Adding parts or hardware that will improve the look of your semi-truck is one of your favorite things, especially if you are driving a semi-truck that comes from one of the most popular brands.
One of the items you can add is air cleaner lights or breather lights.
The air cleaner lights add illumination and better visibility to the air cleaner of your semi-truck, which works by clearing the debris on your semi-truck engine.
Air cleaner lights are an excellent accessory to add to your rig since they offer functionality and aesthetics to your semi-truck.
If you want to add a visual spark to your Peterbilt semi truck’s air cleaner, you can install lights on it.
Here’s How to Install Peterbilt Air Cleaner Lights:
Air cleaner lights can be installed on a Peterbilt by modifying the holder or the bracket to place lights. To power up the air cleaner lights, power can be sourced from the already installed lighting system by using a connector and a separate switch, with the careful routing of the power leads.
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What are Peterbilt Air Cleaner or Breather Lights?
Air cleaner or breather works by clearing your Peterbilt semi truck’s engine from all the dirt and debris to keep its performance.
The function of the Peterbilt air cleaner or breather is to add better visibility when driving on darker routes.
If there is more lighting in your semi-truck, other drivers and motorists will easily spot you on the road.
What’s the Significance of Air Cleaner Lights?
Trucks and semi-trucks often hit the road during the night’s peak, making it hard to navigate.
Thus adding more lights to your semi-truck, such as air cleaner lights, makes it more visible on dark roads.
With more lighting, it will also be easy for other drivers on the road to recognize you and avoid accidents.
Do all Peterbilts have Air Cleaner Lights?
Air cleaner lights are more of an accessory you add to your Peterbilt semi-truck. Hence, you can say that not all Peterbilts have air cleaner lights installed.
Since there are many available air cleaner lights available in the market for Peterbilt semi-trucks, you can choose the right one for the model of your truck and have it installed.
Can they be Installed on other Peterbilt models?
A specific type of air cleaner light can also be installed on several Peterbilt semi-truck models.
For example, a 15 inches diameter Peterbilt air cleaner can fit models 379,388, and 389.
You can check with the manufacturer of the air cleaner lights first on which models it may fit Peterbilt semi-trucks to know if it will also work on your specific semi-truck model.
How to Install Peterbilt Air Cleaner Lights?
Installing Peterbilt air cleaner lights may take an hour, but it does not mean it is hard. Here are the steps you can follow on how to install Peterbilt air cleaner lights:
Step 1: Remove the four bolts on top of the air cleaner on a flat surface.
Step 2: Choose where you want to run the power lead or the one you attach to the LED strip from inside the air cleaner top and into the engine compartment.
The first is by running the power lead into the hose of the air intake manifold. It connects the air cleaner or breather to the engine. You will then release that hose once it reaches the engine compartment.
The second way is by routing the power lead out of the back of the top of the air cleaner. You can drill a hole through its mesh screen at the back near the seam.
Then, route it to the existing hole in the semi-truck on the back of the air cleaner. You can try to remove the entire air cleaner can from the truck if you want to access the hole quickly.
Step 3: After choosing where you want to run the power lead, get a drill and make a 5/16 inches hole on the base of the air cleaner top.
Step 4: Clean the mounting surface of the air cleaner light or the LED light using rubbing alcohol. Then, apply a 3M adhesion primer.
Step 5: Make a layout for how you mount the LED strips. Ensure you mount them on the rear of the air cleaner.
Step 6: Secure the power lead using a Butyl tape against the air cleaner top.
Step 7: Route the power lead wire through the drilled hole. Then wire in the male end of the disconnect plug. Allot at least 12 to 18 inches of slack in the power lead cable to have more room for the wires.
Step 8: Wire the female end of the quick disconnect plug to the feeder cable through the drilled hole. The cable will then connect the male and female quick-disconnect plugs inside the air intake hose in the engine compartment.
Step 9: Wire the light to a switch and test if it works.
Here’s a cool video on how to install air cleaner lights on your Peterbilt:
Tools Required
To make the installation work, you need several tools and equipment.
The main item here is the air cleaner light or LED, followed by the light bracket, light bar, light fuse and wiring, and a switch.
You can also use the drill, adhesion primer, Butyl tape, wires, and other tools you think you can use to make the work easier.
Access to Air Cleaner Lights
For proper installation, you need better access to air cleaner lights to fix it properly.
You can remove the entire air cleaner or breather unit from the semi-truck to have better access to the appropriate access hole.
Air Cleaner Light Bracket
Like in any other parts or hardware in a semi-truck, the bracket serves as the support.
The air cleaner light bracket serves like a case or housing to the LED lights, so they are in place once you install it on the air cleaner or breather.
You can guarantee its durability with high-quality build stainless steel material.
Air Cleaner Light Bar
The dramatic effect of the air cleaner light comes from the light bars.
The air cleaner light bar is an ideal accessory as it signifies your presence on the road, especially at night.
It provides additional light to the area around your semi-truck. In this way, it serves as a warning or a signal for other drivers if you have encountered any issues on the road.
Air Cleaner Light Fuse and Wiring
The entire air cleaner lights will not work if it has the wrong fuse and wiring.
Air cleaner lights use a power lead extension wire. It also uses a y-plug adapter with male and female plugs so that you can connect them to the semi truck’s wiring harness without splicing.
Switch for the Air Cleaner Lights
The switch for the air cleaner lights allows you to turn them on and off. In most cases, you need to add the switch if it is still not factory-installed.
You can easily add one for the air light cleaner by adding a fuse and proper wiring.
You can order with or without a switch if you want to purchase a single-color LED light.
Since you need to provide a proper allocation of amperage to make the lights work, you might as well assist a mechanic and electrician. This way, you can avoid failure on the air cleaner lighting system.
Should you Wire Air Cleaner Lights to Other Lights in the Truck?
Yes, it is possible to connect the wires of the air cleaner lights to the other lights installed in your semi-truck using a Y-plug adaptor.
A y-plug adaptor or a splitter cable, as its name suggests, allows splitting the signal from one wire connection to another without splicing.
Once you purchase air cleaner lights, it does not include a y-plug adaptor, so you need to purchase it separately.
Fortunately, most y-plug adapters in the market fit most Peterbilt semi-trucks models and other popular brands.
Thus, you can work on connecting all the wires for lighting in your semi-truck if you want to for centralized control.
Again, if you need further help fixing the lighting wires in your semi-truck, consulting a mechanic or an electrician is the best way to do it.
