Hey everyone!

I've been reading the forum for a while now, finally have a reason to post.

I'm currently installing some spal power windows into my 2001 Dakota. The process is slow going just because i'm not great at this kind of thing but i have the time.

Here is where i am stuck.

I need to get power to the motors for the windows. I didn't want to go straight from the battery, this seems a little too daunting of a task for my skill set. What i wanted to do was tap into the already present 'power window' fuse. I know that there is power going to the fuse when the key is engaged.

How do i access the fuse panel? Meaning, how do i get it open and tap into this already set up fuse and power source? Can i simply tap into the already existing wiring for the power windows/locks/mirrors (which i have none of)? What should be my next plan of action?

Thanks.

 

I have an 01 too but it does not have power windows so I really am not familiar with the wiring details for the fuse. But if you are working with the fuse panel in the Power Distribution Center by the battery, I would think you could unbolt it and lift it up to get at the wiring for the window circuit on the back side of it. Same for the interior fuse panel, you would need to disconnect some or all of the molex plugs to get it out though.

Getting at the back of the fuse panel is much more trouble than it is worth. It's a whole lot easier and takes a lot less time just to run the power wire to the positive post of the battery. You can also pick up your power connection at the positive power terminal on the power distribution center. That is a bit easier to work with rather than connecting to the battery terminal, because of the boot on the positive battery cable end. You will see the bolt there for power when you lift off the cover of the power distribution center. It's real easy to just crimp on a ring terminal and put it under the nut on the threaded power terminal. Just be sure to put an inline fuse of the same rating as your window motors no less than 6 inches from the power connection, this will eliminate a fire hazard if the power wire ever were to short out. In fact, you can put the ring terminal on one end of your fuse holder and crimp the other end of the fuse holder to your power wire. 10 gauge wire should be fine for a pair of electric windows. To get the wire through the firewall, just look a little below the brake booster and between the brake booster and the driver's inner fender there is a large rubber grommet that the main wire harness passes through. Cut a small hole in the inside area of that grommet and you can very easily pass the wire through it down into the cab of the truck. It's a thick grommet and if it is hard to get through, cut a stiff piece of wire like a coat hanger and tape the end of your power wire to it. Grease the taped area up with a little Vaseline or wheel bearing grease and poke the other end of the coat hanger through your new hole in the grommet. It will pull right on through from the inside of the cab. This is a whole lot easier than trying to find the factory power window wiring.

You can do the same thing when running the power and ground wires for the motors into the doors. Look in the door jamb and on the door side of the wire harness boot, cut a small hole in the bottom area of the rubber grommet to get the wires into the door. On the truck side of the wire harness boot, it is impossible to get any wire through that side because of teh molex connector that connects the door wiring to the bulkhead connector at on the inside of the door jamb. But if you look directly below the botoom side of the oval door jamb grommet on the truck side there should be an unused round grommet there. You can pop that grommet out and cut a hole in it to pass the wires through to the cab. You can run one 10 gauge wire from the battery for power and connect the 2 power wires from the window motors to it. You don't need to ground at the battery but a good ground would be under an existing bolt in either kick panel. Keep the ground wires for the motors as short as possible. It's a good idea to put split loom tubing or at least vinyl tubing on the wires passing between the door and door jamb, to protect them from the elemnents and wire breakage. Plus it looks better. I always used to put a section of split loom over that part of the wire going through the door jamb, then wrap that section tightly with electrical tape. Make the loom a couple of inches longer than the space between the door and the door jamb and pull it through on each side.

Spal makes a really good power window kit. Let us know how it turns out and post some pics if you can. I have been thinking about adding power windows to my truck and wonder how it looks.

Jimmy

 

Jimmy,

Thanks for the advice and the great descriptions! I think i will be able to do this. I was looking at the power distribution center this morning wondering if i could use it in some way.

My next hurdle will be to wire a relay for the windows. The wiring instructions for the spal recommend a relay and from what i have read it seems necessary. I know that i need to tap into the ignition wire. Where do i find it? How do i piggy back onto the ignition wire? Also i need to have a power source for the lighted switches. From what i understand i can tap into an exisiting light for this. There is a little light above the cup holders that would be perfect for this, is this wise?

This is the diagram that spal sent with the switch kit. http://www.spalusa.com/pdf/33040122_SPEC.PDF#view=FitH Any input and advice is appreciated. I'm going to keep tinkering outside until the rain comes along.

Once i'm all done i will post a write up with pictures. Should be interesting!

Stephen

 

The relay is optional but it is a better and electonically safer way to wire power to the windows. What the relay in the diagram is doing is allowing the ignition switch to control power to the window motors from the battery only when the ignition switch is on. Which is also safer in the event a child or a pet were to get in the truck and somehow get their head or arm caught in the power window if it had constant power and did not need the key on to operate.

Remove the knee bolster cover from the driver's side of the dash and take a look at the ignition wire harness under the steering column. The wire you want is usually found in the harness to the left side of the column, it is the ignition wire and has voltage only when the key is in the on, run and start positions. Pull back the tape on the harness bundle do you can spread the wires out a bit to find the ignition wire. Then zip tie them back up when you are done. The ignition wire is dark blue and is about a 16 gauge. Check it with a volt meter or test light to be sure you have the right wire.

An easy way to splice into the ignition wire and any other wires is to use solder and tape. Skin back a little of the insulation on the ignition wire and wrap your new wire around it, solder it and tape it up securely. Or you can use 3M T-taps and a male insulated spade terminal. Most good auto parts stores carry those and can show you how they work. Or you can cut the ignition wire and splice your new wire in to it with an insulated butt connector and crimp it all together. Tape it up securely if you do that, I have seen those come loose over time. I used T taps and male spade terminals on my truck and have not had a single one come loose in over 4 years.

As for the illumination, I would not recommend tapping into that light above the cup holder. If your truck is like mine and did not come from the factory with a cigarette lighter or 12 volt power outlet, there is still a plug for one behind the lower center panel, the same panel that has the little light in it above the cup holders. Look for an unused 3 wire plug there, it should be right behind the panel after you remove it. The plug has an orange wire, a black wire and either a pink or red wire on it. The orange wire is the 12 volt positive illumination circuit for the lighter or 12 volt socket. You can just cut and splice straight into the orange wire for your switch illumination, but check the orange wire with a volt meter or test light to be sure it has power only when the parking lights and headlights are on.


Jimmy