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Re: [TR] TR4 Driving lamps

To: Randall <tr3driver@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [TR] TR4 Driving lamps
From: "Lee&John Howard" <leejohn7@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 15:53:49 -0400
Many thanks, Randall. That's good input..especially since ISTR you don't
favor extra lamps!
John

On 4/22/06, Randall <tr3driver@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> > I'm in the process of wiring up a pair of vintage Lucas lamps, one spot
> the
> > other fog, into my 64 TR4. I've read Dan Masters' directions for wiring
> into
> > a 250/TR6. I am doing an alternator conversion, which means I will also
> > change the polarity to negative ground. My questions are
> > 1. Any reason why I can't apply Dan's wiring scheme to the TR4?
>
> I've not seen the article in question, but ISTR Dan doesn't like
> ammeters.  My
> personal suggestion is always to add loads to the alternator/car side of
> the
> ammeter, so the ammeter still correctly indicates how much
> charge/discharge the
> battery is seeing.  Connecting loads to the starter solenoid will cause
> the load
> current to look like charge current to the battery.  Connecting the
> alternator
> here (as ISTR Dan suggests) will cause the ammeter to always read
> discharge,
> even when the battery is being overcharged.
>
> > 2. If I put relays in the scheme, what size do I use? Sized for each
> lamp's
> > amperage?
>
> As a minimum, yes.  However, an ordinary "foglight" relay is usually rated
> higher, like 20 amps, and will work just fine.
>
> > 3. What size fuses in the in-line fuses?
> > 4. The bulb in the spot is 48 Watt, meaning it draws 4 amps, right?
> > Anything else I should be wary of?
>
> Incandescent bulbs draw a lot of extra current when they are first turned
> on
> (which is why the bulbs in your house so frequently fail when first turned
> on)
> so the fuse needs to be a bit larger than the bulb rating.  Ideally the
> fuse
> should be matched to the current capacity of the wire you use ... larger
> wire
> and fuses mean less resistance which means more light.  So I'd probably do
> something like 14 AWG wire (which can handle up to 30 amps) and a 25 amp
> fuse.
>
> Randall


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