I have a 1988 F-250 currently running a regular 12 volt electrical system. I am a soldier over in Iraq and I have come into possession of a couple sets of KC driving lights and other assorted flood lights. I would like to mount these lights and use them on my truck; however, like most military vehicle lights, these run on a 24V system.

Now I have thought up a couple of solutions and I would like to get ya'lls input as well.

Solution 1: Run a dual voltage system. Now I haven't completely figured this one out, but it would take a little bit of work.

Solution 2: Convert the truck over to run entirely on 24V. My truck is just a toy, so I don't have to have all the gauges and lights that are currently being used. I have planned on replacing the current gauge set anyways. As for lights; I'd have the big flood lights for forward lighting and I could always come up with some more military lighting off a wrecked truck for tail lights if I need to.

Any and all input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ya'll.

 

Thank you for your service.

Before ya' go gettin' all redneck on us and butchering your electrical system....
There are ways to run 24V lights. But they would cost many times more then 12V lights.

Your ignition and fuel systems will not run on 24V. You would need to reduce your 24V system to 12V (13.8 to be specific). DC/DC converters are not cheap but I did find some in the 100 to 700W range which might be enough to supply your truck: http://www.powerstream.com/dcdc.htm.

To convert your charging system to 24V would be a pain and very expensive to do it correctly. You would need 24V alternator, regulator and batteries.

Here is a 24V ALT: http://www.fleetsource.com/product_p/ia0757.htm for $580

If you are determined to use these lights, can they be converted to 12V (change bulbs)?

I did find some 12V to 24V DC/DC converters online. The largest I saw (I didn't spend allot of time looking) was 700W and it is only rated for 29A. Probably not big enough and no price listed: http://www.trcelectronics.com/Cosel/dbs700b24.shtml

Maybe you should give the lights you have back to the folks who own them (the Taxpayers) and when you get home, buy some lights designed to work with the truck you have for 10X less then what it would cost you to convert your truck to run these lights. JMO

 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea about how I got the lights I'll explain a little. These lights came off of several trucks that have had updated lights put on and these would have just been thrown out with all the other trash that builds up. I simply put them aside in case I could come up with a way to use them back home; if I can't, then they'll go where the rest of them went...the dump. I am still deployed (and won't be home anytime soon) so I was just looking to see if it would be worth it to do this.

The wiring on my truck has already been pretty butchered. Long story short: Truck came out of the factory fuel injected and is now carbed. The wiring in the engine bay and on the chasis is pretty much shot.

The KC lights that I have can be used in a 12V system, but the new ballasts that would be needed are a couple hundred bucks each.

Would there be a way to run a second alternator to charge just the 24V system? I know I would have to fab up a mounting bracket and all that. My truck used to have A/C so I think I could mount a second alternator there...maybe.

Thanks for the info.

 

Dont worry about it man. They just cant take the fact that we (U.S) are over there paying for something started by Bush that definitely costs less than immigration does while the osama administration goes and spends more somewhere else.. and the taxpayers fund it all. Truth be told, if someone can use whatever is on the vehicles or even the vehicles themselves its fine with me. My dad is a driver over there and they are run hard in extreme conditions and what happens.... the government throws them in the garbage and buys new ones. Take whatever you can.

Anyhow, enough ranting.

You can run two alternators, ive seen it done on a chevy s10 a friend of mine had. But, I also think he had two batteries? I dont remember. But, im not so sure one battery would hold the charge of two alternators.

 

You might have better luck posting this over in the Electrical Systems/Wiring Forum:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum62/
/

 

That is a very good point; if a moderator happens to see this could ya'll move it over for me?

I would have to add two more batteries and a second alternator if I were to run a standalone 24V system alongside the current 12V system. The 24V system would be completely isolated from the ignition/starting components; it would be strictly used for accessories (lights, stereo, winch, etc).

Let's not get into a big drama fight. A lot of people don't know how things are over here and I'm fine with that. I will admit that the system has been abused and people have ordered parts/components that weren't used or even needed on a military vehicle. That is not the case here though; these parts were removed and on the way to the dump had I not saved them.

