Defender Headlight relay upgrade- mounting location

[Toxic_Avenger]

Traxide kit or similar, where did you mount your new era headlight relays in your defender?

I'm looking to cram in 3x new era relays in the mule. Ideally in the same location... which needs a bit of real estate!
I've got the traxide kit, but adding another relay for my LED light bars (future proofing in case I ever go for a big 240W job some time in the future- ie a 20A draw on that alone).

Tossing up logistics of a few locations, but interested to see who had done it, where you put them, and what you'd do differently if you had your time over.

I've been looking at the following locations:
1) Behind LHS headlight- screwed to upright radiator support structure
2) Behind LHS headlight- screwed to plastic wheel arch liner
3) Behind RHS headlight- on a bracket of some description- but will have to compete for space with 3x 50mm2 wleding cables for the winch, plus winch breather line.
4) "Somewhere" in the engine bay. Space is sparse in the puma

[austastar]

Hi,
I made a small bracket and mounted both on it, held in place by the nut/bolt holding the horn up behind the left headlight.
Cheers

[Toxic_Avenger]

I've noticed the LHS horn is mounted between the blinker and park lights. There is another horn in the same location on the RHS (one is high tone, one is low tone).
There is also another horn assembly - for the alarm, on the puma at least- which is up high and towards the centre of the LHS headlight.

So yours mount longitudunally with the vehicle on your bracket? I hadn't thought about that positon.

[austastar]

Hi,
I have yet to put in the driving light wiring, could do that tomorrow and take a picture at the same time.
Cheers

[jon3950]

I put mine under the cover on the driver's side wing as detailed here:
Alasdair, the MY16 Keswick 110

From memory you have something else there (winch solenoid?) so that doesn't help. The other spot I would consider is just forward of there, still on the wheel arch behind the air filter box. There is a bit of space there that still should be accessible from the opening in the wingtop.

The thing that put me off mounting them down near the horn is that if you blow a fuse or a connector comes loose, you have to pull the front of the car off to get to it. Ok that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the point. This may or may not be an issue but it's not something I want to have to deal with on a dark, rainy night in the middle of nowhere when there are werewolves about.

Do have any space left in the Ex-box?

Cheers,
Jon

[Toxic_Avenger]

Neat install

Space for mea at least might be limited there.
Toying with some ideas for a bracket. Might have a play around to see what will work.

[lebanon]

I purchased a water resistant electrical box and placed all lights related relays in.

Got a beefy positive line with 75AMP relay from the starter motor to feed all the relays.

The box was installed next to the heater blower with the help of a home made bracket.

Cheers

[austastar]

Hi,

Here is where I mounted the 2 relays for headlights and driving lights behind the LHS head lamp using what may be the alarm horn as a mounting point.

Relay1.jpg

Relay1.jpg

The horn is bolted in place with a 13mm nut and is easily accessible with a small spanner.

Cheers

[Tombie]

Keep in mind Mitch that a 240w LED bar doesn't draw anything close to 240w and nothing near 20a...

If it does its being driven at 100% and its thermal management will be absolutely crap.
And - Wattage isn't a measure of Lighting efficiency or output (and Lumen ratings on light bars are theoretical rather than actual)

Just some things to be aware of when buying them... LED bars serve a useful purpose, but are marketed deceptively in many cases..

[Toxic_Avenger]

Keep in mind Mitch that a 240w LED bar doesn't draw anything close to 240w and nothing near 20a...

If it does its being driven at 100% and its thermal management will be absolutely crap.
And - Wattage isn't a measure of Lighting efficiency or output (and Lumen ratings on light bars are theoretical rather than actual)

Just some things to be aware of when buying them... LED bars serve a useful purpose, but are marketed deceptively in many cases..

Hmmm... I was using the old Watts/Volts = Amps calc.
Was not aware of the other aspects of it, so thanks!

I might just get away with a simple 30A fused narva relay for the light bar then... at a fraction of the footprint.