Accessory power
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Accessory power I need to run a couple things using the ACC. power as the component's main power source (shift light, QTP cutout, radar power) I know the pink ASR wire is ACC on but i dont want to run too many things off that. I was thinking of running a 12v relay with that ASR wire to turn it on, and then have some sort of "junction block" with a couple taps to hook things up to (like on some amp fuse blocks).
Im worried about drawing too much power from one wire, I think it would be better to hook up a relay with some thicker gauge and have a couple 12v ACC outputs.
What do you guys think?, can I get the 12v from the inside fusebox, how should I hook up the "junction block", would it be okay to do this, one commom 12v wire?
Or, how do you guys wire up the ACC wire when you have several components?
Thanks
Im worried about drawing too much power from one wire, I think it would be better to hook up a relay with some thicker gauge and have a couple 12v ACC outputs.
What do you guys think?, can I get the 12v from the inside fusebox, how should I hook up the "junction block", would it be okay to do this, one commom 12v wire?
Or, how do you guys wire up the ACC wire when you have several components?
Thanks
Very Smart thinking. I have worked on cars that fried wires because they weren't think like you.
Best bet is to run a 12ga or 10ga wire through the firewall for your relay.
Best trick to get a coat hanger and cut the hook part off. Straighten it out and fish it throught the gromet below the Booster for your brakes. Just push it through from the inside. Tape the wire to it making sure to tape about 1 1/2" after the end and 1 1/2" after the end of the 10-12ga wire. Keeps it from getting caught. Now just pull it through. Fuse it (holders are cheap at an auto store), Put a Ring term on the wire, and connect it at the relay.
Use the + post under the red cover on the Drivers side near the fuse boxs.
Best bet is to run a 12ga or 10ga wire through the firewall for your relay.
Best trick to get a coat hanger and cut the hook part off. Straighten it out and fish it throught the gromet below the Booster for your brakes. Just push it through from the inside. Tape the wire to it making sure to tape about 1 1/2" after the end and 1 1/2" after the end of the 10-12ga wire. Keeps it from getting caught. Now just pull it through. Fuse it (holders are cheap at an auto store), Put a Ring term on the wire, and connect it at the relay.
Use the + post under the red cover on the Drivers side near the fuse boxs.
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Oh yeah I forgot that + post was there in the enginge bay.
What do you mean by "ring term on the wire", a crimp connector like those typically used for grounds?
I know how to wire up a relay, but what would you recommend for using as a distribution block sort of thing with the +12 output from the relay. I was thinking something that looks like the terminals on an amp, with several posts to connect wires, or should I just wrap everything up and make a big butt connector.
Thanks for your help
What do you mean by "ring term on the wire", a crimp connector like those typically used for grounds?
I know how to wire up a relay, but what would you recommend for using as a distribution block sort of thing with the +12 output from the relay. I was thinking something that looks like the terminals on an amp, with several posts to connect wires, or should I just wrap everything up and make a big butt connector.
Thanks for your help
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
There are three connections in the interior fuse box that are intended for aftermarket accessories. One is battery (always live), one is ignition (live with key in RUN), and the other is accessory (live with key in RUN or ACCY as well as during "retained accessory power" operation). I believe all three are 20 amp circuits so they should be quite enough for the items you mentioned. The ignition connection would probably be the best choice unless you want something to continue working after shutting off the car.
When I was connecting my radar detector there, I decided I would probably need power for other accessories in the future so I ran wires from each of the three connections to junction boxes under the glove box. That way they are easy to reach when I need them. (Of course I added an inline fuse to each lead just to be on the safe side.)
When I was connecting my radar detector there, I decided I would probably need power for other accessories in the future so I ran wires from each of the three connections to junction boxes under the glove box. That way they are easy to reach when I need them. (Of course I added an inline fuse to each lead just to be on the safe side.)
