so I'm trying to hide some wires from gps, radar, etc.. and i bought 3 12v outlets.

i don't know how to go about hooking them up, I'm not very electrically inclined. i want them to only have power when the truck is turned on. so could someone explain to me exactly what i should do, i dont wanna splice wires.

o btw i was thinking about another options which would be activated by a switch so it would be nice if someone could tell me how to do this too it would be nice.

thanks

 

ditto ^

i am doing the same thing and do not know what fuses to use?

 

Not sure this is going to help, but I added one to my console when I re-ran the wiring for the iPod connector from the dash. I tapped the power lead from the cigarette lighter and then grounded the other wire to one of the screws on the Sirius module. I fed it down and then through the shifter console into the arm console. The 12V add on came with an inline fuse.

 

Your fuse box is in the passenger side kick panel. If you dont want to tap any wires, you will need an add-a-fuse circuit. Get a test light when you get the add-a-fuse or add-a-circuit. What ever its called. A 10 amp fuse/circuit should be able to get you all of the power you need. You'll have to decide if you want to mount the outlets under the dash, or how you want to have things run.
Find a circuit thats powered only when the key is the on position and tap away. Here is an add-a-fuse that I found. You can find these locally as well, they are pretty common. http://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-BP-HH...sim_auto_1_img

The test light is pretty cheap and if you look at the tip of the fuse, there is bare metal exposed so that you can test them while they are plugged in.

With your admitted reservation about electrical items, I would say this is a best route to go for a key-on-only circuit.

 

Buy a nice fuse block:

http://www.centechwire.com/catalog/panels/ap2.shtml

Then cut off the cigarette lighter adapter, peel and strip the wire, if you need more wire, get some wire according to the AWG (or go heavier, don't skimp or you'll have a fire) of the wire of the device, insert wires into fuse block observing polarity. That's it, you are done.

 

I don't use the fuse box at all. Over the years I've found too much feedback from there. Especially on a C.B. radio. I wired everything the same way including the two extra 12v outlets that are behind my dash. I ground to the chassis inside the cab. Plenty of bolts under the dash that are grounds. Just use a circuit checker and a live wire to find a good one. Then run one wire from the positive battery terminal, through one of the grommits in the firewall and up to where you want the plugs. Wire all 3 12v plugs into the one decent sized wire you just ran from the battery.

So one long wire, one short wire, easy cheasy. Might be prudent to also add an inline fuse on the pos. wires just for safety.

g'luck


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jolly green giant with the way you are saying would the power to the 12v only be on when the truck is on because that is what im wanting to do.

hllon4whls i like your idea. that sounds easy and i think i can do that. but is there 3 spots for each of the 12v in the fuse box. or can i wire all 3 to 1 add-a-circuit

 

The loads you are talking are about fairly low power. I think that you can wire all to one add-a-fuse. You mentioned 2 out of the three loads. Add them all up to see where you are. As long as you are under 10 amps, you can use one. Just glancing at the description, it says 10 amps max.

Dont forget to use your test light to get your key-on only circuit or on/acc only circuit. Either I think would be fine.

If you are going to hide them under the dash, there is plenty of metal under there to ground the circuits. Id like to see you solder the connections, but if not, you can use mutliple scotch locks on the string, solderings not in everyone's bag of tricks.

 

i think i will be able to solder.. so if i connect my phone charger, gps, and a radar whats a good estimate for the amps

 

read the specs on the plugs for them...or go visit walmart and check their packaging. can't be much though

 

ok thank you everyone but i have 1 more question

if i put all of the cables into 1 add-a-circuit but i only use 1 of the 12v would that cause any problems with the fuse or anything?

 

anyone? this is my last question! i dont want my truck to burn up

 

Won't effect anything. If nothing is plugged in to a socket it is just a disconected circuit.

The way I have mine is constant on. You'll need to tap your power from a switched power source to get that to happen.

 

You are talking about small current, so I dont think you will have any problems. Try to tap a circuit with an existing low fuse value (5-10) amps as that will keep the overall load on the circuit low.