Mud-club

Chat & Social => The Bar - General Chat => Topic started by: muddyjames on August 24, 2009, 18:08:17

Title: flashing beacons
Post by: muddyjames on August 24, 2009, 18:08:17

I have 2 orange beacons for the roof of my car. Anyone got any ideas what amp they are rated at as a genral rule? I dont want to overload my cars ciggarette lighter circuit by having a cb radio, 2 beacons and reversing camera screen on all at once!

I know the cb is 2amp and screen cant be much more. Hopefully 1amp. the ciggy system is 10amp on the spur I took off the main ford system.

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: Sharpshooter on August 24, 2009, 19:06:59

Generally they will use 50w lamps. This means they will draw around 4 amps each.

Current=watts/volts

You might find this useful for the future.

http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: muddyjames on August 24, 2009, 19:50:09

cool cheers.

so 2 lamps and cb radio is all i can safely run really. the reversing camera screen may need to be unplugged me thinks. will look to see what fuse is in the ford circuit before I do all 4 items!

useful link too. cheers.

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: Sharpshooter on August 24, 2009, 20:34:06

I bought a 4 way cigarette lighter socket with seperate swtiches for each socket. Then rewired it, and wired it straight tothe battery with an inline fuse. Much safer than using the internal cigarette light for this sort of thing.

Most twin beacons are a bit much for a cigarette lighter socket anyway.

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: muddyjames on August 25, 2009, 05:35:33

That is what I did in the disco but I cant find a way through the bulk head in the new car to wire it on to the batery. Thats what will happen eventually though but I need the socket on thurs-tues.

I even bought a remote socket which has 4 sockets which are all turned on and off by seperate switches but the cable is only about a foot long. totally useless. Would like to re wire it but worried what I will find!!! £15 wasted! :roll:

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: Sharpshooter on August 25, 2009, 09:23:08

Do what i did, and get some .75mm cable. that will take about 8 amps. And dont forget the inline fuse. I drilled a hole in the bulkhead of my Disco, and put a grommet in. Now i have a hole big enough for a couple of cables and my cb coax. Then i just plug the remainder of the hole with blue tak.

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: V8MoneyPit on August 25, 2009, 09:44:33

Quote from: Sharpshooter on August 25, 2009, 09:23:08

Then i just plug the remainder of the hole with blue tak.

Or use a Lucas style wiring grommet that has a diaphragm centre.

Title: Re: flashing beacons
Post by: The Smiths on August 26, 2009, 11:25:22

Hole and silicone :roll: :lol: