Howard
Well-known member
wiring my bow and stern lights. Will only use them a couple times of year for short amounts of time. Does 14 wire size sound correct?
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Bow light 14 ga?
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Truckmechanic
Well-known member
That is what I used on mine.
Here is a chart I use to determine what wire gage to use when wiring a 12 volt system, I try to use a wire size that gives me plenty of "wiggle" room with the amp draw. Set the fuse size smaller than the max current to wire will handle, but high enough to handle the current requirements of the component you are powering. So a wire designed to carry 5 amps would have a 3 amp fuse, 10 amps would be 7.5 etc.
Except for the trolling motor, most of your lighting and accessory circuits are not going to draw much amperage
Length
(feet) Current (amps)
5 10 15 20 25 30 40 50 60 70
15 16 12 10 10 8 8 6 6 4 4
20 14 12 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 4
25 14 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 2 2
30 12 10 8 6 6 4 4 2 2 2
40 12 8 6 6 4 4 2 2 1 1/0
50 10 8 6 4 4 2 2 1 1/0 1/0
60 10 6 6 4 2 2 1 1/0 2/0 2/0
70 10 6 4 2 2 2 1/0 2/0 2/0 3/0
80 8 6 4 2 2 1 1/0 2/0 3/0 3/0
90 8 4 4 2 1 1/0 2/0 3/0 3/0 4/0
Where most people go wrong on wiring is using too small of a wire for the circuit and not protecting it properly with fuses or circuit breakers.
I just got done rewiring a car for a friend of mines son who ran a large diameter wire (#6) from his battery to his remote fuse box for his boom system, the wire shorted to ground and melted (along with catching part of his interior on fire). If he had protected the circuit with a fuse at the battery, the most damage would have been a blown fuse and repairing the insulation on the wire
Except for the trolling motor, most of your lighting and accessory circuits are not going to draw much amperage
Length
(feet) Current (amps)
5 10 15 20 25 30 40 50 60 70
15 16 12 10 10 8 8 6 6 4 4
20 14 12 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 4
25 14 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 2 2
30 12 10 8 6 6 4 4 2 2 2
40 12 8 6 6 4 4 2 2 1 1/0
50 10 8 6 4 4 2 2 1 1/0 1/0
60 10 6 6 4 2 2 1 1/0 2/0 2/0
70 10 6 4 2 2 2 1/0 2/0 2/0 3/0
80 8 6 4 2 2 1 1/0 2/0 3/0 3/0
90 8 4 4 2 1 1/0 2/0 3/0 3/0 4/0
Where most people go wrong on wiring is using too small of a wire for the circuit and not protecting it properly with fuses or circuit breakers.
I just got done rewiring a car for a friend of mines son who ran a large diameter wire (#6) from his battery to his remote fuse box for his boom system, the wire shorted to ground and melted (along with catching part of his interior on fire). If he had protected the circuit with a fuse at the battery, the most damage would have been a blown fuse and repairing the insulation on the wire
fender66
Well-known member
Great chart! That will come in handy in my toolbox!
Howard
Well-known member
Thanks guys, would it be safe to say that those lights carry less then 5 amps?
Most likely Yes.
It depends on if they are wired in series or parallel. Safest way is parallel, that way each lamp has it's own power and ground feed. (If one lamp burns out, you still have the other lit).
You can use OHM's law to calculate the circuit or use an AMP meter to measure the current draw on the circuit.
Using the amp meter is the true method, allthough a quick calculation using OHMs law will get you in the ball park.
Ohms law
V/C
R
It depends on if they are wired in series or parallel. Safest way is parallel, that way each lamp has it's own power and ground feed. (If one lamp burns out, you still have the other lit).
You can use OHM's law to calculate the circuit or use an AMP meter to measure the current draw on the circuit.
Using the amp meter is the true method, allthough a quick calculation using OHMs law will get you in the ball park.
Ohms law
V/C
R
