Headlight power source

[Gonkulor]

Guys, Here is a new one for golf carts but not anything special in the electrical world.

I need help figuring out how to power my headlights from two different power sources. Only one at a time though.

I want to power my headlights by means of a toggle switch straight off the fused distribution block. I also want to power my headlights off of my LED Christmas light circuit board. The circuit board will handle up to 8amps a circuit and each of my headlights is only 1amp at 12 volts.

I already have a power circuit completing both lights thru the toggle switch and it works great. My issue is connecting another power source through my Christmas light circuit board.

I have to use the same wiring somewhere. I can put a kill switch in my toggle switch circuit to prevent me from powering the circuit without a secondary action to pull or flip a kill switch.

Is a zener diode my solution? Would a zener diode on both the neg and pos side of the circuit prevent me from zuzzing my lights or board? I'm thinking the Zener diode would only prevent me from killing the system if I was trying to turn the lights on from the toggle switch while I had the lights on thru the Christmas light board?

How do I prevent zuzzing my lights by bringing power to the system if I already have the lights on thru the toggle switch and turn on the Christmas lights?

I'm as confused as you may be while reading this. johnnyb, this might right up your alley? Any of you other smarty folks are more than welcome to comment.

I asked this in the live christmas light forum and got everyone vibrating there forefinger between their upper and lower lips. BBBBBBBBBBBB is all I heard.

I know we have bright minds here.

I'll be happy to receive any comments
Shon

[2manytoyz]

Sounds like you need to add a toggle switch. DPDT. Put the lights on the two center pins. Put the 12V battery source on one end of the switch. Put the DC-DC converter power on the other end of the switch.

When the switch is flipped one direction, the headlights will be powered from the battery, flip it the other, it'll be powered from the converter. This isolates the two power sources. You're only changing which source your lights are operating from.

I'm still a newbie here, so can't post a diagram for ya yet, sorry. Simple setup. Just make sure your switch is rated to handle the current of your lights.

[Gonkulor]

DPDT was the first thought I had, but unfortunately I forgot to add both the power and ground supplied by the LED board are controlled thru the board. This makes me reluctant to splice my existant power and ground wires into the output of the LED board.

I should probably get the exact specs of the LED board and find out more on the outputs.

[Gonkulor]

I have asked these questions to the makers of the LED board, no response yet. Time will tell