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Light Bar & Ford wire harness.

BryantC

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I see quite a few installs where people are using the Ford supplied wire to power their light bars above the windshield.
I have also read that people feel that the gauge wire that Ford supplies is not sufficient for the job.
I have not read of any issues using the wire. Has anyone had or know of anyone having the wire burn up or popping the fuse running a light bar?
Thanks

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emulous74

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Ford lays it out pretty clearly, the size of the wiring and the amperage/fuse rating of each switch:

settings.jpg


According to this all the wiring is 16 AWG/1.5mm2 within the vehicle, meaning you can hook up any of the Non-powered circuits throughout the vehicle.

As this shows the actual switch wiring is different as three of them go to 18 AWB/.75mm2 and it clearly states which switches can handle which amperage based on the fuses.

Most light bars are under 30A and if yours is over 15A, then you should only attach to the Aux 1 switch, (I believe this is different for the Raptor, where they would use Aux 3 as the 30A switch/fuse)

While lower gauge wire can handle higher amperages, 16 AWG in auto applications is fine for between 18 to 30 amps for 10 foot lengths.

Look at it in another way, do you really think Ford's Lawyers would let them "cheapen" out on wire sizes, especially to light bars at the roof and the bumpers where Ford sells accessories for and have it cause fires for improper wiring?

If I was running my own wiring (and I have on other vehicles) would I use lower gauge wiring for my 40" light bar, yes I would and have, but if you look at the wiring harnesses that come with these lights, my suggestion is use equal or lower gauge wiring.

For my Bronco, I will be using the pre-wiring provided with the Aux Switches, this is a gift, if you every had to run your own wiring before.
 

Strykerwsu

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As noted it, depends on the amps your light bar pulls. There are many 40’s no issue. The best and brightest multiple setups, Hell no.
 

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I see quite a few installs where people are using the Ford supplied wire to power their light bars above the windshield.
I have also read that people feel that the gauge wire that Ford supplies is not sufficient for the job.
I have not read of any issues using the wire. Has anyone had or know of anyone having the wire burn up or popping the fuse running a light bar?
Thanks

Ford Bronco Light Bar & Ford wire harness. settings
Don't waste your time using the wires, especially with your setup. The wire gauge is NOT thick enough to provide enough amps to that bar. I don't care what Ford THINKS, they are 100% wrong.

In fact, I really wish Ford never put that wire up there because they are confusing a lot of people.

Light bars pull too much amperage to use the tiny gauge wire Ford put. Especially since it's not next to the battery. The further the light, the thicker the wire needs to be compared to closer to the battery.

The wire is just NOT going to cut it up there.
 

Figmo

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Doubt seriously the wire would ever “burn up” as the fuse would pop long before that. So long as you stay below the Ford recommended amperage draw (described in above post) you’ll be fine. Which LED’s generally do - but check the documentation for your lights to be sure.
 

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Johnny Mo

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The Pro 6 50" LED bar draws a little over 13 amps if I recall. If those were old school KC DayLighters ie. Halogen, then yeah they'd be drawing WAY too much. If you are super concerned add a relay in between, but I thought I read that the Ford pre-wired setup already included relays.
 

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The Pro 6 50" LED bar draws a little over 13 amps if I recall. If those were old school KC DayLighters ie. Halogen, then yeah they'd be drawing WAY too much. If you are super concerned add a relay in between, but I thought I read that the Ford pre-wired setup already included relays.
Again, those of us in this business (the 12V world) are STRONGLY RECOMMEDNING people NOT use those wires. Just because Ford says "ohh it's rated for 15 amps" doesn't mean it should be used for that. The wire gauge they used is NOT sufficient for anything of real power.

At best maybe a dash cam can be used or a single 2 amp light.

But that wire is SO THIN it shouldn't be used for anything honestly.

It's also not even fused. it's just a wire ford ran from the top to the engine bay, that's it. It still has to get connected to an upfitter so TECHNICALLY it's not a powered wired, it's just... a wire.

It should not be used for anything (Ford honestly wasted time putting a wire up there as well as a wire in the front grill... seriously it wasn't needed lol)

That wire is between 14 and 16 gauge.
It's about 10' (probably more) but we'll call it 10' from a power source. So that gives you roughly a 7.5amp circuit on the "15 gauge" wire (why they call it by the mm is beyond me, since you don't call wire by mm, you reference it by gauge).

