Accessory Rewire Help Needed!

[RunnerUp]

Hey ladies and gentlemen, after years of adding electronics to my vehicle my main battery has become a jungle of random wires and fuses that need to be cleaned up and properly wired.

I am going to be hardwiring in a inverter in the trunk. At this time I will relocate my secondary battery to the front and just leave the 0 guage for the inverter.

Basically, I just need help learning what I need to use to make the install look as clean and professional as possible as I am attempting to make my truck appear stockish on the electrical and interior side.

Here is my current situation, please hold your laughs till the end.

Main battery
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/runnerup/batteryfubar002.jpg

Secondary battery
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/runnerup/Dual%20Batteries/toyota003.jpg

Attached to the main battery is the following: Warn 9.5xp winch, Alarm w/ remote start, Lightforce 170, ARB Air Compressor, CB radio, and rock lights (not currently working or installed) and secondary battery.

I have been looking into painless wiring products, because I want it to look as clean and professional as possible, and dont really mind spending a little extra coin for brand name stuff.

i was thinking i could load the CB, Lightforces, and perhaps the rock lights onto one of these.

http://www.painlessperformance.com/webcatalog/largeview.php?SearchField=50840&SearchAll=4x4 OffRoad

and use one of these (except perhaps larger) for consolidating all the random wires.

http://www.painlessperformance.com/webcatalog/largeview.php?SearchField=70207&SearchAll=4x4%20OffRoad

Howver, I have no idea if that is the equipment I need for what I am attempting to do. Both batteries will eventually be where the stock location is (Im going back to dual redtops)and the aftermarket alarm is coming out.

[RunnerUp]

oh... and forgive the distribution block just sittin in the first picture, i got half way through the install tonight and have to pull it all out tomorrow.

[slosurfer]

I would talk to 12voltguy (http://www.12voltguy.com) as he could build you exactly what you want and label it. He might not have it all on his website, but shoot him an email telling him what you want to accomplish. :thumbup:

[4x4mike]

I use a blue sea fused acc. box for all my goodies. I pulled power into the cabin through the firewall and go from there.
http://bluesea.com/category/5/21/productline/126

[RunnerUp]

not a bad idea. thanks.

i want to basically create one area that is devoted to various switches so i can turn everything off and not have a parasitic drain on my charging system. plus it would make the cab look cleaner instead of having so many different switches and plugs everywhere. i like the blue sea idea, but also want a switch panel... guess i will look around, thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming.

[slomatt]

I just ordered a fuse block from delcity.net, it should be showing up later this week.

http://www.delcity.net/store/Fuse-Panels/p_180.a_1

For wire management I like using slit loom tubing and wire ties. I don't like using crimp connections in the car since they can possibly come apart due to vibration while driving, instead I prefer to solder all connections and cover them with heat shrink tubing.

- Matt

[4x4mike]

I too use the split wire loom, zip ties and solder. I bought a bulk pack of loom on ebay years ago and am still trying to use it up. It had 200 feet of 5 or 6 different sizes. The box it came in was the size of a mini fridge. Anyways here is my Blue Sea in it's resting place.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06354.jpg

It's the 6 fuse model and I'm using 5 of the 6 spots. It's velcroed to the top of the air bag computer under the stereo where the factory amp used to go. The switches for my rock lights are on the side of the console so I have a clean avenue for all the wiring and only one heavy sealed wire going through the firewall.

I re did the wiring on my Chevy a couple of years ago. One day the truck wouldn't start for no real good reason so I had a lot of trouble shooting to do. I realized I had a rasts nest of wiring so I pulled it all. It turned out it was the alarm controller that died and activated the kill start. After that I ordered a bunch of wire, fuse box, relays and loom and did it all over again. When I sold that truck the buyer was impressed which made me feel good. Only bummer is that I probably spent $150 to make it all right. Now with the 4runner I do it right the first time and it has paid off. My CB install took about 10 minutes. Mostly because I knew where I wanted it, it knew where to get power and it all looks and fits clean.

[RunnerUp]

so now correct me if im wrong, with a fuse box, you basically just pretend like its your battery and connect - and + to it, then run one big ground and one big power to the battery?

[slosurfer]

Sierra Expeditions sells those fuse blocks.

