I'm adding a streetglow gold class red neon kit. its 4 tubes, plus 2 additional 6" tubes for the engine compartment. I don't know much about car's electrical systems and their batteries and all that, so wasn't sure if the stock battery would be fine with the extra lights and all, or if i should get like an optima battery or something. If so, which optima? blue red or yellow? I like the red cuz it matches my truck theme, but i know they each have different purposes
I wont be using the lights all that often, only at cruises and stuff once in a while, so its not like they'll be on all the time.
just looking for any suggestions before i run into any trouble. already had my battery run low on me once and had to jumpstart the truck

thanks

and say what you want about the neon. It can't be worse that what i've already heard in the HD forum It doesn't bother me. LoL!

 

your planing on lights with out the engine running,then you've got a amperage hour issue...the only concern you should have is amperage draw when on and if you have a alternator that can handle it when you have full load on the circuit, find out what the draw is off the light and then do your math as to what you already have drawing off the power source(an amp meter for direct current systems comes in handy here) then you can decide to upgrade to a larger output alternator

 

well i don't plan on running them with the engine off very much at all. dont' want to end up with a dead battery

but do ya really think i'd have to upgrade my alternator?

most of my trips are only short drives though, so the battery doesn't get a whole lot of time to charge up, but usually, when i go to cruises, its usually from 1/2 hour to 1 1/2 hours away cuz there's nothing in this dead town

anybody else with neon that can give me some advice/tips?

thanks

 

Hey Harley,

I am no expert on lights, be it neon or candesant as far as what that draw off the electrical system. The important thing to know is it is not the battery you should be concerned with upgrading as TexFordD stated but rather the alternator as far as current output. The basic purpose of the battery is to start the truck then basically the alternator takes over for supplying the current output. If you exceed the current output of the alternator then it will draw from the battery to supply the needed load. To make this short that is BAD for the battery because it will not get any charge during the time it is supplying what the alternator can not put out.

I don't know what your alternator is rated for as far as output. Rest assured that with no add-ons it still should have plenty of output for what ever add-ons you may want to put on. What is important to know is just how much current output is left. For example lets say your alternator is rated for 100 amps (current) but nornally your truck draws 80 amps at full-load (night, having headlights on, stero etc.) If that is the case you still have 20 amps but I would only figure to be able to use 80% of 20 amps left or 16 amps.

If the lights you want to install draw only 10 amps you are safe, but if they draw 20 amps or more then you would want to upgrade your alternator to handle the extra load.

I think your safest bet is to call your Ford dealer find out what your alternator is rated at, what is it putting out now, or what is the current draw of your truck stock to see what your reserve is. Then find out what the lights require for amps, or watts. They should be rated in current (amps) if not and they are rated in watts you can figure out thier current draw by: dividing the watts by the voltage. (i.e. watts = 24, voltage = 12) so 24/12 is 2 amps.

You will want to add all the lights amps or watts togeather to come up with your total current draw required to operate them.

Sorry for the long post and hope it helps some. Like TexFordD stated if they draw some good current I wouldn't run them with the truck off or you will end up buying batteries ever few years rather then every 5 - 8 years.

 

Hi Harley

I've seen those st.glow neon lights on some rods here during HAN. They do look great.

Tex gave some good info. You need to find out what those lights draw. You may/maynot need a higher output alt. and bigger battery?

You may already know...even with engine running...alt. charging battery...at night time theres a big load (draw).. its still possible to end up with dead battery if too much wired into chging system.

This site www.the12volt.com may/maynot help?

Good luck...OT

 

thanks for the info

i dropped clonetek a link to this thread. i know he's installed a few of these, so i'll see what he says. i'm pretty sure he didn't change his alternator though.

i tried looking on streetglow's website, but they dont' say how much power the lights draw.

 

I used to own an audio/ customizing shop and I can tell you that the street glow neon kits do not draw hardly any current. Since there is a transformer used to run the neon lighting, it is very efficient! Go for it with no worries!