The fuse supplying main power to the headlights from/through the relay varies in amps. Depending on the type of bulb your vehicle uses, the amp will differ from vehicle to vehicle and bulb light or lamp to another.
More also, your vehicle’s electrical system uses a fuse that protects it from too much power supply. They tend to break or blow the circuit whenever there’s a threat.
We know you have numerous questions concerning this subject matter, and it is expected, do well to sit tight while we provide answers to them in this post.
Is there a fuse for headlights?
Yes of course! Headlights have a fuse that supplies power through the relay to the headlight components. This fuse protects the headlight from excessive power input.
If you take a good look at your manual guide you will be able to know the fuse holder your vehicle is using. Every vehicle uses a fuse since that’s the only way the headlight can get powered.
How many amp fuse for vehicle headlights?
This greatly depends on numerous factors for a 55/60-watt headlight bulb it is usually 15 to 20 Amps, and 100-watt bulbs come with 25 to 30 Amps. Headlight relay kits designed to run 100-watt headlight bulbs are a bit of an overkill.
Most manufacturers use a higher amperage fuse for vehicles maybe they do so to increase the fuse life span.
How do I choose the right size fuse for my vehicle headlights?
First, know the load of the device to be fused if in your case it’s the headlight bulbs, follow through with this calculation by Denver Rodrick – a marine engineer with experience in automobiles and electronics:
“If you have a single fuse for both headlights and you have 60-watt headlight bulbs, multiply 60×2 = 120 watts. Now divide 120 watts by 12 volts to get the current draw of the headlight bulb. 120/12 = 10 amps. This is the maximum current your headlight’s bulb will take when using the same wattage bulbs as mentioned in these calculations or if you’re using different watt bulbs, you can use the above formula and calculate yourself.
So, now use a fuse of a slightly higher rating, usually, a fuse of 125% of the actual load is used. 10 amps x 125% = 12.5 Amps. If 12.5 amps are not available use a fuse of the next available size. Usually 15 Amps”.
What happens when you use the wrong amp fuse for your headlights
What happens when you use the wrong amp fuse for your headlights varies with the voltage and amperage. For instance, it is safe to use a slightly higher amp fuse for your headlights as it may increase the life. But then using a lower amp fuse for your headlights poses a problem that may not cause the fuse to blow immediately but there would be consistent unnecessary pops.
Furthermore, replacing a fast-blow fuse with a slow-blow fuse will pose a more serious problem. In all, try using the right fuse for your headlights.
Conclusion
The wattage of the bulb or lamp your headlights uses is a determining factor as to what the headlight fuse would be. Most times it is 30 Amp for bulbs that use up to 100 watts. The voltage and current ratings of the fuse need to be higher than the actual ones present on the circuit. If there is a 10 amp fuse, you may want to use a 20 amp fuse this will cause no problem.
Disclaimer
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