Wiring Rookie
03-12-2014, 01:20 PM
#1
Formerly "the_breeze"
Thread Starter
I'll be honest, I'm new to wiring things. I can rebuild a motor from top to bottom but I'm not even sure I can wire in a new head unit. Right now everything I have in my truck: CB, Flashlight mount/Charger, and under dash lights are all wired to plug in. That being said, I can only have one plugged in at a time, and I don't like the look of wires hanging everywhere.
If I were to wire everything to a switch panel:
1) where would be the best place to power it from? I don't like just splicing wires all over the place so would I be able to feed the whole panel from one splice?
And 2) Would this disconnect the power source when the vehicle is not running or on auxiliary? Anything that is plugged in gets power at all times, I don't want to have to throw the switch every time I shut the truck off if its something I use often. But if I'm not using it I don't want it to drain the battery.
Thanks in advance, and I apologize if they're stupid questions but like I said, I'm new to the wiring scene and I like to do things right.
If I were to wire everything to a switch panel:
1) where would be the best place to power it from? I don't like just splicing wires all over the place so would I be able to feed the whole panel from one splice?
And 2) Would this disconnect the power source when the vehicle is not running or on auxiliary? Anything that is plugged in gets power at all times, I don't want to have to throw the switch every time I shut the truck off if its something I use often. But if I'm not using it I don't want it to drain the battery.
Thanks in advance, and I apologize if they're stupid questions but like I said, I'm new to the wiring scene and I like to do things right.
03-12-2014, 04:10 PM
#3
Safest way to wire this which I do to all my trucks is with relays.
You would have a main large gauge power wire from battery powering the relays. Also needs ground.
Then relays have a remote wire that turns them on.
Find the acc circuit that turns on with key - use that to power switches then switches power remote wire on relays. > (doing it this way puts almost zero load on acc wire and you can use that wire to power as many switches and relays as you want)
The relay then has a large gauge output wire that then connects to device be it radio, lights and so on.
You can google relay switch wiring to see easy to follow diagrams.
Most switches cant handle big loads like fog lights and such which is where the relay comes into play. If its a small load then you can go from acc wire to switch to device.
You would have a main large gauge power wire from battery powering the relays. Also needs ground.
Then relays have a remote wire that turns them on.
Find the acc circuit that turns on with key - use that to power switches then switches power remote wire on relays. > (doing it this way puts almost zero load on acc wire and you can use that wire to power as many switches and relays as you want)
The relay then has a large gauge output wire that then connects to device be it radio, lights and so on.
You can google relay switch wiring to see easy to follow diagrams.
Most switches cant handle big loads like fog lights and such which is where the relay comes into play. If its a small load then you can go from acc wire to switch to device.
Last edited by breensy; 03-12-2014 at 04:16 PM.
03-12-2014, 06:38 PM
#5
Yeah that would be ideal. I built a relay panel years ago that has 8 relays on it and the outputs goto a fuse bus. From there I just plug in anything I want to switch and its all passed through relays and then fused. Plus main power from battery fused and acc remote wire for switches fused 
Go big or go home.
This was my old truck with details and pics:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3103215/2005-ford-escape/
Go big or go home.
This was my old truck with details and pics:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3103215/2005-ford-escape/
03-13-2014, 01:29 AM
#7
Formerly "the_breeze"
Thread Starter
As of now I have red LEDs under the dash, which i may just get rid of, a stream light stinger charging holster, CB radio, and I plan on adding flood lights for the front and work light for the rear.
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03-13-2014, 01:34 AM
#8
Formerly "the_breeze"
Thread Starter
And I don't want to just splice a bunch of stuff up, Iike a nice clean look and I prefer that it be removable without a trace to be found. For a relay I would run power directly from the battery and the relays themselves, I assume, would be in the engine compartment. You said to run the remote wire to the relays? Would I splice the remote wire and run it or what? If so where is said circuit located and such? Once again sorry if these are stupid questions.
03-13-2014, 10:20 AM
#9
Salvage Yard Pro
I ran a 4 gauge wire from the battery with an in line 50a fuse into the cab and behind the dash to my panel. Each switch is a 25a switch and currently, just my ham radio amplifier and 55w rear work lights are running off of the 4 switch panel. I did not want to have to grab the keys and start the truck every time I ran out to my truck at night to grab a tool. I reach in and flip on the work lights and use them. I've used them for up to about 30 minutes without any sign of battery drain. I'm also not using the fuse box accept for power trigger for my 300w stereo amp. My 100 offroad lights are triggered with a relay from my high beams and my ham radios are directly powered from the battery. A roll of large diameter wire loom hides the wiring very nicely under the hood. I feed all wiring through the firewall with a small hole cut into the main wiring harness grommet next to the steering column. Very clean, safe and practical.
Last edited by unit505; 03-13-2014 at 10:32 AM.
