from your lights (or to another connector on another light in your configuration). Make sure that the ground connection is made at either end of each wire (connections marked “GND” on most power supplies). If everything looks good and there are no obvious problems with your connections, test your installation by turning on one of your lights!
Why Do Led Light Bars Need a Relay?
A relay is a device that helps control the flow of electricity. It does this by switching the electricity from one circuit to another when it is needed. This is how led light bars work – when the vehicle is turned on, the relay turns on the power to the led light bar so it can start shining brightly. When the vehicle is turned off, the relay turns off the power to the led light bar so it will not shine.
What Size Relay Do I Need for Led Light Bar?
To find the right size relay for a Led Light Bar, it is important to first determine the wattage of the light bar. Once you know the wattage of the light bar, you can use our online calculator to find the appropriate size relay.
What is the Easiest Way to Wire a Light Bar?
There are a few easy steps you can take to wiring a light bar:
1. Locate the light bar and the light fixtures it will be attached to.
2. Remove the old light fixtures by unscrewing the screws or removing the panels if they are removable.
3. Connect the new light fixtures to the light bar using the correct wiring connectors.
4. Reinstall the panels or screws if necessary.
Conclusion
Wiring an LED light bar in front of a vehicle can make the view more transparent while driving at night.
However, it is a bit of a complicated process. But you can do it by following the guideline mentioned in this blog post.
If you think you can’t do it or don’t have any previous experience mounting LED lights, my suggestion would be to ask a professional for help who has prior expertise in this process.
I hope you have found the above information on how to wire led light bar without relay helpful. Now go and apply this step-by-step process to mount a led lightbar in your vehicle.
If you face any problems or have any confusion on this topic, let me know in the comment section below!