needing wiring experts advice

[Ltk]

Ok so heres my plan to make life easier, I'm just needing advice from someone who has done this, or knows anything about wiring because I surely dont :cool:I bought a GPS with a window mount the other day, and having cords draped across my radio controls is possibly the worst thing to put me into OCD mode... So, I came up with a plan.I am wanting to wire up another 12v power outlet under the dash above the pedals somewhere out of the way. I want this power outlet to be switched, (when I turn my key on, the power comes on, when I turn key off the power goes off) just like the 12v power outlet beside the ashtray on our 2nd gen trucks.Can anyone explain to me step by step what I would need to do to wire this? Do I need to cut and splice into a wire that has power only when the key is on? I don't want to mess anything up.. Do I need to get wires for the new 12v power outlet that is the same gauge as the wire I will be splicing into? Any advice, pointers, or online wiring schematics would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks guys, hope someone can chime in and let me pick their brain a little bit

[Mopar1973Man]

I did something long ago. I installed a fused terminal strip under the dash with...

[*]+12V Battery power (20 Amp fused)

[*]+12V Keyed power (20 Amp fused)

[*] Ground (Negative)

So this allows me to hook all accessories to this terminal strip without tapping wires under the dash.

Ok. How it was done. I Ran a fuse lead from the alternator fuse in the PDC (Power distribution center) to the first terminal on the strip.

Second I tapped a keyed hot fuse on the fuse panel in the cab to trigger a relay to switch power from the battery terminal to the second terminal. So on the relay the 85 goes to that switch hot fuse, 86 goes to ground on the terminal strip #4, 30 goes to the #1 terminal (+12V) and 87 goes to terminal #2.

Terminal #3 is unused.

Terminal #4 is a ground wire ran to a clean body ground.

No wire are ran to the battery directly so to prevent the corrosion from eating the wires. No load is placed on any stock wiring other than the small milliamp load of the relay.

So at this point you can wire in as much accessories as you wanted and have +12, key hot, and ground all in one package...

[Lone Watie]

Here's what I did a couple weeks ago, and, as the name suggests, it was fairly painless . http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcatalog/largeview.php?SearchField=70107 I don't have anything significant hooked up to it yet, but it's there when I need it. Matter of fact, I like your idea, as I have to pull my GPS cord out of the power outlet whenever I shut off the truck, and was thinking of installing a switch in the GPS cord, but your idea is a little easier. I'm heading to O'Reilly's later today and picking a 2 port outlet up for $8 and wiring it up. Thanks for the idea.

[Ltk]

I did something long ago. I installed a fused terminal strip under the dash with...

[*]+12V Battery power (20 Amp fused)

[*]+12V Keyed power (20 Amp fused)

[*] Ground (Negative)

So this allows me to hook all accessories to this terminal strip without tapping wires under the dash.

Ok. How it was done. I Ran a fuse lead from the alternator fuse in the PDC (Power distribution center) to the first terminal on the strip.

Second I tapped a keyed hot fuse on the fuse panel in the cab to trigger a relay to switch power from the battery terminal to the second terminal. So on the relay the 85 goes to that switch hot fuse, 86 goes to ground on the terminal strip #4, 30 goes to the #1 terminal (+12V) and 87 goes to terminal #2.

Terminal #3 is unused.

Terminal #4 is a ground wire ran to a clean body ground.

No wire are ran to the battery directly so to prevent the corrosion from eating the wires. No load is placed on any stock wiring other than the small milliamp load of the relay.

So at this point you can wire in as much accessories as you wanted and have +12, key hot, and ground all in one package...

mike you have out-done yourself again, but you have went completely above my head and knowledge level

the only other thing i will ever have is a CB, but i will wire that straight to a ignition switched fuse.

so instead of splicing into a wire that is only hot with ignition on would i be able to run the hot wire from the 12v power outlet to a prong of a fuse that is only hot with ignition, and then ground to a chassis or body ground?

Here's what I did a couple weeks ago, and, as the name suggests, it was fairly painless .

http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcatalog/largeview.php?SearchField=70107

I don't have anything significant hooked up to it yet, but it's there when I need it. Matter of fact, I like your idea, as I have to pull my GPS cord out of the power outlet whenever I shut off the truck, and was thinking of installing a switch in the GPS cord, but your idea is a little easier. I'm heading to O'Reilly's later today and picking a 2 port outlet up for $8 and wiring it up. Thanks for the idea.

your welcome partner, this idea came to me because i kept having to unplug my phone charger and plug the gps into the ignition hot 12v power outlet, and the wires kept wrapping around my stick so i got a little ticked and tried to think of something more clever

[Lone Watie]

Logan, picked up a 2 port 12-v power outlet at O'Reilly's this afternoon, and had her wired up in not time, and now I turn ignition on and GPS comes on. That painless wiring fuse block I bought really made it piece of cake. It's basically what Michael did, but all in one package.