Here's the 12 fuse one
http://www.sierraexpeditions.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=550

Snag a 12 or 6er from them and order a switch panel from 12voltguy, and you would be set. That and both those companies spend a lot of time and effort to do what they can to keep our trails open.

[4x4mike]

For the most part. I've got a power line coming in and the same size for a ground. I plug into it for constant power.

[4x4mike]

Sierra Expeditions sells those fuse blocks.

Here's a the 12 one
http://www.sierraexpeditions.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=550

Snag a 12 or 6er from them and order a switch panel from 12voltguy, and you would be set. That and both those companies spend a lot of time and effort to do what they can to keep our trails open.


Problem I see with a switch panel is that there is no where to mount them. If you look at Darrens panels they are are pretty good size and flat. In a 3rd gen there aren't many places for that kind of thing. You'd have to cover stuff up or cut a big hole to fit something. Now a small multiswitch panel like your military one is nice. It's small and has a lot of buttons. I've filled at least one factory spot with a factory switch and added 2 small ones in the console.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06762.jpg

Fog light switch for the OBA
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06763.jpg

[RunnerUp]

i def. plan on ordering from companies that will help keep trails open, i just didnt think about where else to get the stuff, and painless has the fame.

i like 12 volt guys switch plates, now i just have to tally how many accessories i am going to have eventually and then decide where to mount a switch plate. that in itself will be a feat since i have a double din navi screen in there and so it might have to go below my cb (ashtray location) and extra 12volt outlets.

i already have buttons all over the place, which i dont like, i could go for the factory sunglass/garage remote holder as a switch area. it sounds like the wiring orgy to my battery will be fixed with a fuse block, just gotta figure out how big of one i need.

i would really like in cab controls of the winch, and to potentially eliminate or move the bulky box on my ARB to allow more airflow to the radiator.

[4x4mike]

i would really like in cab controls of the winch, and to potentially eliminate or move the bulky box on my ARB to allow more airflow to the radiator.

You can lengthen the wires from the solienoid box. I did this on the winch I had on my truck. I wasn't running an aftermarket bumper or anything and wanted everything protected and out of the weather. Lengthening it allowed me to mount it under hood. When I was using it I liked keeping the hood open (I think Warn says this in it's instructions) for protection. If I had it closed I would plug the controller in, run the wire up near the wipers, close the hood and drape the controller on the rear view mirror or inside the window.

Here's my old set up CLICK (http://picasaweb.google.com/mezamichael/UltimateYotaPismoTrip2007#5121388839201368338)

I have read on other forums about people pulling out peoples winch cable and hooking it to the same vehicles rear bumper. Not too bad but if that person has a controller for your winch (not uncommon) they can pull in cable. Somewhere out there was a picture of a crushed cab on an FJ. I guess the bad guy pulls in cable until the battery dies or the motor burns out.

[RunnerUp]

wow... i had never heard of that happening, i guess its feasible though... def. want to get that control box somewhere hidden now!

oh, i am also upgrading my Lightforces to HID along with this rewiring project.

[slosurfer]

Yeah, I hear ya on the "no room". Looking at those pics, I'm jealous of all the room and cutouts you guys have (even though it isn't much). 2nd gens have two cutouts on the dash and they are in the only flat spot for switches. :laugh:

I think Darren makes panels with mini switches. I think I saw something like that in his TJ section or something. Well, I guess it was mini buttons, and made the winch panel smaller.

The other thing you can do to make his panels smaller are to use toggle switches with the led in the tip. All his on his website are toggles with a seperate led light above it, but I know he has the led tipped ones as that is where I got my elocker one from. You could probably fit a decent # of switches in that spot that has a regular switch cutout and that bigger square cutout. Best thing would be to get the dimensions of the different spots where you think it might work and then see what magic he could work. That was going to be my plan, till I found the m-series switch. :) That being said, you could always get a panel that is all push buttons. :) Now I'm just rambling and trying to spend your money. :laugh: :tapedshut:

I've always heard of the crushed vehicle from its own winch before, but have never seen pics.

[4x4mike]

Googled but couldn't find what I was looking for. I thought I had seen pictures and I thought it was in Austraila.

It's mentioned here (http://forum.ih8mud.com/winching-recovery/263209-new-warn-winch-how-can-i-use-without-remote.html) (post #5) as an urban myth. Might be an urban myth but I don't want it happening to me or anyone I know.

