LED Front Light Bars & Pods

Mike1220 · October 20, 2015

Hey guys, quick question for the electrical gurus

I'm planning to overhaul a few things starting in December, but first comes the bumpers and light bars. I plan to get rid of my current light bars and replace them with 2 curved 30" 4D optic bars that will run 300W EACH, so total of 600W. I currently have a wireless harness that is rated for 500W

Here's my question:

Is there anyway I can upgrade the relay and the blade fuse to allow me to get the harness to handle 600W? I really want to keep the harness since its wireless and I love being able to turn the bars on and off from outside the truck and not deal with another switch in the cab

Can I upgrade the current harness or do I have to get a second harness and just wire the trigger feeds together?

I personally think that upgrading from a 40W relay to say a 60W would be more than sufficient, but wanted to see what you guys say

Just want to get some opinions!

I also plan to get 4 extra light pods that will go in the bumper and angle slightly outward and be on their own harness

Fasthotrod · October 20, 2015

Mike,

You will want to add a second harness for the other light bar, but it is easily controlled by the remote harness. Just need to trigger the relay on the second harness with the output of the remote harness.

Some quick electrical math:

Power (Watts) = Voltage * Amperage

So that 500 watt harness at a "nominal" 12 volts DC is just over 40 amps. To get up to 600 watts, you're looking at about 50 amps. That's a big increase, and I doubt that the relay or harness could handle it for very long. Better to run an additional simple harness that is triggered by the first harness.

On electrical systems, amperage is the current flow... think of it like water trickling down a stream for low amps, or a raging river for high amps. Inside the wire, the electrons are doing the same thing, only when they bounce around they cause fiction, which heats the wire up and increases the resistance of the wire, which cuts down on the amount of power you can get out of it.

Let me know if you need me to draw a diagram that shows how to make it work.

Toddfather · October 21, 2015

I had traded the SLT for a Denali and get to start all over with projects. Already did reverse light LED PODS. I went to dual 8 inch pods (12 LED per pod) set up. Much better then 3 inch ones I had before.

So my question is..... has anyone successfully installed dual 32 in curved bars behind grill? In went back till in started seeing post I remembered from before.

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Edited October 21, 2015 by Toddfather

Kerrslight · October 21, 2015

I had traded the SLT for a Denali and get to start all over with projects. Already did reverse light LED PODS. I went to dual 8 inch pods (12 LED per pod) set up. Much better then 3 inch ones I had before.

So my question is..... has anyone successfully installed dual 32 in curved bars behind grill? In went back till in started seeing post I remembered from before.

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Are you asking about installing a DUAL ROW curved 32" or dual as in 2 light bars?

Toddfather · October 21, 2015

Are you asking about installing a DUAL ROW curved 32" or dual as in 2 light bars?

No I did that on old truck. I am talking adding 2 dual row 32 in bars.

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Kerrslight · October 21, 2015

No I did that on old truck. I am talking adding 2 dual row 32 in bars.

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I scanned just about every thread and forum and anything else I could find when doing research for my install, but I can't say I've ever seen someone install 2x dual row light bars behind the grill. Not saying it can't be done, but I personally haven't seen it. I did see on another forum of a NNBS silverado with 2x single row light bars behind the grill. Might be able to find a pic if your interested, but that probably doesn't help.

Toddfather · October 21, 2015

I like the challenge. It will fit with some light being lost behind emblems and lower grill. But if I aim them right it will be ok. Also plan on shim one leg on each bar help widen beam out.

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Kerrslight · October 21, 2015

I like the challenge. It will fit with some light being lost behind emblems and lower grill. But if I aim them right it will be ok. Also plan on shim one leg on each bar help widen beam out.

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Well since you have the Denali grill you've for more space to work with in placement of your lights. That grill has the same pattern all around vs SLE/SLT and A/T grill you have to work with the spacing of the grill to fit between slats. You'd have to put both down low. Definitely wouldn't fit up top with the grill mount tabs. Even still on the bottom it would be really tight, but looks doable. Maybe consider one double row and one single row?

My AT grill compared to Denali grill

Edited October 21, 2015 by Kerrslight

Toddfather · October 21, 2015

Well since you have the Denali grill you've for more space to work with in placement of your lights. That grill has the same pattern all around vs SLE/SLT and A/T grill you have to work with the spacing of the grill to fit between slats. You'd have to put both down low. Definitely wouldn't fit up top with the grill mount tabs. Even still on the bottom it would be really tight, but looks doable. Maybe consider one double row and one single row?

My AT grill compared to Denali grill

Pardon my crappy copy paste. But that's my idea

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Kerrslight · October 21, 2015

Pardon my crappy copy paste. But that's my idea

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Well measure how much spacing you have from just under the GMC emblem to the bottom of the grill. You should have an extra inch, inch and a half on the inside of the grill than what you can actually measure from the outside. Get that measurement down and measure how much space you'd need to stack both bars and go from there. Chances are you'd have to put the upper light bar partially behind the GMC emblem to give you enough space to mount the lower one.

ikaika1984 · October 21, 2015

Well since you have the Denali grill you've for more space to work with in placement of your lights. That grill has the same pattern all around vs SLE/SLT and A/T grill you have to work with the spacing of the grill to fit between slats. You'd have to put both down low. Definitely wouldn't fit up top with the grill mount tabs. Even still on the bottom it would be really tight, but looks doable. Maybe consider one double row and one single row?

My AT grill compared to Denali grill

How has the honeycomb grill affected light output? If any. Thanks

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05cyclone · October 21, 2015

How has the honeycomb grill affected light output? If any. Thanks

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I haven't noticed any affect on mine.

ikaika1984 · October 21, 2015

I haven't noticed any affect on mine.

I have the same grill on my 15 Sierra Denali 5.3L... Was thinking about doing this but wasn't sure about light output being overly blocked.

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Willie will · October 21, 2015

I would try to put a light bar on top of the gmc and bottom of it. I think that would look better

Toddfather · October 21, 2015

That was another option I was looking at. I know on my SLT there was some plastic in the way. Looking at pics on the Interwebs I see a pic of it done on a SLT. So in theory it may work.

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