Underwood relay installp
#1
Underhood relay install
All the aftermarket stuff I install on my vehicles is as separate and independent of the vehicle as it can be. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way I am hoping that forum members might be able to supply me with some needed information. I am adding an ignition switched relay under the hood to provide auxiliary power to my inverter and seat heaters. The B+ wire for the inverter is already pulled so I will just splice in the relay after the fuse off of B+. Since the B+ and B- sources for 3 of the 4 legs of the relay are close at hand I need an under hood source for B+ ignition on. Does anyone know of a source for B+ ignition that is easily accessible? I could use a fuse with a power tap on it but I would prefer using a different method for B+ ignition.
Thanks,
Randy
Thanks,
Randy
Last edited by Knebrdr; 07-22-2018 at 03:51 PM. Reason: Autocorrect run amok
#2
M style cartridge fuse #23 in the fuse box is the only ignition on hot I could find under the hood. It is a 15A fuse for the moisture sensor for the wipers. My XL is not equipped with this feature so there is only the hot pin sticking up with no power out pin. This is the perfect scenario and allows me to build a power tap by inserting a .110” male spade connector with wire into the out side of the cartridge fuse and shrink tube the connector and wire to the side of the cartridge fuse, plug in the fuse and then run the wire out of the fuse box to provide ignition on B+ to pin 85 on the relay. I am waiting for terminals for the relay connector which should be here Tuesday. The first ones I ordered are tinned and too thick to allow a relay to be plugged in to the connector. The newly ordered terminals are the same style but are brass with out the tinning. The seat heater project should start next Saturday since I run my 96 yo MlL to senior daycare on Wednesday and Friday while I go fishing and I can’t have my truck dead in the water if I do not finish by Wednesday morning. Do you guys want pictures of the project? If so respond or I will just get to work and not waste my time taking pictures.
#3
#4
I am down to removing the passenger seat to install the heating elements and pull the power supply wires to that seat. the installation has been pretty straight forward although I have had to cut 6.5" off of the elements for both the seat bottom and backrest. The location, length and design of the cross listing on the seat back and bottom makes it impossible to just cut a window in the element so the elements are shortened to fit between the listings. I checked the driver's side set after the install and I am seeing about 96 degrees after a minute running time on high. I am sure they will get hotter than that when on and occupied. So far so good. By the way, when you shorten the seat bottom element the pigtail lines up exactly with the hole in the foam that Ford uses to run the wiring for their seat bottom element.
Last edited by Knebrdr; 07-22-2018 at 03:52 PM.