 

I wasn't trying to start a debate nor was I insinuating anything. Political or Religious beliefs have no place in a forum about our trucks. I respect you more then you would believe for serving your country and I think you are doing a fine job.

I assumed you got these lights because they were thrown away. My statement was made because I don't believe you should throw anything away that is still usable. Upgraded the lights? Put the old light on something that needs 'em.....don't trash them.

Now to answer your question. You can add 2, 12V batteries wired in series, and keep them separate from your trucks current 12V system. Easily done, all you would need is the 24V charging system, also easily done but, very expensive.

I think the least expensive and easiest route would be to run 12V lights.

 

Try not to presume or assume you know what is going on in my mind. You couldn't possibly keep up.

Politics have no business in this forum. If you want to express your political opinion, take it to a Politics Forum.

 

I'm not sure how charging would work, but couldn't it be wired like an electric golf cart where the drive motor gets 36V (or 48V) running off all the batteries in series, but headlights run off of only two of the batteries (12V or 16V)? The 24V lights would run off both batteries in series, but the charging system and truck electrics would be attached only to one battery. Perhaps a battery isolator could be used to charge both batteries as independent 12V batteries instead of a 24V pair?

 

Technically yes, but, a golf carts power requirements are significantly different then that of a truck. The golf cart can get by with just a couple of Amps, where a truck would need 60A at a minimum.

I'm thinking that if a guy could get a couple of Diodes with the capacity to match the draw of the lights....and you can....plus a heat sink to keep everything cool, you could add the second battery, run the truck off of the 1st battery and the lights off of both. The ALT would keep the 1st battery charged....I am just unsure how we would keep the 2nd charged.

 

Second alternator in the A/C compressor location sounds like the winner to me. Might be handy to have the 24v system in place if you want to put a winch in and you have a dual system so you're not messing with your starting system if the lights get left on or something goes wrong with them. The extra 2 batteries adds some cost, but probably still less aggravation/cost than working it the other way.

 

What you suggested in the second paragraph was what I was talking about doing. Use a battery isolator (essentially the diodes you suggested) to charge both batteries independently at 12V. The lights would be the only thing that would run off of both batteries in series at 24V. The charging would be different than the golf cart example, but the voltage split would work exactly the same.

 

Hey everyone, sorry it's been a few days; my internet got knocked out by a incoming mortar round. I think I might have found a better way to produce 24V. In kc0rey's first reply, he gave me a link to a website that had voltage step downs. That same website has voltage step ups and I think I might have found what I need.

This is the website DC/DC Converters, retail, wholesale, off-the-shelf and custom, DC/DC 5 watts to 1500 watts and the model number for the step up is PST-SR700-24. This is a 12V in-24V out with 29 amps and 700 watt max output. Continuous output is 250 watts and 12 amps.

My wife called KC Lights and got some specs for me. Each light draws 1.6 amps and 35 watts.

Does any one see anything wrong with this set up? Thanks for all the info already offered.

 

Just bumping the thread up to the top of the list...anyone have any better ideas?

Thanks ya'll.

 

Yes, this post is close.
All you need is another alternator and 1 more battery. Wire the batteries in series creating a 24v battery system. With this you can have both 12 and 24 if you wire it right.

Battery one will go to ground and the voltage between ground and battery ones positive pole will be 12v and will run the truck as normal. Battery ones positive is wired to battery twos negative to wire them in series. This will make the voltage between ground and battery twos positive pole 24v, this will run the lights. The hard part is charging, the easiest option is a 24 volt alternator, this will run the lights and charge both batteries including the 12v system. Here the second battery is your 24v to 12v step down.

This can be done with two 12v alternators but it's tricky. Your stock alternator would be fine, but you need a second isolated step up alternator. The second alternator CAN NOT share the ground with the rest of the truck, and as alternators ground through the body/case it must be mounted in rubber to isolate it from the rest of the system. The ground of the second alternator must be wired to the 12v positve system, so that if you were to check voltage across the cases of the two alternators the meter would read 12v. At which point the positive from the second alternator is 24v relative to ground, and wired to the positive of the second battery. For the second alternator to work it would also need to be a one wire, with an internal regulator, these are pretty standerd in the aftermarket world and are based on a standard GM alternator, a good one can be bought for less then $100.