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Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
There are three connections in the interior fuse box that are intended for aftermarket accessories. One is battery (always live), one is ignition (live with key in RUN), and the other is accessory (live with key in RUN or ACCY as well as during "retained accessory power" operation). I believe all three are 20 amp circuits so they should be quite enough for the items you mentioned. The ignition connection would probably be the best choice unless you want something to continue working after shutting off the car.
When I was connecting my radar detector there, I decided I would probably need power for other accessories in the future so I ran wires from each of the three connections to junction boxes under the glove box. That way they are easy to reach when I need them. (Of course I added an inline fuse to each lead just to be on the safe side.)
When I was connecting my radar detector there, I decided I would probably need power for other accessories in the future so I ran wires from each of the three connections to junction boxes under the glove box. That way they are easy to reach when I need them. (Of course I added an inline fuse to each lead just to be on the safe side.)
What is a real "junction box", I used that name to describe what I was thinking of but I wasnt sure if they really exist, are there real junctions you can get at radio shack? what do they look like? (I was thinking of something like the power/speaker connections on amplifiers, like a small plastic block with 1 "input" and 4 "outputs")
I just thought about soldering a wire to a screw and then you could put a "ring, crimp connector" on the accessory wire and bolt it up (and insulate the whole thing)
Thanks again
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From: Houston, TX
Originally Posted by Richiec77
Good idea WhiteBird00. The Terminal is just a ring crimp. (damn engineer degree is making me too specific)
Thanks
ps, are you an electrical engineer or other
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Verdad Gallardo Studying to be one. Most of the experience So far is just Math and theory right now. But they drill it into you to be specific and use correct terminology. It's starting to mess me up.
Ya. I was saying to just add a Ring crimp on the end and attach it to the + stud near the fuse box's.
I hate trying to mess around near the fuse panel because it's so tight in there. TO ME it's faster and easier to just route a new wire.
As far as a Terminal block. You can probably go to Radio Shack and get a "Terminal Bus". It looks like a white plastic piece with rows of Screws on both side. Can get them from 2 teminals all the way to 16.
Here is a good pic of the type you would want. Scroll down to the bottom right corner.
http://www.blockmaster.com/stdprodguide.htm
Just Solder the ouput wire and jumper wire together in the 1st block and then jump off into the other term. on that one side. So now there would be +12 accross all the terminal. Bacically short wires tied together in each block to make a connection for the next block. Sort of like this.
+12v
|
|
|
|-------|-------|-------|------| Input side
+.........+..........+.........+........+
---------------------------------
+ ouput side
If I had something to show an arc instead of a stright line it look better.
Ya. I was saying to just add a Ring crimp on the end and attach it to the + stud near the fuse box's.
I hate trying to mess around near the fuse panel because it's so tight in there. TO ME it's faster and easier to just route a new wire.
As far as a Terminal block. You can probably go to Radio Shack and get a "Terminal Bus". It looks like a white plastic piece with rows of Screws on both side. Can get them from 2 teminals all the way to 16.
Here is a good pic of the type you would want. Scroll down to the bottom right corner.
http://www.blockmaster.com/stdprodguide.htm
Just Solder the ouput wire and jumper wire together in the 1st block and then jump off into the other term. on that one side. So now there would be +12 accross all the terminal. Bacically short wires tied together in each block to make a connection for the next block. Sort of like this.
+12v
|
|
|
|-------|-------|-------|------| Input side
+.........+..........+.........+........+
---------------------------------
+ ouput side
If I had something to show an arc instead of a stright line it look better.
Last edited by Richiec77; Feb 8, 2005 at 02:23 PM.
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The "junction blocks" that I used were just as you described - black plastic blocks with an input screw terminal and several output screw terminals. I believe I got them from Pep Boys or Autozone. I used 12 gauge wire which is bigger than necessary for my accessories but I figured I'd rather be safe. I'm sure you could use 14 gauge as long as you're not connecting an amp or something.
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Originally Posted by Richiec77
No prob.
