[Healeys] Driving light wiring

[Bob Spidell]

According to at least one source (http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm), 14AWG is good for 32 amps.  Somewhere on 
the lights or their packaging there should be a rating for their current draw--if it's in watts, divide by 12 to get the 
current--e.g. if one light is rated at 100W, the current draw would be a little over 8A for one and 16A+ for two.

Voltage rating does matter, above the wire's rating the insulation may break down (I suspect--but can't prove--that part 
of the problems with Lucas electrics is below par insulation).  Obviously, 150V is plenty good for a 12V (actually 
13-14V) system.  If anything, landscaping wire might be more rugged than some others.  Make sure you wire so that 
there's no chafing or rubbing of the wire, and a fuse or two would be a great idea.


bs



On 11/14/2010 10:31 AM, Jaap Aeckerlin wrote:
> Ron, Volts don't say anything. It's the Amps that count. Unfortunately 14
> AWG doesn't mean anything to me, poor European Continental who is used to
> express the thickness of copper wire in square millimeters. In case you have
> a conversion table: 2.5 sq.mm wire will do for the headlamp wire. The wire
> feeding the relay coil can be much smaller, 0.75 sq.mm.
> Regards,
> Jack Aeckerlin, The Netherlands
> 1964 BJ8 29432
>
> 2010/11/14 Ron Fine<RonFineEsq at earthlink.net>
>
>> I am wiring up some driving lights for my BN7 with relays&  fuses.  I have
>> some new 14 AWG stranded copper low voltage landscaping wire.  The
>> insulation
>> shows it is UL certified for 150 Volt.  Is there any reason I can not use
>> this
>> for the connection of the driving lights to the relays?
>>
>> Thank,
>> Ron

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Bob Spidell           San Jose, CA            bspidell at comcast.net

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