Afternoon all,

I need some advice and guidance on a project that I am in middle of and rethinking the whole thing.

Last year I replaced the cigarette lighter, never worked the entire time I had the truck,with a dual USB plug. It has been great, but I immediately started second guessing myself. How was I going to power a portable cooler, vacuum, or compressor. So I got a dual cigarette socket plug off Amazon. My plan had been to follow the antenna and then run it in some plastic flex tubing rated for the engine compartment, around and then connect directly to the battery, then last realized if I ever was someplace and left something plugged in I could end up with a dead battery. This lead me to look for a small rocker switch that I could just mount next to the plug in the passenger foot-well. Found nothing that just screwed on.

Did find these, something I have looked out last year and discounted when I put in the dual USB as the space did not allow it without redesigning the dashboard, something beyond my skill set.



They are pretty modular and I could get another cigarette plug and keep the USB in reserve. I like the square one just for aesthetics and the Voltmeter. However both are almost 2 inches thick ancd I have yet to be out to the truck to measure but I am doubting that there is that much clearance by the passenger door.

What are your thoughts on not running the power off the battery and instead off of something in the cab that is always hot? Good idea or bad? Is running the power off the battery a bad idea? The only reason I consider that was the cooler on trips when I stopped to eat. Just for my learning, why either way.

Thank you.

 

I could not find a dashboard wiring diagram for a 93 Dakota but did find one for a 94. Would they be close enough to work with?

 

The '94 wiring diagram should be fine for what you're looking to do. I have an '89 with a '94 engine bay harness, and though there are big differences under the hood, there is a lot of commonality everywhere else in the 1st gen Dakotas.

In regard to whether you should be pulling power from the battery or from under the dash, it depends. I would guess that the devices you are looking to power could pull some amps, so it certainly would not hurt to run a wire from the battery. At least then you could be sure your wiring can handle the power demand. If you were installing an audio amp you'd run a power cable, and I'd look at your situation the same way; there's a potential to draw more than a few amps through your outlet. Remember to put a fuse in the line, near the battery. If you calculate the maximum current you expect to draw and how long your supply wire will be, you can also figure what size wiring to use by referencing one of the audio amp wire gauge charts. Here's one: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-MDBt9v...uge_chart.html

I like the panels you found. Maybe you could mount one inside the glove compartment. I got rid of the whole lower dash assembly, including the glove compartment. That frees up a lot of space for switches, lights, and other things below the dash.

 

The cooler according to the specs on Amazon draws 5A current continuously, but since I plan to been driving the majority of the time it is plugged in I do not see it as a problem, the vacuum and compressor would be used less often and I could always kick on the truck if needed.

Taking out the glove box, even though I don't use it, I open it for the first time a few weeks ago to 7 year old registration and insurance papers and about a shopping bag full of leaves. Don't ask me because I have no idea. Is beyond my skill set and set up for work where I am at now.

 

A 5a draw isn't bad, but I'm a believer in better safe than sorry. I'd run it off something that's only hot with the key in account or on just in case you do leave something plugged in. What happens when you're out in the middle of no where camping and you leave you cooler plugged in plus whatever else and your battery dies? If you're lucky your camping spot is somewhere you get cell signal, or you happen to have a spare battery or jumper box in the back of your truck

 

Evening all,

I don't camp, did enough of that with Uncle Sam. It would be for freeway/highway travel, mainly long distance stuff, where I can keep drinks cold and only pull over ever 3-4 hours to use the rest room and fill up the tank, maybe grab a bit to eat, now that would be the only time that cooler would be in the truck running. At night it would go into the hotel, where it is plugged into the wall.

Will not have to pull the glove box, ran an errand a few minutes ago and was looking at the foot well and the glove box, pushed in the cup holder when the answer was literally staring me right in the face. The space between the cup holder and the vent is a perfect fit, about a 1/4 inch on either side for the 3 hole one, So I can run the on/off and 2 cigarette plugs or the on/off, the voltmeter and a cigarette plug. Of course that all depends what I find tomorrow when I pull the plate and look behind there, if it is solid steel it is back to the drawing board.

 

I think you'll find enough room behind that plastic piece. If you drill holes at the corners first you should be able to cut the rest with a jig saw.

How about posting some pictures when you get it in? We love pictures here.

 

It's open; I'm planning to dril some 1/4" holes in the trim about 1 3/8" apart, mount it, drill through, remove it, and then drill some 1 3/8 holes in the dash, 1 1/8" holes in the trim, and mount the sockets to the trim.

I've got some taper bits to drill with, since it's all plastic.

The voltmeter needs to be switched unless the truck is daily driven (and that means "and I don't even let it sit a week while I'm out on vacation!" from past experience with plug in voltmeters!); I'd switch the USB adapter also on that triplex unit, and then put a cig lighter socket back in the normal position and switch that accessory adapter on the triplex unit; but it's your choice.

(Even better, use a switched circuit to control a relay that supplies power to the sockets; use a bypass switch to allow usage with ignition off if you desire. But that may be more complicated than you want.)

RwP

 

Ralph,

So if I am understanding you ditch the volteter, go with the on/off switch and 2 cigerette plugs? The switched circuit and bypass switch went right over my head. Back to Google for help. As a car mechanic I am a total newbie, even at 52 years old, I can build you a computer from a pile of parts though but a car and I am scrathing my head like a monkey with a math problem.

 

No, not necessarily ditch the volt meter.

Use a circuit that's only got 12V when the key is on (the switched circuit); that way, if you don't drive it for a week or two, the battery doesn't go flat from the power draw.

If you use a relay to control (coil goes to the switched circuit, only turns on when you have ignition on), you can put a SPDT switch in the circuit to leave it on when you want it on.

Think of a hard drive - you don't want it running all the time, only when the computer is on, right?

RwP