Thread: where to run wires to the roof

My Disco came with wiring for rooftop spoties. It has the wire running up the edge of the windscreen, just glued on. I'll take pics if you like.

I'am thinking of some roof lights later on, and I was thinking of running the wire from the roof down the inside of the snorkel.

6mm duel core marine cable (marine because it is tinned and in the weather) ATM through the door rubber into the cab, but it is to be rerouted through a hole via a rubber grommet and silicone. No leaking or rusting the roof, all will be hidden by the rhino rack mount.

Or you could go via a snorkle.

never thought about running down a snorkel i dont have one now but i plan on getting one soon,

well im also considering 4 or so spotties on the roof. the way i am going to do it is run a wire up the inside of the window on the left hand side and still yet to figure out how to take it out up in the top corner of the door then through the middle of the alloy bar used to mount the lights. i would do as dobbo said and run 2 core and just loop all the positives and negatives togetherthat way if one light goes out its only that one that goes out and not all of them. as for teh size of the cable i still havent done the calculations on that but im going to try and aim for smallest cable possible for the ammount of current draw (for every 100W there is around 8.3333333333amps) if the cable is to small there are a few problems that occur 1.cable overheats and will eventually break down the insulation or burn out the cable altogether 2.with a cable that is to small for the current draw of the load the size of the cable will reduce efficiency of the lights due to voltage drop 3. the largest size of cable would be the best (just say 1km dia cable supplying one 60w light globe it would have no voltage drop in the line due to the larger CSA wich allows more current to flow but it would be to impractical {over egsadurated}) but as dobbo said 6mm would be enough for this application im assuming but remember DC is different to AC (the current in DC is constant hence heat will build up quicker than in AC because AC fluctuates) but away from the in depth side of things and back to the point i would run the positive and negative up loop all the positives together loop all the negatives together and either run it straight back to the battery or attach the negatives after being looped atch them to the chassis as close as you can find out of the road (eg mounting bracket thats if the mounting bracket is ground to the chassis) wat sort of spotties are you going to use? just out of curiousity?

Originally Posted by c.h.i.e.f

wat sort of spotties are you going to use? just out of curiousity?

my advise cheap crap ones when they hit a tree you are peed off but not devastated


My 6x55w spotties cost $15 per light posted. Use an H3 bulb so the $86 J car HID conversion will put the cost too under $400 for 6x HID spotties


Reminder though they are illegal

now that is good thinking haha i was kind of thinking along the same lines with just buying some cheap super cheap auto 55w lights at around $40 for a pair for the same reason (broken and also stolen is another thing)
oh i see when you say illegal is that to do with your only allowed to have so many forward facing lights? but thanks for the heads up anyways!

chief thank heaps for your ideas i like them
as for what lights im using narva ultima 175's getting them of ebay the first pair cost me $95 to the front door waiting for anather cheap pair to come up, im using the roof lights to spread right out wide as ill have 2 good hid spots on the bar for straight ahead i ljust like light right out wide