other than using a fuse tap, where would be the next-best place to get power from? Is there an empty spot in the PDC that I can use? My fear with using fuse taps is that i dont know if that lead i'm tapping off of is fused, although I'd like to think it is.

Also, what about inside the cab? tap off a fuse in the driver side fuse panel?

 

Best place and probably easiest is to go to the ignition switch wire harness at the steering column, under the steering wheel. True ignition B+ is a solid blue wire in the ignition switch harness, it's about a 14 gauge wire. Don't mess around with fuse taps. They are not a very reliaible connection and they can also damage the lug connectors for the blade of the fuse that you tap into. Not sure about ignition B+ under the hood. There is probably at least one wire there somewhere, but your ignition switch harness is the best and safest source. If you are running the ignition wire out under the hood, be sure to install an inline fuse holder where you connect into the ignition B+ wire.

Jimmy

 

whats going to be the best way to tap into it? trailer tap, cut and splice, ...?

I'll be running it to barrier strips (yes, fused) one under the hood and one somewhere in the dash (in the little radioshack 1x2x3 enclosures) for easy access for connection to switches, relays, ect.

 

It has been a long time doing something like that but if I remember when I was an auto audiophile NUT wanting the best I could buy I ran a thick not sure what gage wire direct from the battery I soldered an eye to the power wire and direct connected it to the positive terminal and passed it through the firewall to my amp with fuse block as a tap off so all my high end fancy amps and so on had its own hot fused block to ground the units I soldered an eye to a thick green wire and fastened that to the frame of the car.

I loved my high end stereo systems I soldered everything with eye's so nothing could get yanked out by accident but after three system got ripped out of my car by thiefs I said F,.,K that and got a $60 cheap stereo and was happy.

If I remember the amp and stereo had a kick on wire because the direct hot from battery was always on HOT so they had a turn on wire from the starter switch that turned the system on dose that make sense.



Is that what you need?

 

you're talking an always-on connection (And I hear you there, I've wired quite a few systems), I'm needing ignition on. Which 90% of people would just tap the radio wire...yea, wont work in this case. Thus why I'm going to give myself a couple extra ign taps while I'm doing the e-fan mod.

 

If all you are doing is tapping into the ignition B+ for voltage input to a relay to supply 12 volts to your relays/switches/buss bar, you could just use a wire either the same gauge as the ignition harness wire or a little smaller. It doesn't take a large gauge wire to energize the coil on a relay. How you connect to the ignition circuit is kind of your own personal choice I guess. The most reliable method is to remove about 1/4 inch of insulation from the blue ignition wire. wrap your new wire tightly around it, solder it all together and tape it up well with a good quality electrical tape. Or you could use heat shrink but you need to cut the ignition wire to do it that way.

T-taps will work OK too but you need to be sure to use the correct size of t-tap for the size of the wire you are tapping into. On that blue ignition wire you would want to use a blue or possibly a yellow t-tap. Be sure the metal in the t-tap gets a good bite into the wire and be sure the t-tap clicks closed like it should. Sometimes to be extra sure it's a good connection you can wrap the t-tap and male spade connector all up in electrical tape, to be sure it doesn't come loose. T-taps are OK, if you use them right they work. Stay away from Scotch-Lok connectors, they are not reliable at all, no matter how you use them.

Jimmy

 

I've never been able to do a direct T tap by removing the insulation. T-taps are okay like you said, but can lead to corrosion or break the wire. I didn't really want to "mutilate" the wire by cutting it. Tradeoff is that to heatshrink, you have to cut (or otherwise chase the wire and remove it's pin from the connector).

 

Look I added to my post regarding how to get a switched system from what I said or look here this may help maybe.

http://www.caraudiohelp.com/how_to_install_a_car_amp/how_to_install_a_car_amp.htm

I have forgoten most of the wiring stuff

 

what you need is a kick in relay that is taken off an ignition wire not sure were to get one?

That starts what you connect to the always on hot bar.

 

like 01silver said, the blue wire at the ignition switch harness is an ignition wire, as well as the black with a white stripe. strip some insulation back and wrap ur wire around it and do a good solder and tape job.