hey all--

I've got 3 switches for 3 different sets of LED lights.

Can I loop the Supply Side wire (from battery to switch) to all the switches?

or should I home run 3 separate lines from the battery to the switch?

if I homerun 3 lines, what make/model of distribution block have people used?

thanks
steve

 

I believe you SHOULD be able to run 3 switches off one as long as they all go to their own separate relays still. At that point all the supply side of the switch does is acting like a rigger for the relay, which is a very low draw application.

I was actually thinking of running a "main power" switch on my setup that fed to two or 3 other switches as a failsafe/master kill. The principle is the same but I am hoping someone a little more experienced than me will chime in.

 

If you are running relays, then the switches can be run off a single feed, and would probably draw an amp or so for three relays. Make sure you fuse the feed line to the switches, and if you run it from the battery, fuse it at the battery. If you are not running relays, you need to check the amperage draw of the lights and make sure the wire size and fuse size is large enough. You could run a single power feed or multiple. Again, fuse at the battery.

A master switch could be used, but I don't see a real advantage to if if everything is fused like it should be. Personally I use a S-Tech ( https://stechswitch.com/ )switch system, which is similar to 4x4 sPOD and others. Gets the fusing right and provides a neat switch package. S-Tech also pulls power off the fuse box under the hood through a switched feed so the box is only powered with the key. Find their instructions to see where they get it.

 

The plan is a single power feed via add-a-circuit from the main box at an unused slot. I know the advantages of having a master "blackout" switch are minimal but it is to prevent accidental bump/nudge activations on the roads by forcing a second step, as well as only having to toggle one switch to kill excess lights when i get back to the paved roads. Minimal effort for a few more small conveniences is something I am willing to endure.

It also would let me only have to make 1 run to the battery/fuse block (of course using relays on the individual switches that come off it) by splitting them off from the switch