Lowering wattage?

[OFC Ranger]

Let's say I want to reduce an electrical line by half an amp which is about 60 watts is it really as simple as buying a 60 watt resistor to install online or am I missing something?

My rack lighting has a gremlin in it. I can activate all 12 perimeter lights with keyed power however when I actually turn the ignition on I'm guessing that little bit of boost and power from the motor running is just slightly putting it over the edge on what my Phoenix mini 4200 is able to handle so the lights shut off and from that point forward I can turn on to of the three panel sections but if I turn them all back on it cuts right back off cuz it has a built-in self resetting breaker.

The 4200 has seven channels that are rated for 3.5 amps each however I only use six of the seven channels however I think the amps are delegated to the specific channels is it not an overall total pool. Now on paper I am pulling right at 4 amps on these channels however these lights are usually overrated on their specs and produce less power than advertised. And before anybody asks no I have not pulled the readings on them to know the answer exactly I just know I am on that cusp of the amperage limit so the easiest thing I can do is just lower their power slightly on the channels.

Pardon in any screwed up words or sentences this was speech to text.

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[D Fresh]

Theoretically, yes it is as simple as adding a resistor. Getting the proper value for your application will require some maths though.

Each output has 2 lights? Currently in series or parallel?

Have you tried running 5 channels with two lights and two with a single?

Seems as though you're maxing out the overall amperage of contoller.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Theoretically, yes it is as simple as adding a resistor. Getting the proper value for your application will require some maths though.

Each output has 2 lights? Currently in series or parallel?

Have you tried running 5 channels with two lights and two with a single?

Seems as though you're maxing out the overall amperage of contoller.

Okay bear with me while I try and lay this out for you

Channel One is for my hazards AKA strobes that channel is technically connected to all 12 lights however it will only utilize six at a time and it will bounce back and forth between the two sets of six lights. Thus you get the back and forth motion of the hazard lights on each side.

Channel 2 is simply the pattern changer for channel One.

Channel 3 is all flood left for a total of four lights.

Channel 4 is all flood right for a total of four lights.

Channel 5 is all flood rear for a total of four lights.

So when I activate channel One the hazards it functions 99%, however there is one pattern out of the 12 or so that goes back and forth between the two sets of six lights however one part of the sequence is it flashes all 12. When it gets to that secrets in the pattern everything shuts off and resets.

If I activate just channel 3 and just channel 2 or just channel 3 and channel 4 etc etc it works fine but when I activate the third panel/channel again it shuts off and resets.

Like I said clues me into the fact that I am right on the edge is if I just key the ignition just for power but not start the engine I can run all the channels no problem but once the motor is started that little extra bit of boost from the motor running seems to be knocking it over the edge.

All channels utilize diodes with one-way flow so there's no back feeding occurring.

 

[Trigganometry]

Adding resistance is in the end going to pull more power and turn it into heat. Safest and most cost effective fix is to use relays in between that can handle the power draw and switching.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Adding resistance is in the end going to pull more power and turn it into heat. Safest and most cost effective fix is to use relays in between that can handle the power draw and switching.

Or upgrade to a stronger controller ?

 

[Trigganometry]

Or upgrade to a stronger controller ?

Solid state relays are pretty small can handle the amperage. They can easily be spliced into your wire network with spade terminal types.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Solid state relays are pretty small can handle the amperage. They can easily be spliced into your wire network with spade terminal types.

Yeah even plain old rocker switch boxes can handle this no problem it's just nice to have the strobe capability built in I'll figure something out I just need to rack my brain over a little while.

 

[Trigganometry]

Yeah even plain old rocker switch boxes can handle this no problem it's just nice to have the strobe capability built in I'll figure something out I just need to rack my brain over a little while.

For example https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Module-High-Low-Trigger-Arduino/dp/B07KM7CRRQ

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Adding resistance is in the end going to pull more power and turn it into heat. Safest and most cost effective fix is to use relays in between that can handle the power draw and switching.

