Switched power locations? (1 Viewer)

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sorry to hijack but george I know you will have the answer to this one, do you know of a source for high quality robust standard relays? I would like to change out all the cheaper ones on my truck. I have just had too many of these go bad. The best I have found are Hella brand.

I've typically used Potter & Brumfield (part of Tyco which owns AMP too) which I can buy at Digikey/Mouser (since I order from them routinely anyway) AND I get a datasheet/specs. Basically I have a bit more faith in buying that way versus the crap shoot of a local parts store etc...

cheers,
george.
 
I'm totally in love with sPod. 4x4spod.com. Such a clean system and easy to install. Run a dedicated line to the battery and it allows you to create dedicated, switched panel for up to 8 circuits. I even have the Bluetooth module so I can turn rear accessories (like lights and a cooler) on/off from my iPhone.
 
I'm totally in love with sPod. 4x4spod.com. Such a clean system and easy to install. Run a dedicated line to the battery and it allows you to create dedicated, switched panel for up to 8 circuits. I even have the Bluetooth module so I can turn rear accessories (like lights and a cooler) on/off from my iPhone.

yes, cool factor but very expensive for what it is, the same can be built for much less with basic relays and a quality fuse box
 
So 30 comes from cigarette lighter power, 85 ground from cigarette lighter, 87 would go to Blue Sea fuse box. What about 86?

30 is 10 guage hot wire to battery with a fuse on it, 86 goes to your switched key on power source (cig lighter or tap into oem fuse box), 87 goes to your blue sea fuse box, 85 goes to ground on the fender (use an oem bolt)

then you are all setup to simply add accessories to your blue sea box one at a time and they are fused.
 
30 is 10 guage hot wire to battery with a fuse on it, 86 goes to your switched key on power source (cig lighter or tap into oem fuse box), 87 goes to your blue sea fuse box, 85 goes to ground on the fender (use an oem bolt)

then you are all setup to simply add accessories to your blue sea box one at a time and they are fused.

I should add that you need to think about the TYPE of accessories that are added to the blue sea box, they should be lower voltage items, think cb, radio (not huge amp), led interior guage, usb socket, etc. I would NOT hook a large items like a fridge or inverter. These should be fused directly to the battery.
 
yes, cool factor but very expensive for what it is, the same can be built for much less with basic relays and a quality fuse box
True, but most folks have very limited understanding of electronics. Most. For the vast majority, expensive or not, it save hours of wiring and results in a cleaner, safer and more functional install. Plus the Bluetooth feature is pretty slick.
 
So 30 comes from cigarette lighter power, 85 ground from cigarette lighter, 87 would go to Blue Sea fuse box. What about 86?
86 is the ground.
 
I have a Blue Sea 5032 installed in my glove box. I put it in the glove box because everything under my hood gets covered in mud when I wheel. I initally direct wired it to the battery with a hand-turned switch so that everything wiring into it was on whenever I turned the switch on. This has really gotten to be a major pain. I have to turn this switch everytime I get out of the car and yes, I have run my battery down multiple times because my rig is not a daily driver. I want to modify the the function of the fuse block to turn on and off when I turn on and off the ignition. I bought a standard 40 AMP relay today and used the following wiring guide I found on the web. The positive line from my battery is connected to prong 30. I direct wired the 86 prong to the lighter fuse in my OEM fuse block using an ATC fuse tap as shown in the other photo (no valet switch) and I grounded the relay prong 85 to the ground line coming from the battery into my Blue Sea fuse block. It isn't working and I cannot figure out why. When I start the car, none of my accessories are getting any power. My live wire from the battery still has power and my ground is still successfully grounded to the battery. I have checked the fuses and they are all OK. When I turn on the ignition, I am not getting any power from the relay into my fuse box which is now wired to the battery through prong 87 of the relay. Any ideas on what I did incorrectly?

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SleepyCrusier, the diagram I attached for the relay is exactly right. I had it done correctly the first time I did it. What I was failing to do was to put two fuses in the fuse tap. If you don't it won't put out any power to your relay. By the way, the first thing you should do is get a multimeter so you can debug electrical problems. Here is a video on how to use one. This is not difficult. You can wire your own fusebox and accessories. There is a bit of a learning curve but it will save you a fortune over having a professional do it for you. This first video is how to wire a fuse tap which you will need to do to use a relay. The second video is multimeter video.



 
Thanks. I have a few multimeters and for the most part understand....I just have never done switches, fuse boxes, etc but it looks pretty straightforward. Thanks everyone for the info!!
 
Good luck! Pretty much everything you need is on YouTube if you search enough. It is all there. If you get stuck, you can generally count on Mud to bail you out.
 
I should add that you need to think about the TYPE of accessories that are added to the blue sea box, they should be lower voltage items, think cb, radio (not huge amp), led interior guage, usb socket, etc. I would NOT hook a large items like a fridge or inverter. These should be fused directly to the battery.

I agree. Large items can require 40 amp fuses or larger which you typically don't use in a fuse box. I am using a 40 amp fuse between the battery and the blue marine fuse block so I can't wire anything in that requires over 40 amps. The main reason to use one is to reduce the wire clutter in your truck and to keep your OEM fuse block reasonably clean.
 
I just bought the fuse box pigtail's and used empty spots in the under hood fuse box to power additional accessories. It would be pretty simple to use a relay to provide either a ground or power to a circuit if you find a small signal wire that provides power when on. Like the plug under the center console, or the cigarette lighter. I wouldn't ever try and tap into any of the existing wiring for anything other than a signal. Toyota already put too many things on every fuse as it is.
 
Getting all this stuff ordered and hopefully get this tackled soon.
 
you may have the (unused?) electric seat heater plugs for the front seats just hanging loose under the centre console.

I (disconnected the heaters, I'm in Spain and) used them to power my lightbars at front, and for a switch line to the compressor relay in the back.
 
you may have the (unused?) electric seat heater plugs for the front seats just hanging loose under the centre console.

I (disconnected the heaters, I'm in Spain and) used them to power my lightbars at front, and for a switch line to the compressor relay in the back.

Funny....I had to replace my shifter light today and saw 2 plugs under the center console and wondered what those were....must be the seat heater plugs. That is a good idea and good info. Thanks!
 
Funny....I had to replace my shifter light today and saw 2 plugs under the center console and wondered what those were....must be the seat heater plugs. That is a good idea and good info. Thanks!

no worries. there's a permanent live and an ignition-switched live on each plug. cant remember which colours are which now, but if you need them to reach the centre console - I used the holes where the heater switches were for my new rocker switches, then you'll probably need to extend the plug leads to reach your switches, there's not room to connect/reach the old ones while getting the console back in easily.
 
Nice. I will check with a multimeter in the next day or so and figure out which one is always hot and which is switched. That will help a lot so I can have one USB charger or whatever always on and then some that are switched.
 

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