[RunnerUp]

thats right, i had forgotten about the m-series switch, and now i cant find that thread... got a pic handy?

push button panel? def. gonna need a pic for that, ive got the wrenching down somewhat, now i gotta concentrate on electrics...

kinda follows my plan of college, know a little about a lot of stuff, so you can generally bullshit your way through any conversation.

[slosurfer]

Quick hijack question, what were you planning on doing with all the extra wire when running those rock lights? Right now, mine are individually looped up, and ziptied, but they still make a big pile in my engine bay. :headscratch:

Yeah, I believe that probably someone has done the winch thing. Always better to be safe than sorry. :thumbup: I wonder if insurance covers that and if they will also replace the winch if it gets ruined in the process. :laugh:

I guess I hid it in General Offroad Tech :laugh: M-series push button switch (http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=6315.0)

[4x4mike]

I think you'd be money ahead getting one of Chris' panels. It's all push button, small and modern looking.

As for the extra wiring for your rocklights. What does the plug look like. It might only have 2 wires going through it. Cut to fit, solder, shrink wrap and call it done. It probably voids the warranty but so would damage caused by the thing getting pulled into your fan from too long of wires.

[RunnerUp]

ha, thanks for the link... about the excess wires from the rock lights, i was thinking of cutting them and getting rid of the main control box, as i dont really care about having them strobe or anything and just want functional rock lights, that or if someone is brave enough to cut the tip off of one see what wires are inside... otherwise i was just going to ziptie the wires and ziptie them to the sides

[slosurfer]

I think you'd be money ahead getting one of Chris' panels. It's all push button, small and modern looking.

As for the extra wiring for your rocklights. What does the plug look like. It might only have 2 wires going through it. Cut to fit, solder, shrink wrap and call it done. It probably voids the warranty but so would damage caused by the thing getting pulled into your fan from too long of wires.


There should just be two wires in there, because when I asked about adding more lights to the system, he said the extra lights just have a red and black wire and you just splice them into one of the wires, so I'm guessing that you will find a red and black wire if you open it up. Like you said it would probably void the warranty. I've got one year and then I'll test out my solder skills. :) Mine are well away from the fan.

Not sure what you will find in the wire going from the D block to the Mastercontrol box though. :)

[RunnerUp]

wow, i am so screwed on learning how to wire properly... that m series looks too intense for me, plus im not sure that plug would fit behind my dash anywhere easily.

[RunnerUp]

yeah mine are behind the engine on the firewall... well atleast thats where they were mocked up before i fried something... when i get them back ill just hardwire it all in when i start my rewire project (has to wait till i get these lights back now)

[slosurfer]

wow, i am so screwed on learning how to wire properly... that m series looks too intense for me, plus im not sure that plug would fit behind my dash anywhere easily.


haha, yeah, I haven't test fit/measured to see if I have the room behind the dash (I'm waiting to see some measurements on 4xinnovations internal cage to see how far over I need to install it, as I want to get that cage sometime). Actually, the way the military harnesses are it is way easier than it looks. Each wire has a metal id tag crimped on it at both ends and any splices/connectors. The wire has the circuit number on it which is pretty much universal through all their vehicles. Remember these things are worked on by mostly kids right out of high school. I was able to wire up my m416 trailer from like a 15 pin connector to a regular 4flat connector easily and got it all right on the first attempt and I'm an electrical dummy. :)

[RunnerUp]

speaking of adventure trailers... i need one of those too

i really need to get this wiring mess fixed... anyone ever removed an aftermarket alarm? is it as easy as it seems?

[4x4mike]

speaking of adventure trailers... i need one of those too

i really need to get this wiring mess fixed... anyone ever removed an aftermarket alarm? is it as easy as it seems?



As noted in my above response to wiring mess. I had an alarm installed in my Chevy (a viper alarm). It was under the steering column and dash. I pulled it down from it's home and followed the wires. All were different colors and they went everywhere, my saving grace was that they came out of a box that was full of labels. I basically removed the wires from the factory wires after taping and labeling all of them. Half way through this I could see where the connections needed to be. The alarm basically interupped the wire path in a bunch of different places. The box made sense of the interupptions and made things work as they should when they needed to work. I reconnected all the factory wires they cut to splice in the box and she turned right over.

