OEM Matrix Inverter install ?

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fl4031003

fl4031003

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New Braunfels, Texas
I have done some searches and only found links to OEM switches and aftermarket inverters. I have the OEM Main Switch, Power Outlet, Inverter and harness but have some questions:
See Diagram:
1 - IG = Ignition, what is a good place to connect this to?
2 - BAT - Battery, what is a good place to tie this to?
3 - INV Relay - I did not get this from the salvage yard, is it needed and if so what other kind of relay could I use?
4 - The diagram shows 3 wires comming from the Main Switch, The switch actually has 5 wires as listed on the diagram, what are the other wires for?

I always thought this was a cool little mod and for only $5 at my local salvage yard (for everything) I could not resist. :cheers: Sorry for the poor image, its from a 2006 Matrix FSM
Matrix4.webp
 
Where are you going to put the switch and the inverter? This will determine the best place to tap into an IG circuit
 
switches

both the switch and outlet fit in any open dash switch location. i plan on using 2 open spots bottom center of dash. Inveter will go in center console or under dash around glove box area. Its small so it can go anywhere.
 
fl4031003 said:
I have done some searches and only found links to OEM switches and aftermarket inverters. I have the OEM Main Switch, Power Outlet, Inverter and harness but have some questions:
See Diagram:
1 - IG = Ignition, what is a good place to connect this to?
2 - BAT - Battery, what is a good place to tie this to?
3 - INV Relay - I did not get this from the salvage yard, is it needed and if so what other kind of relay could I use?
4 - The diagram shows 3 wires comming from the Main Switch, The switch actually has 5 wires as listed on the diagram, what are the other wires for?

I always thought this was a cool little mod and for only $5 at my local salvage yard (for everything) I could not resist. :cheers: Sorry for the poor image, its from a 2006 Matrix FSM
Click to expand...

What's the capacity of this inverter? I actually have a 2003 Matrix, aqnd have used the inverter for my camera battery charger, but have no idea what it's rated for. Guess I could look it up in the owners manual.

In any case, for any worthwhile capacity, you will definitely want a relay, but doesn't have to be the stock one. You can pick one up at Radio Shack or most decent auto parts stores. As for where to tap the battery power - again, it depends on the inverter capacity, but you may want to go straight to the battery for it. Good time to think about an aux. fuse block.
 
Switches

Here are the sitches and the inverter, the says AC115V 100W. Any relay will work?
invswitch.webp
inverter.webp
 
That's right, it says so right on the cover!

I just put a 180W inverter in my truck, and the specs says it draws 15A. The general purpose 12V relays like this one are typically rated for 30A or 40A, so plenty for this application.

12VDC/40A SPST Automotive Relay : Relays & transformers | RadioShack.com

For that kind of wattage, you might consider tapping it off of the cig lighter power.
 
Relay

Thanks,
That reley should do the trick. Still have a question, I know you said go straight to the battery or tap into the cig lighter. It looks like the diagram above has 2 sorces? Am I reading that correctily? The left says Ign. 10A Gauge and the right says Batt. 15A inv. I stillalso have the issue of the 2 extra wires from the Main switch. Any ideas?
 
The ignition power is used to close the relay which conducts the battery power. As for the 5 wires on the switch ... not sure what all those are for. Time to play with the multimeter and power supply/9V battery.
 
The EWD you posted is configured so that the inverter does NOT work without the ignition on. Once the ignition is on and you depress the inverter switch, it closes the relay that provide power to the inverter. It is set up this way to protect the battery from draining if you use the inverter too much without the truck running.

If you trust yourself to not drain the battery, you can connect the switch to always on battery power.

Your two extra switch wires are for the illumination. The photo of the EWD is blurry, but from what you described I would expect the green wire to be the +12V side of the illumination circuit and one of the white-black wires to be the low voltage side. Note: it is critical for you to identify which of the white-black wires is part of the illumination, versus the ground wire shown in your EWD. If you mix these up your "On" light will dim and your illumination bulb will not.

Someone else mentioned tapping the CIG circuit. Probably your best answer for the power you run through the relay to the inverter. When you pull the cig lighter out you will see the power for it as well as the illumination - so you can get both from the same spot.

If you want to be able to run the inverter from the ACC, rather than ignition, then you can use the same CIG power for the switch. If you want to be safe, so the inverter only works with the IG on, you could tap into the blue-white wires that runs underneath the center console (which runs power from the rear heater circuit to the DS seat heater option. Pic attached
IMG_2371.webp
 
Switches

I wanted to post a picture of the back of the switch. the top two are green and the other is white/black. the bottom three are Red/white, white/black and red. I would assume the top 2 are for the lumination if so which one would be for what. Had pictures of the back of the switch and the page from the FSM but my wife just knocked my IPhone in the sink so I do not have a camera anymore. :doh:
 
With the EWD and a picture of the switch I could tell you which wire is which -- can't help without those

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
Pictures

Finally got my phone dried out. I have attached a picture of the back of the switch and the diagram. Thanks for your help, I have the complete manual so if you need anymore pitures just let me know. Note in the picture the top right wire looks blue, it is green
switch3.webp
backofswitch3.webp
 
There will be another page in the EWD that shows the illumination for the switch. Can you take a pic of that so we can see the pin numbers and wire colors for the illum circuit

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
By process of elimination I am guessing that terminal 1 of illumination will be green and +12V and terminal 4 white-black and connect to the dimmer. If this is what the EWD shows, just confirm - no need to post the pic

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
wiring

Great I found the plug and got it figured out. Just to recap:
I can connect both IG and BATT and the Grren wire all to the "hot" wire from the CIG outlet. I can then connect the white/black lumination wire on the switch to the lumination wire on the CIG.
Is that correct?
:hhmm:
 
Connect the green wire to the green CIG illum wire.

Connect the lower white-black wire (the one next to the red-white wire), to the white-green CIG illum wire

Connect the top white-black wire (the one across from the green wire) to the white-black CIG ground wire

Connect the red-white wire to the gray CIG +12V wire

Connect the red wire to the relay coil

Connect the other side of the relay coil to ground

Connect one side of the relay SPST switch to the gray CIG +12V wire

Connect the other side of the relay SPST switch to the inverter (inverter wire looks green from your EWD)

Connect the other side of the inverter (white-black wire) to ground

Inverter should work with the ignition switch at ACC or ON.

Good luck
 
Last edited:
DONE

Did the install about a week ago, easy thanks to the connection help here on MUD. Total investment $11.36. Heading out for a few days in Big Bend :beer:
dash.webp
outlet.webp
 
fl4031003 said:
Did the install about a week ago, easy thanks to the connection help here on MUD. Total investment $11.36. Heading out for a few days in Big Bend :beer:
Click to expand...

Very nice install..:cheers:
 
Looks great

Where did you end up mounting the inverter? Somewhere in the dash or center console?
 
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