Running Wires thru the rear hatch

[grinchy]

Thanks to everyone on this thread. I have a lot of wiring to do for lights/antennas on the roof that will wire into my fuse block attached to the forward face of my drawers and have been stumped about the best way to bring the wiring into the cabin. This thread has provided enormous help in planning that effort. My Saturday is now fully planned!

It won't help the antennas, but after much consideration I'm going to add another bluetooth relay to my roof rack (I have one underhood at the moment) and use it for switching. This allows running power/ground up to roof once using 12 awg (via the windshield channel), and then switching at the roof. Another option would be regular or mini relays on the roof and using a small gauge switching wire (such as an ethernet cable, could get 8 switches out of that) and the 12 awg. I'm just doing lights and they are great application for BT switching - it is obvious when they are on, and if you have to re pair BT or reboot or something (which happens every three months or so), 15 seconds of doing that won't be mission critical.

 

[catastrofe]

It won't help the antennas, but after much consideration I'm going to add another bluetooth relay to my roof rack (I have one underhood at the moment) and use it for switching. This allows running power/ground up to roof once using 12 awg (via the windshield channel), and then switching at the roof. Another option would be regular or mini relays on the roof and using a small gauge switching wire (such as an ethernet cable, could get 8 switches out of that) and the 12 awg. I'm just doing lights and they are great application for BT switching - it is obvious when they are on, and if you have to re pair BT or reboot or something (which happens every three months or so), 15 seconds of doing that won't be mission critical.

Can you share which BT relay you’re using?

 

[grinchy]

Amazon product ASIN B07MKMFP6H
I am going to use the four channel DSD Tech. Linked is the 2 channel, which includes the housing. I had to buy a separate box to house the four channel.

There are several vendors, make sure to get one that has an app for your device (android or IOS). Pretty much they all have an andriod app, only a couple have an IOS app. My underhood BT is a different vendor and uses a different app. That is ok by me, but from my app test drive it should be able to see and control multiple relays thru the DSD Tech app. This app wasn't available a couple years ago, I had to return this relay and buy another that had an IOS app, so progress!

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Amazon product ASIN B07MKMFP6H
I am going to use the four channel DSD Tech. Linked is the 2 channel, which includes the housing. I had to buy a separate box to house the four channel.

There are several vendors, make sure to get one that has an app for your device (android or IOS). Pretty much they all have an andriod app, only a couple have an IOS app. My underhood BT is a different vendor and uses a different app. That is ok by me, but from my app test drive it should be able to see and control multiple relays thru the DSD Tech app. This app wasn't available a couple years ago, I had to return this relay and buy another that had an IOS app, so progress!

This is a really interesting use case, as I could control them from the Android app loaded in the GROM Vline2. An interesting alternative to the overpriced IMHO SwitchPro and SPod options. Thanks for the idea.

 

[grinchy]

This is a really interesting use case, as I could control them from the Android app loaded in the GROM Vline2. An interesting alternative to the overpriced IMHO SwitchPro and SPod options. Thanks for the idea.

Yep totally doable. The current app I use isn't stateful, so fine for lights and compressor, not perfect for locker. Not sure about statefulness of dsd tech app, it'll be here in late April and I'll report back

 

[TheGrrrrr]

This is my current application:

Led Light Strips marketed for truck bed lighting wired into a household 12v led dimmer switch with remote to provide camp lighting. Just have the wiring mocked up at this point but it all works really well and will be run through one of the options in this thread. Remote works from up to at least 15m from the vehicle with all doors shut and the receiver behind the 2nd row. I'll add a couple of pics once its dark out. Barely noticeable on the truck from more than a few feet away.

Parts ($41.86 all-in):

Amazon product ASIN B079MGT1RJ
Amazon product ASIN B07KXR799K

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Just to follow up with some night photos, and sorry for the hijack of the thread, but its this thread that gave me the confidence to do it:

 

[bemerritt]

Sun finally came out so i figured i would finish this. Decided to try the gasket below the gas spout.

But it seems that this is connected to this pink hose. I guess it might be an AC drain? Anyways, back to routing it thru the firewall on the bottom unless i totally missed the mark

 

[CharlieS]

Yes, that is a drain.

Look rearward and slightly lower for the one that opens into the cargo area, behind the jack.

 

[sdnative]

But it seems that this is connected to this pink hose. I guess it might be an AC drain?

Is that the sunroof drain? Or rear AC drain?

 

[bemerritt]

Yes, that is a drain.

Look rearward and slightly lower for the one that opens into the cargo area, behind the jack.

View attachment 2265189

Well i guess that would have been too easy. Somehow got the two oversized solar wires thru the bottom one without cutting. If anyone decides to do this, it was much easier once I took off the whole lower side panel and removed the gasket from the floor.

 

[bemerritt]

Is that the sunroof drain? Or rear AC drain?

Sunroof makes more sense, but i really have no idea.

 

[grinchy]

Well i guess that would have been too easy. Somehow got the two oversized solar wires thru the bottom one without cutting. If anyone decides to do this, it was much easier once I took off the whole lower side panel and removed the gasket from the floor.

View attachment 2265220

Might as well put in a new sub while you've got the panel off . . .

 

[bemerritt]

Might as well put in a new sub while you've got the panel off . . .

Ha! This project has already had enough scope creep. Rear bumper having me do all my wiring while my drawers are out. Which means might as well add solar. Oh, might as well take care of the Ham radio at the same time...

 

[CharlieS]

Well i guess that would have been too easy. Somehow got the two oversized solar wires thru the bottom one without cutting. If anyone decides to do this, it was much easier once I took off the whole lower side panel and removed the gasket from the floor.

View attachment 2265220

That's where I went through. I slit the narrow part of the boot and taped it up well to reseal it.

 

[samster747]

Ha! This project has already had enough scope creep. Rear bumper having me do all my wiring while my drawers are out. Which means might as well add solar. Oh, might as well take care of the Ham radio at the same time...

View attachment 2265243

I will be doing some wiring in the future. Are all those panels easy to remove? Any pointers or tips?

 

[bemerritt]

I will be doing some wiring in the future. Are all those panels easy to remove? Any pointers or tips?

Further up in this thread i posted some pointers. Overall its pretty easy. I did damage one connection today on the very lower part of the rear panel below the tailgate covering. No idea what that was as it was different than the rest.

 

[grinchy]

Further up in this thread i posted some pointers. Overall its pretty easy. I did damage one connection today on the very lower part of the rear panel below the tailgate covering. No idea what that was as it was different than the rest.

Yeah the little tan round one right . . .

 

[bemerritt]

Yeah the little tan round one right . . .

Yeah, real head scratcher that one was. seemed pretty unnecessary.

 

[Fisher23]

Yeah, real head scratcher that one was. seemed pretty unnecessary.

Sounds like the pin I broke also, it didn't look like it was reuse able. If it's the one I'm thinking of it held the end of the lower inside panel that was under the tail gate bridge. Mine went back together without it.

FYi use to run off shore near your area .. we never called it San Clemente .. always called it Dolly Parton