So what's 7.5 amps?

Well a cheap 42" AuxBeam Light bar ($130) is 20 amps.
A 40" Rigid SR-Series Pro is 18.5 amps
A 40" Baja Designs S8 bar is 16Amps.

So as you can see, these light bars pull way more then that wire can handle.

This is why we're constantly warning customers NOT to use that wire up there.

Even if we give them the benefit of the doubt and call it a 14 gauge wire, with a length of 10' to the power source... that's 10 amps. Still not sufficient for any light bar, cheap or expensive.
 
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BryantC

BryantC

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Again, those of us in this business (the 12V world) are STRONGLY RECOMMEDNING people NOT use those wires. Just because Ford says "ohh it's rated for 15 amps" doesn't mean it should be used for that. The wire gauge they used is NOT sufficient for anything of real power.

At best maybe a dash cam can be used or a single 2 amp light.

But that wire is SO THIN it shouldn't be used for anything honestly.

It's also not even fused. it's just a wire ford ran from the top to the engine bay, that's it. It still has to get connected to an upfitter so TECHNICALLY it's not a powered wired, it's just... a wire.

It should not be used for anything (Ford honestly wasted time putting a wire up there as well as a wire in the front grill... seriously it wasn't needed lol)

That wire is between 14 and 16 gauge.
It's about 10' (probably more) but we'll call it 10' from a power source. So that gives you roughly a 7.5amp circuit on the "15 gauge" wire (why they call it by the mm is beyond me, since you don't call wire by mm, you reference it by gauge).

So what's 7.5 amps?

Well a cheap 42" AuxBeam Light bar ($130) is 20 amps.
A 40" Rigid SR-Series Pro is 18.5 amps
A 40" Baja Designs S8 bar is 16Amps.

So as you can see, these light bars pull way more then that wire can handle.

This is why we're constantly warning customers NOT to use that wire up there.

Even if we give them the benefit of the doubt and call it a 14 gauge wire, with a length of 10' to the power source... that's 10 amps. Still not sufficient for any light bar, cheap or expensive.
I understand what you are saying. 16awg at the amps this bar will pull is only recommended up to 3.5ft.
I am thinking about trying to fish a 10awg down using the ford wire or outside with a wire hider.
I see alot of Broncos on this page are using the ford supplied wire and have not seen anyone have an issue yet.
Don't you find that strange?
 

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I understand what you are saying. 16awg at the amps this bar will pull is only recommended up to 3.5ft.
I am thinking about trying to fish a 10awg down using the ford wire or outside with a wire hider.
I see alot of Broncos on this page are using the ford supplied wire and have not seen anyone have an issue yet.
Don't you find that strange?
I've yet to come across a single Bronco in the wild running a light bar and using the factory wire actually. Everything we see at our shop and do at our shop uses proper gauge wire.
 

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If you decide to go with an aftermarket wiring harness with relay, i have a brand new never used heavy duty harness for sale
 

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Don't waste your time using the wires, especially with your setup. The wire gauge is NOT thick enough to provide enough amps to that bar. I don't care what Ford THINKS, they are 100% wrong.

In fact, I really wish Ford never put that wire up there because they are confusing a lot of people.

Light bars pull too much amperage to use the tiny gauge wire Ford put. Especially since it's not next to the battery. The further the light, the thicker the wire needs to be compared to closer to the battery.

The wire is just NOT going to cut it up there.
For what it's worth, Ford did a pretty nice job with those AUX switches
Don't waste your time using the wires, especially with your setup. The wire gauge is NOT thick enough to provide enough amps to that bar. I don't care what Ford THINKS, they are 100% wrong.

In fact, I really wish Ford never put that wire up there because they are confusing a lot of people.

Light bars pull too much amperage to use the tiny gauge wire Ford put. Especially since it's not next to the battery. The further the light, the thicker the wire needs to be compared to closer to the battery.

The wire is just NOT going to cut it up there.
For what it's worth, my 46" 210W light bar is using 17.5 amps. AUX switch 1 (as noted) can handle up to 30 amps with no problems... and I haven't had any. The AUX switch setup system that Ford cleverly setup comes with its own relays and fuses throughout the vehicle. Very convenient and thoughtful indeed. A job well done by Ford. đź‘Ť

Ford Bronco Light Bar & Ford wire harness. 20231127_181628
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