Accessory Wiring Overkill

That box looks mighty. I really like the way it's laid out.

The layout is cool and everything is labeled right beside the component. The OEMs could learn from that.

I started laying out the bracket. I realized that I could use the battery box to mount one side and then run a tube support to the firewall.

I also realized there's a lot of head space to the hood too so the base can be level to the top of the battery box. That simplifies the fab a lot. ( i trimmed the edge nearest the engine more after this.)

Found a solid.piece of aluminum and traced it out. Started cutting with the angle grinder but decided it was time to call it a day.

Also, I ordered the rest of the wiring supplies and all the LED lights from Amazon, plus the parts I missed the first time from Waytek. Woof. I have spent a lot more than I intended

Yesterday and today finished fabbing and mounting the bracket. My bracket construction has improved greatly thanks to reading GRM. Now they're not only functional, the look spiffy!

I did away the 1/4" bolts to shorter ones with lockouts. I haven't decided yet if I am going to pull it all back out when I'm done and paint it satin black or leave it bare aluminum.

Paint it! Will look factory

In reply to java230 :

Thats my original idea. Nothing else in the bay is silver.

Warning: switch pR0n 

Got my switch panel from Brett (KustomFX) It came all wired up, with wires labeled, circuit diagrams, install instructions and template. It's great when you can buy from an individual that does it right.

Amazon wiring apocalypse. 

Boxes of assorted fuses, assorted heat shrink tubing, assorted heat shrink connectors, three rolls of marine grade wire, three different types of LED lights, unlike fuse holders and 8awg lugs. I'm using this as an excuse to restock my wiring box.

Also got a bracket made and the main breaker mounted.

Forward progress today! I did the scariest part of the install, cutting a bug chunk out of the headliner and a hard plastic bit underneath. It's up in the mid nineties here today so I wussednout and ran the AC in the truck while I worked. Nice to have a vehicle that won't overheat doing that. Anyway, photos!

After hunting down a wiring diagram I was able to find a ground and dimmed power supply in the harness for the moonroof. This means i can tap them for the switch lighting without having to open the cabling and run wire back through the dash just for lights. i tested it and the factory system dims the LEDs nicely, so no need for an aftermarket  PWM unit. Brett supplies the switch panel with all the switches jumpers together on the lighting circuits with a single wire run down the cable. I replaced the end spade terminal and added an extension wire that I can use for a tap whe still keeping the wire in the cable viable in case needs change.

Question for wiring experts:

If I run 2 switches using the same voltage source to the trigger input of the same relay, it should make either switch turn on the relay. If the voltage source is direct to battery, do I create any odd back currents or voltage transfer? simplified circuit phot below:

I'm considering making one of my overhead switches "Sasquatch Lights" and having it turn on ALL the external LED lights. 

EDIT: Wait, I think I just figured out where the problem is. If Switch 2 above is tied to multiple accessories the same way it is to switch 1, it will need diodes in all those connections. Otherwise when you hit Switch 1, it still turns on all the lights. As would any other switch on the circuit. Next question, could you use LEDs as diodes for this purpose?

I was poking around the Waytek site and stumbled across these one time. I didn't even know they existed, and I didn't have a specific use in mind, but I ordered some for exactly the kind of diode situation you're in just in case. 

Well now, ain't that bang-on cool. I've looked at diode stuff in car projects several times and never seen that. Hmmm.....

EDIT: Wow I almost fell down the rabbit hole. I could add some of those diodes, but then I'd really want a 6 circuit standalone fuse panel for these instead of a bunch of in-line fuses holders, but that WOULD let me run my 12v+ supply to the switches without the inline holder, so that's $8 for the diodes, $30 for the fuse panel, plus I'd need to buy the "Sasquatch Lights" rocker switch which is %.50 plus shipping.... And ya know, I may need to move the relay box over...

IE, I almost jumped on another $60 and more work just to have a "neato" switch that does something I ALREADY HAVE OTHER SWITCHES FOR. Just put the Waytek catalog down and step away Dave....

Yeah, some of the relay/fuse panels have extra fuse spots that are able to be wired up independently. Those would be the best places for some diodes, but probably not for half a dozen. 

ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) said:

Question for wiring experts:

If I run 2 switches using the same voltage source to the trigger input of the same relay, it should make either switch turn on the relay. If the voltage source is direct to battery, do I create any odd back currents or voltage transfer? simplified circuit phot below:

 

I'm considering making one of my overhead switches "Sasquatch Lights" and having it turn on ALL the external LED lights. 

 

EDIT: Wait, I think I just figured out where the problem is. If Switch 2 above is tied to multiple accessories the same way it is to switch 1, it will need diodes in all those connections. Otherwise when you hit Switch 1, it still turns on all the lights. As would any other switch on the circuit. Next question, could you use LEDs as diodes for this purpose?

Depending on where Switch 1 and 2 are located in the car, you could wire them using STDP switches in the same way 3-way residential light switches are wired. Then you can turn the circuit off from either location as well. The downside may be the amount of wiring required: power -> switch 1 -> 2-wires to switch 2 -> relay.

The other option is to switch the relay ground, which is often how horn relays are wired.  Although if either switch is closed/on, the circuit will still work and if both are on, that could be annoying (same issue with your wiring diagram above).

Yeah, these are all the 2 way switches in the overhead shown above. I'm going to have a switch each for off road lights, bed lights, and backup lights, and I thought it would be kind of funny to get one of their,"Sasquatch Lights" rockers and make it turn on everything. (You can switch out the rocker button itself with a ton of snarky stuff. Google OTTRATW's website if you've never done so.)

But the payoff on that gag isn't worth the time and effort. I'd rather keep that switch position available for actual use.

One of my pet peeves is working on auto electrical systems when I have NO FREAKING IDEA where any of it goes.  It's often because I can't remember exactly what I was thinking when I installed it. This time I'm documenting.

This is also why people like to buy vehicles from me.

Tonight I wired all of the switch and control side of the relay box system and relocated the existing power feed for radio and air compressor.

After thinking about the sasquatch lights above I decided that adding a smaller fused power block was a better idea than the multiple inline fuses I had planned. This requielred moving the relay box a little but it turned out nice.

Wiring everything to this point also means the lights on the the switches all work.

Now I can start actually wiring the lights. I'll do the final cable clean up and organizing after that..

oh,, I did create one problem. While wrestling the wiring harness for the overhead moonroof switches in and out multiple times and tapping the dimmer circuit, i broke a wire. Somewhere in the 12 wire plug a wire for the sliding rear window is broken. You can flex the wiring harness and the window works, then doesn't. With the panel I stalled it doesn't. But I found a wiring diagram and ill hunt it down when I get some new leads for my voltmeter. 

Today I made the bracket to mount the stupid bright off road lights. I just happened to have one last piece of aluminum bar stock in the scrap pile. One end was cut to a point and the other was mushroomed because I used it as a yard stake at some point. I cut those off and it was the perfect length.

Made a couple angle brackets and mount plates out of the same aluminum plate i used for the relay box bracket. The bracket with lights weighs about 2lbs, which is good because it goes up and down with the hood.

I pulled everything back out and I'm painting the bracket. Ill get a shot of the whole truck after i reinstall. I'm waiting on the new wire crimper and stripper to arrive before I wire them.

Which lights did you go with? 

I really like the Waytek stuff, thanks for the link!

java230 said:

Which lights did you go with? 

Cheap Chinese Amazon. These are good enough for what ill be doing for now. Listed as 240,000 lumens for under $40. 

Paint dry (enough) and reinstalled. Can't wait to get them wired and see how bright they actually are.

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

All this nice work and cheap lights?! 

I'm sure they will be ok, but I learned my lesson buying cheap lights....

Well worth the $ for good ones. 

In reply to java230 :

I've used this style light repeatedly and been happy with them. If I'm unhappy I'll upgrade. Its much better to go cheap on the end-of-line component thats easy to change rather than the base architecture.  Lights are expendable. 

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

Most definitely, easy to swap out if desired. 

All the wiring for the off road lights is done! First accessory actually functions!

Wiring is 10awg from source to first light and 12awg to second. It runs up to the hood at the psg hinge, under the edge of the hood insulation and down the grill structure.