Thoughts on enduro lighting and amperage draw?

#1

I am running a 6 hour night enduro with PBOC in two weeks. I just ordered in a 60 LED center spotlight, and two 20 LED side floodlights. The front spotlight is 8.2 amps, each side is 5 amps. I am going to have a plug that is constantly hot up front, and when night comes, I’ll snap the lights in and plug them in, so there will be no switch. Any thoughts on whether this will be too much amperage on the stock alternator? I’m also contemplating wiring the front headlights to both come on as well, I don’t know that amperage draw, but its probably another 15 or so with all four on. Any thoughts on this entire contraption?

Thanks in advance.

-Scott

#2

I use a maglight with 2 d cells duct taped to the hood, works like a charm…

I imagine if you are not running a stereo, wipers and heater fan all at the same time you should be fine

Al

#3

There are 3 different alternator outputs available for e30s. I believe 65, 75 and 90 amps, someone correct me if my numbers are incorrect. I have a 90 amp unit and was running 620 watts of total lighting on the front for about 3 hours. 620 watts at 13 volts is little over 47amps. Actual alternator output is little over 13 volts. With about 15 more amps for dme, fuel pump, and total running under 75 of 90 amps of alternator output.

All lighting should be fused and control with a switch and relay. Alternators are designed to run about 1/3 of maximum output. I was pushing the limit but, with 8 lights controlled with 4 switches and relays, i could turn some off if a problem occurred. Try that with a weak battery and you will never make it to the end of the race.

Peter Thibault

#4

Thanks Peter. Have any idea what the amp draw is for the 4 stock headlights running at the same time? With all the LED power I have, I might not run the stock headlights at all, since I think they will offer a minimum, if any, improvement in lighting, at the expense of probably another 10-15 amps.

#5

Our headlights are what, 55 Watts? If that is correct, a pair of headlights wants 110 W (call it 10A) and 4 headlights 220 W, (call it 20A). I rounded down a bit to account for inefficiencies in the system.

#6

And, on another note, when you turn on the factory headlights, the instrument cluster lights do not come on. Anyone have any ideas on how to quick and dirty troubleshoot? I don’t want to lay under the dash for hours, if needed I’ll search for the wire to the dash lights and constantly power it or something, but the wiring under the dash is a rats nest so diagnosis is tough. If none of it works, I might just power up a small LED on the dash crossbar and point it at the gauges - ghetto, I know, but any port in a storm.

Thoughts on how to be non-ghetto?

Thanks again, in advance.

-Scott

#7

Check fuses to start with. While it could be a wiring issue, there is an equal chance of it being the dimmer in head light switch.

#8

Scott,

The e30 dash dimmer switch is opposite of that American shit that you are used to. Turn it to the right to brighten.

I have used 100 watt halogen bulbs in all four factory lights (with factory wiring and relays) before with no issue. That is not to say that you can do that with your Aux lighting.

Talk to the Drive Gear guys about lighting. They have done the night enduro with Aux lights before.

Have fun - I’ll be in Chicago freezing my nads off that week.

Don

#9

Scott,

The LEDs should not be a problem for the alternator, just be careful where you tap the power to get the 12v. You would be better off running a new wire from the 12V block up front or your safety switch to get power. I’d add a inline fuse to be safe. The bulbs may not pop the fuse, but if you fray a wire and it shorts, you’ll be happy for the fuse.

On the dash, if the dimmer doesn’t do it, it is most likely the dash bulbs themselves. The small (dim) led maybe ghetto…but it maybe the easiest solution.

What days are you at Winterfest?

#10

Don/Shawn:

The dimmer, no matter what you do, does not make the dash lights come on.

The car has some blown fuses. Does anyone have a list of what fuse does what?

I will be at Winterfest on Thursday for sure. Not sure about Wednesday practice. Running the Friday enduro as well, not sure about Sat/Sunday.

Either of you coming for the Saturday/Sunday.

Don, I haven’t forgotten about your sad plastic rear bumper, I just can’t find one. Any leads where you are at?

#11

The gauge light issue was a bad fuse. The taillights didn’t work, either, which was a combination of a bad fuse and two blown taillight bulbs.

Next question, the third brake light, is there any functionality in it to have it as a third taillight and still function as a brake light by getting brighter when you are on the brakes? This isn’t mandatory, but I’d like some extra redundancy in the light department.

Don, how did you wire your system to get all 4 of the stock headlights to come on at the same time?

#12

When on high beam, all of the headlights should be on.

#13

Check the rules closely, every enduro that I’ve done (Vir 13, 25 hour) require you to switch off the extra lights when you enter the pits.

#14

I’m putting on a separate switch to drive the extra lights, so I should be in business, but thank you for the reminder. PBOC is a fun club, but there really aren’t much by way of rules, so they didn’t specify. With NASA at the 25 hour in the Factory Five, we left everything running and nobody said anything. All teams there did.