>Driving lights. Anyone know how much current the originals draw? Hate to
>smoke a brand new wiring harness just because I like the looks of a set of
>lamps at the store.
Since Tom, Pat, or someone else hasn't jumped in, I'll offer the
following thoughts. If the circuit isn't already set up to actually feed
the juice to the lights using relays, I'd use the original wiring and
switch to key a new relay (or relays). That way you can use pretty much
any lights you want, keeping in mind that if your alternator won't handle
the extra load then you'll be pulling the difference from the battery,
which could leave you stranded.
I do remember message threads that talked about replacing the leads to
the battery when upgrading to a higher output unit, and the modifications
needed when using an internally regulated unit. I'll have to do a search
to see if I can dig them up. If I remember correctly, the OEM units put
out around 35 to 40 amps, with wiring designed to carry that load. Drop
in a 70 or 100 amp unit, try to feed it through the OEM wiring and you'll
almost certainly cook more that just the alternator/battery lead. The
really nice thing about adding relays and additional wiring along with a
bigger alternator to allow installing more powerful headlights, driving
or fog lights, high power stereos, etc., is that you're not altering the
original harness and you can easily return everything to original
condition if you need to.
Oh yeah. Always remember that a circuit has two sides, hot AND ground. If
the lights you install don't self ground through their shells, your
ground wires need to be as large as the hot side, and it doesn't hurt to
fuse both legs of the circuit.
FWIW, Ron
Ronnie Day
ronday@home.com
Dallas/Ft. Worth
'71 510 2-dr (Prepared Class Autocrosser)
'73 510 2-dr (Street Toy)
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