By the way did that drawing make any sense to you??? I wish I had something to draw on and then export here. Would make things easier to explain.
By the way did that drawing make any sense to you??? I wish I had something to draw on and then export here. Would make things easier to explain.
If im right you were just saying if the terminals are seperated, run a small jumper to each one to connect them together.
Ill go to Radio Shack pretty soon and see what they have.
BTW I see you are from Texas, where are you going to school
Originally Posted by BigSteele
yeah I get it, those things in the link were exactly what I was thinking of.
If im right you were just saying if the terminals are seperated, run a small jumper to each one to connect them together.
Ill go to Radio Shack pretty soon and see what they have.
BTW I see you are from Texas, where are you going to school
If im right you were just saying if the terminals are seperated, run a small jumper to each one to connect them together.
Ill go to Radio Shack pretty soon and see what they have.
BTW I see you are from Texas, where are you going to school
Central Texas. I'm still in (sounds like a prison term) the Army so that's my best choice for trying to knock out the basics. When I get out I might continue or I might just get a job and follow up on it later. I have the G.I. to use for a while so I'm in no hurry. My Job in the Army relates to Electronics in a Big way. My 2nd AIT was a Year long. (33w MI ) The 1st one is also realted and that was almost 6mo. Long. Plus Car Audio as a job and a hobby so I'm knee deep in it.
Been doing car audio for almost 13 years on and off. Thread Starter
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Update:
I went to radio shack and bought some terminal things, (just like the bottom right picture in the link).
I ran a 12 gauge wire from the +12v auxillary terminal by the underhood fuse box through the firewall (with a fuse first)(through a hole made by previous alarm instalation, right below the brake booster) and connected a relay. I used the ASR pink wire to trigger the relay and then ran the new +12v IGN to the new "terminal junction", and hooked up my accessories onto that. I also made another junction for ground wires. ; I spent a lot of time making everything neat and correct and it works great!
I see what youre saying about it being easier to just add a wire throught the firewall then to tap the inside fuse box. If there wasnt another hole already I could have used a coat hanger to run a wire from inside the car to outside pretty easily I think.
I went to radio shack and bought some terminal things, (just like the bottom right picture in the link).
I ran a 12 gauge wire from the +12v auxillary terminal by the underhood fuse box through the firewall (with a fuse first)(through a hole made by previous alarm instalation, right below the brake booster) and connected a relay. I used the ASR pink wire to trigger the relay and then ran the new +12v IGN to the new "terminal junction", and hooked up my accessories onto that. I also made another junction for ground wires. ; I spent a lot of time making everything neat and correct and it works great!
I see what youre saying about it being easier to just add a wire throught the firewall then to tap the inside fuse box. If there wasnt another hole already I could have used a coat hanger to run a wire from inside the car to outside pretty easily I think.
You know, I am glad someone brought this post up!!! I am running four gauges (BOOST/VAC, NITROUS, AIR/FUEL, TRANS TEMP), Radar Detector, Shiflight, And some LED Lights up front. I had always wondred if this is too much. I am also in the process of installing a car tc monitor and DVD player. I think that if I add these last two, I will really be pushing it Right? 
Thanks, Hector
Thanks, Hector
Originally Posted by trans_am_31
You know, I am glad someone brought this post up!!! I am running four gauges (BOOST/VAC, NITROUS, AIR/FUEL, TRANS TEMP), Radar Detector, Shiflight, And some LED Lights up front. I had always wondred if this is too much. I am also in the process of installing a car tc monitor and DVD player. I think that if I add these last two, I will really be pushing it Right?
Thanks, Hector
Thanks, Hector
Sorry I didnt mention this, but I am getting the power from the fuse panel by the door. Thanks, Hector
If it's off a lead that doesn't have any current draw you'll be fine. If it does, it's not hard to do. Just follow what I posted above and it's easy to do. Maybe we can get BigSteele to post some Pics.