Regardless of the size of your bus or bus conversion, wiring is an important aspect to consider. You’ll want to choose a method of electrical wiring that best suits your needs. The best option will be one that is both efficient and safe to operate.
First, consider where you plan to run your wires. Would you like them embedded in the insulation of your wall or ceiling panels, exposed in a conduit chase, or underneath your bus?
Once you have a plan, start to purchase your wires and make sure they are rated for the job. You can find tinned copper marine grade wire that is built specifically for the harsh environments of buses (humidity, saltwater and corrosion).
It is also a good idea to purchase multiple lengths of stranded conductors to allow you to connect several appliances together. This will reduce wire lengths and give you the most flexibility with your electrical system.
Wire management is the key here as it can save you a lot of time down the road if you have a problem with your electrical connections. If you are putting your wires through the walls of your bus you can use Romex wire clamps to secure them in place as they enter and exit the boxes.
The most efficient way to wire your lights is to use a relay. This will allow you to control the power to your lights from one location and save you the time of having to wire them to switches on each side of the vehicle.
A relay will also provide a way to turn on your high beams with a simple switch or button. To do this, you need to install a CAN-BUS contact-less reader to read the output of the relay and then connect the signal to your high beam trigger wire (or any other circuit you wish to wire).
Another nice option for controlling your lights is a 2 way light switch. These can be found online for less than $20 and can be used to control your lights from multiple locations.
This type of light switch is likely to be the most useful item you buy for your bus since it will provide you with a quick and easy way to turn on your lights without having to mess around with switches. This will also allow you to keep the dimmer controls and re-wire them when you replace your headlights in the future.