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Crazychopstick
11-19-2010, 08:22 AM
Where are you guys wiring in for 12v to aftermarket gauges?

Are there spare spade sockets under or behind the dash anywhere?
Seanz0rz
11-19-2010, 10:17 AM
no, you will have to tap something in the dash.

quick taps work ok, but i would not use them. every connection in my vehicle is a soldered connection now, since i have had so many crimp connections fail over the years of washboard roads and poor paving by Cal Trans.

find a circuit that comes on with IGN or ACC and tap that. i doubt the gauge requires much current to run, so you should be fine tapping just about anything, your best bet is the cig lighter though. its easy to find, tap, and run your wire to wherever you need to.
MTL_4runner
11-19-2010, 04:04 PM
Find a circuit that comes on with IGN or ACC and tap that. i doubt the gauge requires much current to run, so you should be fine tapping just about anything, your best bet is the cig lighter though. its easy to find, tap, and run your wire to wherever you need to.


X2

The best place to tap is probably the lighter circuit, easy to get to and won't affect anything if you draw any decent current from it.
mastacox
11-19-2010, 06:21 PM
I'm using a Painless Wiring 7-circuit kit (4 ignition hot circuits, 3 constant power) with the IGN-hot input wire attached to the ECU's power wire. This way the IGN-hot circuits don't turn on for ACC, only for ON. I originally installed the painless kit for powering my piggyback ECU, but I have ended up using for my aftermarket oxygen sensor, tranny temp sensor, inverter, extra cig lighter plugs, and still have a few free circuits.
corax
11-19-2010, 06:57 PM
Yep, cig lighter is your easiest choice followed by the switched ignition wire for the radio
Crazychopstick
11-23-2010, 11:38 AM
I actually went with an http://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-BP-HHA-Add-Circuit/dp/B000DCN9IA"]"Add (http://"[url) a Circuit" [/url] they're maybe 8 bucks at the auto store and there was a spot on my fuse box that wasn't in use so it worked out. 12v whenever the ignition is switched on.

Of course I found the item after I took the entire dash apart but whatever.