In my case the box went bad after 5 years or so. I had a new alarm installed by the same place and asked that they hide things a bit better and had them relocate some stuff. My family has sent all there cars to this one shop so he went all out. He opened up the box and added a bunch of extra wires (comming out of the box) that appeared to be spliced into other wiring harnesses. They weren't connected, just shrink wrapped to look like connections. I would hate to take that one out. It looked really intimidating.

[CJM]

I have this in my truck, just the reg old 6 panel fuse block. I bought it from napa but its the same thing as here: http://www.delcity.net/store/6!Way-ATC:ATO-Fuse-Panel/p_793543.a_1

I have it wired like so: + comes from + battery to a 30amp circuit breaker, I then have it run from that breaker to the fuse panel connection and fuse it there too with an appropriate amp fuse. The panel is mounted to the firewall.

Then I run anything I want to it. My fog lights are wired to go into the cab thru a grommet in the firewall (actually where the harness comes in. i poked a hole and ran my wires in) then to my switch, and right back out again and I grounded it to the body inside the truck. I then took a nice dab of grey RTV (it holds up the best) and sealed the hole I poked.

I dont believe in using relays having wired more than a few things in my day and it only complicates everything imho with more wires. Also every one of my installs has worked flawless without them since they are fused period and I run quite a heavy gauge of wire. Most stock wiring for lights and such is maybe 18ga, I run 12 everywhere.

Anyways it runs right back out to the device and bingo im done. I have2 sets of lights wired like this and no issues. at all. Switches are rated to 20amps iirc too.

FWIW make a harness yourself, its very simple really if you have some wire. I bought liek 200 feet of both black and red at pepboys in 12ga which is about the size for most things. Get a good crimper and some solderless connections and tape and have at it. FWIW I tape all connections after crimp and loom everything.

So far in wiring everything including 4 of our work trucks that use lights, HD compressors, a strobe kit, VHF radios, and other junk nothing has ever failed. Like I said no relays, no special anything but good old fashioned connections and fuses. The inline fuse will protect you from an overload, anything goes and the fuse will blow before you fry stuff. My boss is an old school mechanic and taught me how to wire, nothing he has ever done has had an issue at all. Main key is isolating everything from the battery and rest of the system and NOT tapping other wiring, the acc or ign wires, etc. Do that and enjoy the possibility of a problem.

[RunnerUp]

alright guys, need a QUICK answer to a question, how big of an isolator do i need? 100amp, 120amp, 140amp or 200amp?

i have an odyessy deep starting battery up front, a blue top in the back and an MR2 spyder alternator rated at upwards of 130amps. let me know as soon as possible please!!

[4runnerchevy]

140

[RunnerUp]

so would 200amps be overkill? would it be better?

[RunnerUp]

ok... so i have everything removed off my front battery except my winch and my power cable to the rear battery and my air locker stuff. and that will cahnge (air locker stuff, winch is staying hooked to front battery) once i wire up the fuse block from blue sea i got.

just wanted to update this thread and also add that soldering fumes get me high...

how unhealthy can that be?

[Seanz0rz]

well they cause cancer, but only in california.

generally speaking doing this a few times a year in your life is not going to shorten it by any measurable amount. for me, i usually try to take a deep breath away from the fumes, and then turn back to my work. also keeps my hands steady.

just make sure you are in a well ventilated area and not huffing on the fumes coming off the solder, and you should be ok.

[RunnerUp]

yeah, thats a good idea about the holding your breath to keep your hands steady. i have pretty steady hands as is but i still manage to burn myself once or twice over a big job like im working on right now....

all my new audio stuff comes in next week so i should be updating this thread with a bunch of new pictures of befores and afters

by the way... i REALLY love having my ARB compressor in the back panel inside. now i can move my blue top up under the hood!

[MasterWIII]

Yay for audio stuff!! :clap:

[RunnerUp]

its been 5 months since ive had a functional radio in my truck, the only good thing about that is that i now ride my bike wherever i have to go. the BAD news is that i havent wheeled it since i lost my radio ( i lost my ARB around the same time... ) and plus, who can wheel without blasting the starwars song all the way?

[RunnerUp]

ok, so i had forgotten about it till i went out to work on my truck today. ever since i moved my compressor from the engine bay to the little cubby hole in the back my switches dont light up on the bottom. when i turn the compressor on it lights up and when i engage the locker that switch lights up, but the "ready" light at the bottom doesnt come on... am i just missing a wire?