Did you actually measure the current of the LEDs or just go by 'what's on the box' ??
A 3 volt drop is unacceptable ! Basic electrical math.... 3 volts x 2 amps = 6 WATTS of wasted power. That's if the LEDs are drawing 2 amps...hence my query ,have you measured the current.
Also you have to measure the wire not just look at it. 18 and 20 look the same to me, 16 and 18 the same.
? 22 x 2... is that 2, 22ga wires in parallel of a single feed and a ground ? 2 x 22 (twisted together) makes about a 20ga conductor.
BTW, the BX2370 and BX23S have same 45 amp alternator, just checked.
Other forum members were pretty excited about NiLight
(kind of like "nightlight" with a bunch of letters missing) so I
bought that brand because for the job they were extremely affordable, though they definitely have shortcomings. The mfg claims 18W, and knowing they come from China where lying is illegal but "everyone exaggerates in marketing claims" (meaning exaggerating by less than 50% is legal, 50% or more
technically illegal) I hooked them up up one-by-one in the shop to a lithium automotive battery and each drew around 0.8A, which at 13.2V = 10.56W, noting some of that power is used by driver circuit and "lumens" would be a better way to measure the light output. Regardless, they seem to be pretty uniform in the color output spectrum and a good value.
If the OEM alternator puts out 14.2V, (10) lights will draw:
10.56W each / 14.2V x 10 lights = 7.43A + beacon = 8A (when they're all on)
LED's
forward threshold voltage has to be overcome, then they conduct as much current as they can which is why a driver circuit is needed, so once you fire them off the voltage "isn't
that important" as they're current-driven devices.
For reference, filament bulbs have a resistive wire and therefore voltage is needed to overcome that resistance, and older vehicles idled up or down the headlights would change brightness; similarly in flashlights as the batteries wore down the light was less bright. LED headlights and flashlights aren't like that, they are the same brightness until the cells cannot put out the required current, then they dim for a number of seconds (not minutes) then turn off.
So, as long as enough current is available to drive the LEDs and there's enough voltage to overcome resistance and keep the circuits operating, we're good! If I had to guess I'd think about 8V is where that cutoff
might lie, but that is circuit dependent; I don't want to risk ruining a LED circuit which likely has few if any safety features because there's no real up-side in that, so I won't be pulling out a variable resistor to test what voltage that actually is. If this whole thing lets the smoke out on me I'll post pictures, but I think it will work.
There are 22AWG x 4 pair (stranded insulated) in the cable, which is 6 wires for lights, 2 for return:
#1: Front Spot
#2: Front Flood
#3: Right-Side Flood (2 lights)
#4: "Your other right!"-Side Flood (2 lights)
#5: Rear Flood
#6: Beacon
#7 & #8: Neutral return.
Okay, technically there are two flood lights for each side, so 2-right and 2-left = 4, so one (+) wire on each side could power that side's 2 side-lights. However after looking at more fall-harvest-at-night videos I may really want 4 front flood lights instead of two...anyway, running six power wires to the left light bar and six power wires to the right light bar means at the main switch box I now have options on what switch turns on what lights. (I spend way too much time on design...)
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Of course you're right about wire insulation making it hard to determine wire gauge; I know the BX alternator wire isn't 12AWG because the diameter simply isn't large enough, but what is it really? I can only guess from trying to remember what I saw when I looked at it. Let's hope it's enough--maybe I should check, but likely I'll just feel how warm the wire in the rear aux. lighting harness is and call that a reasonable test.
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