Hi Rick,

Exactly what I was thinking. Why waste energy converting Electrical Energy to heat unless you are cooking dinner on an electric stove or trying to stay warm. Use a "trigger" current to a relay to reduce current load. Rember that a Watt is a Volt Amp or Volts times Amps. So if for example you have a 100 watt draw, at 10 Volts you have 10 amps, but at 20 Volts you have a 5 amp draw. Relays allow higher current draw by the relay doing the work of switching the higher amperage draw, but it comes at the price of complexity and reduced potential reliability.

Best,
Phil

 

[D Fresh]

Okay bear with me while I try and lay this out for you

Channel One is for my hazards AKA strobes that channel is technically connected to all 12 lights however it will only utilize six at a time and it will bounce back and forth between the two sets of six lights. Thus you get the back and forth motion of the hazard lights on each side.

Channel 2 is simply the pattern changer for channel One.

Channel 3 is all flood left for a total of four lights.

Channel 4 is all flood right for a total of four lights.

Channel 5 is all flood rear for a total of four lights.

So when I activate channel One the hazards it functions 99%, however there is one pattern out of the 12 or so that goes back and forth between the two sets of six lights however one part of the sequence is it flashes all 12. When it gets to that secrets in the pattern everything shuts off and resets.

If I activate just channel 3 and just channel 2 or just channel 3 and channel 4 etc etc it works fine but when I activate the third panel/channel again it shuts off and resets.

Like I said clues me into the fact that I am right on the edge is if I just key the ignition just for power but not start the engine I can run all the channels no problem but once the motor is started that little extra bit of boost from the motor running seems to be knocking it over the edge.

All channels utilize diodes with one-way flow so there's no back feeding occurring.

Now I remember your circuit in the back of the cab.

I think a small resistor on circuit one would do the trick for you. Heat should be minimal. But the fact that 3, 4, and 5 together will pop it's breaker gives me pause. I'm thinking you're exceeding overall current limitations of the Phoenix. I'd check the current draw of the lights, actual measured value, and go from there.

I know you just redid your rack, but I'm betting your current setup would work fine with only 2 lights at the rear.

Another solution would be to add relays to the rack light setup as suggested.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Now I remember your circuit in the back of the cab.

I think a small resistor on circuit one would do the trick for you. Heat should be minimal. But the fact that 3, 4, and 5 together will pop it's breaker gives me pause. I'm thinking you're exceeding overall current limitations of the Phoenix. I'd check the current draw of the lights, actual measured value, and go from there.

I know you just redid your rack, but I'm betting your current setup would work fine with only 2 lights at the rear.

Another solution would be to add relays to the rack light setup as suggested.

So technically right now the controller itself does go through a relay are you saying I should add relays for each panel as the juice goes out of the controller?

 

[D Fresh]

So technically right now the controller itself does go through a relay are you saying I should add relays for each panel as the juice goes out of the controller?

I think that would be the safest way to make use of your switch and lights. A relay powering each panel (left, right, rear) with the Phoenix providing switching/strobing would be ideal I think.

A resistor SHOULD work, but in my head relays WILL work.

 

[OFC Ranger]

I think the best solution is I am just going to move all flood functions to my primary switch box and delegate the 4200 controller to the hazard function and some other lower power projects in the future. Thanks for the information broskies.

 

[OFC Ranger]

So I don't want to come off sounding stupid but what the hell. My new brain box under the rear passenger seat is going to house a fuse junction box that junction box is powered by a relay connected to the battery that relay is triggered by a fuse when the ignitions turned on.

The new setup will have each channel coming out of the fuse box then providing power to a relay instead of just straight to an object. Those relays in turn will be connected to each object and then of course have a trigger.

So can I just wire my mini box so that it receives juice however wire each individual channel for a total of seven channels to seven relay triggers and those relays are now receiving power directly from the battery instead of the mini box.

Correct me if I'm wrong but in this setup the only power that's going to the mini box is the power to actually turn it on and all other power is drawn from the primary source which is the battery. This allows me to bypass the amperage limit on the mini box and treat each channel as if it was just physical rocker switches for example. Correct?

Sorry I know it's long-winded and there may be typos I'm using talk to text.

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