Direct wire to battery
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Junior Member
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Direct wire to battery
I want to install an amateur radio in my 2002 4x2 XLT directly to the battery. Can anyone give me some hints on this and how I would get the wires from the cab through to the battery?
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Under the flightpath of old ORD 22R
Lewsnews,
The best that I can offer, is to run the wire up the pass side of the fender, and under the plastic cover by the wiper motors.
Then down past the master cylinder, and there is a rubber type air vent that is almost by where the steering passes through the firewall.
You could run the wire through this vent, and then on to the radio termination, or an additional fuse block inside the cab, in case you add some other electrical items in the future.
If you want some options on fuse blocks let us know, we can drop a post on that as well.
Hope this is what you were looking for, if not let me know and I'll try again.
Steve
The best that I can offer, is to run the wire up the pass side of the fender, and under the plastic cover by the wiper motors.
Then down past the master cylinder, and there is a rubber type air vent that is almost by where the steering passes through the firewall.
You could run the wire through this vent, and then on to the radio termination, or an additional fuse block inside the cab, in case you add some other electrical items in the future.
If you want some options on fuse blocks let us know, we can drop a post on that as well.
Hope this is what you were looking for, if not let me know and I'll try again.
Steve
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 104
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Another way
I routed from the battery straight back under the fender towards the corner of the windshield on the passenger side. There's a small gap there that gives access to the door frame, you can come down between the front of the door and the front of the door frame to the large grommet that routes the door wiring from the door to underneath the dash.
I believe police/fire wire their vehicles this way - or so we were told by a commercial radio installer.
Another ham told me he had a Ford tech go right through the firewall with the "perfect" tool (a punch maybe?). Seems like this would invite noise, dust, etc., though over the years I've certainly done it this way a time or two.
You might want to make sure you've got your DC power cable fused at the battery, NOT back at the rig: if you get a short going through sheet metal it doesn't do you any good to be fused back at the rig. L.A. ham's Volvo became a "Sigalert" (freeway closure traffic advisory) when it caught on fire last October - we think the DC power cable to his IC-706 shorted in the firewall and started things burning. Yaesu DC power cables are the only ones I've seen that put the fuses up at the battery where they belong.
I believe police/fire wire their vehicles this way - or so we were told by a commercial radio installer.
Another ham told me he had a Ford tech go right through the firewall with the "perfect" tool (a punch maybe?). Seems like this would invite noise, dust, etc., though over the years I've certainly done it this way a time or two.
You might want to make sure you've got your DC power cable fused at the battery, NOT back at the rig: if you get a short going through sheet metal it doesn't do you any good to be fused back at the rig. L.A. ham's Volvo became a "Sigalert" (freeway closure traffic advisory) when it caught on fire last October - we think the DC power cable to his IC-706 shorted in the firewall and started things burning. Yaesu DC power cables are the only ones I've seen that put the fuses up at the battery where they belong.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: San Diego Area
Installing Radio
I went through the same hole the cable for the alarm used. I have my Kenwood MV7A remoute monted. Biggest problem was finding a suitable place for the antenna without drilling any holes. Used a windshield mount. Mine is a 4x4.
KF6PPR 73's
KF6PPR 73's
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Thank you all for the ideas. I will check them all to see what the best way for me would be. I am especially going to make sure the DC cable is fused near the battery as my present cable for the IC207H is not. Thanks again!!
Lew
KC2JTS
Lew
KC2JTS