[Rogan]

I used the K.I.S.S. method for my GPS.. Since my gps is windshield-mounted, high, next to the rear view, I wired in a 12v 'cigarette lighter' port up in the headliner, behind the OHC. Tagged the 12v from the OHC power connector, grounded to the roof, plugged the GPS in it, dropped the GPC plug out the forward edge of the headliner, and plugged it in. No wires hanging down, nothing..$2.58

[Ltk]

I used the K.I.S.S. method for my GPS.. Since my gps is windshield-mounted, high, next to the rear view, I wired in a 12v 'cigarette lighter' port up in the headliner, behind the OHC. Tagged the 12v from the OHC power connector, grounded to the roof, plugged the GPS in it, dropped the GPC plug out the forward edge of the headliner, and plugged it in. No wires hanging down, nothing.. $2.58

Could you snap a pic of your GPS location when you get a chance? this idea might work better and save me from having it blocking my view a little bit

Logan, picked up a 2 port 12-v power outlet at O'Reilly's this afternoon, and had her wired up in not time, and now I turn ignition on and GPS comes on. That painless wiring fuse block I bought really made it piece of cake. It's basically what Michael did, but all in one package.

i dont have an O'Reilly's locally, i will look into that on their website! so the 2 port 12v power outlet you bought came with a fuse and everything? did you still have to splice into an ignition-hot wire? i found this, is this the one you bought also? http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/CA00/10242/N0318.oap?ck=Search_N0318_-1_-1&pt=N0318&ppt=C0092

[Lone Watie]

Could you snap a pic of your GPS location when you get a chance? this idea might work better and save me from having it blocking my view a little bit i dont have an O'Reilly's locally, i will look into that on their website! so the 2 port 12v power outlet you bought came with a fuse and everything? did you still have to splice into an ignition-hot wire? I found this, is this the one you bought also? http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/CA00/10242/N0318.oap?ck=Search_N0318_-1_-1&pt=N0318&ppt=C0092

That's the one, amazon has the same plug for 5-6$$$. I'll get a pic or two for you. http://www.amazon.com/Custom-Accessories-10242-Auxiliary-Outlet/dp/B000WEMH4G/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1369916637&sr=8-6&keywords=car+power+outlet

[MoparDave68]

Here's what I did a couple weeks ago, and, as the name suggests, it was fairly painless . http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcatalog/largeview.php?SearchField=70107

How much did this kit run ya? I have basically all these components at work so I was planning on fuse tapping an ignition hot line (at the fuse block with http://4x4icon.com/crossfire/pioneer_tuner/buss_fuse_tap.jpg), And tapping a battery hot line, same way and running them to a fuse block, similar to Mike's design. I used to wire up boats this way for gps, stereos, lights, ect. Kept all the wiring hidden and it looked neat and organized. I know from doing the fire truck conversions, use extra wire and take the time to tie the wires up out of the way and make them look as neat and organized as possible. That way everything is out of the way and it makes troubleshooting down the road easy.

[Lone Watie]

It wasn't super expensive, but not cheap either: http://www.amazon.com/Painless-Wiring-70107-Cirkit-7Circ/dp/B000A8OG2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369919477&sr=8-1&keywords=painless+wiring+70107 $73 at amazon. They do have one's with not as many fuse places. Just look thru their catalog (painless) and search for the part number on amazon. Here's a one constant hot/2 ignition hot block for $63: http://www.amazon.com/Painless-Wiring-70103-Cirkit-3Circ/dp/B00062Z5SY/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1369919633&sr=1-1&keywords=painless+wiring+70103 Or one with 3 ignition hots only for $57: http://www.amazon.com/Painless-70113/dp/B0006304HK/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1369919728&sr=1-1&keywords=painless+wiring+70113

[Rogan]

Could you snap a pic of your GPS location when you get a chance? this idea might work better and save me from having it blocking my view a little bit

[ATTACH]5637[/ATTACH] Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

[Ltk]

i believe i will order the amazon one, it qualifies for free shipping with the Amazon Prime membership. Rogan, doesnt that block your rearview a little bit?

[Lone Watie]

Good idea on the amazon. I couldn't wait so paid couple bucks more.

[Ltk]

im still the clueless idiot that has no clue how to wire this :banghead: if i use a fuse tap do i need to cut any wires, or can i just splice into the hot lead on the 12v power port?

[Lone Watie]

Tap-a-fuse into the hot side of a switched fuse on the fuse panel, w/s wiper for example. Connect that lead to the red on the power outlet, black to ground.Use 12v circuit tester to identify the hot side of the fuse you'll tap into. The tap a fuse might just be the male part of a spade terminal, so you may need some wire with a female spade terminal to reach the red lead on the outlet. I think I'm using 16ga wire.

[Rogan]

Rogan, doesnt that block your rearview a little bit?

About 1/4" of it. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2