Ideal place for powering aftermarket devices.

[Blazing Bullet]

Hey guys,

I'm installing a few things such as boost gauge, turbo timer, and electric boost controller and I'm finding that some of my electrics are getting confused. Its all on an S14.

So when I switch my windows to go all the way up it keeps looping and making the motor go. Then it kills the switch to the motorized mirrors etc. Crazy.

Now this wasnt happening until i started tinkering with the electrics on it so i know i've botched it. What i've done is basically find a power source using a circuit tester for any plugs that had power going through it when the key was switched to ACC(or IGN? i cant remember). This ended up being one wire from the hazard light switch (gauge) and another from my electric climate control (boost controller).

By doing this I assume that I've changed how the relays work buy upsetting the currents on these wires.

So is there a better way to do this? How do people wire a million things to their car without it catching fire or melting wires??!

Thanks!

[rex-leggy]

tapp off acc power from the ciggy lighter thats what i do any way.

change all the rest back

[Scoobydoo]

Either the one going to the headunit, or acc from the ignition barrell

[Blazing Bullet]

Do you guys put multiple items to that one wire in the ciggy/ignition barrell? I always thought it was bad practice (but what do i know lol)

[Joker]

would be the highest rating feed in car to use i reckon

[Scoobydoo]

I can only speak for myself, but I have run many different gauges, controllers, and hard wired a radar detector into the ACC that runs into the headunit. I have never used the feed that goes into the ciggy lighter, but it's a common one to use as it's easy to access. Personally though, I would always use the headunit one.

[boon]

 Scoobydoo said:

I can only speak for myself, but I have run many different gauges, controllers, and hard wired a radar detector into the ACC that runs into the headunit. I have never used the feed that goes into the ciggy lighter, but it's a common one to use as it's easy to access. Personally though, I would always use the headunit one.

99% of the time these both come off 1 10A ACC fuse

[Blazing Bullet]

 boon']

[quote name='Scoobydoo said:

I can only speak for myself, but I have run many different gauges, controllers, and hard wired a radar detector into the ACC that runs into the headunit. I have never used the feed that goes into the ciggy lighter, but it's a common one to use as it's easy to access. Personally though, I would always use the headunit one.

/quote]

99% of the time these both come off 1 10A ACC fuse

So your saying this is NOT an ideal place to get power from?

[Joker]

you wont be drawing anywhere near 10A

[Swindog]

I normally use the ignition for gauges as i access the lights wiring from there for the dimmers but best to start with a multimeter to suss out what works with the keys on, ignition on etc.

If your having weird electrical probs step back to what you do youll find a nicked wire thats leaking or bad earth more than likely.

Never cut the may ignition wires, use the inline joiners you can get.

[rex-leggy]

just use ciggy lighter . easy to know the 2 wires you need as there's only two there .

you can use the ignition barrel or the head unit if you like but they are all going to achieve the same thing anyway

[Blazing Bullet]

Sweet as guys. At least i've got 3 different ideas for power sources now. Time to back track and undo everything I've done. Cheers for the help!

[sultan]

i also used the ciggy lighter. but i've run a relay off it with a 8ga wire. i can run basically any shit i want from it now without worry.

[Swindog]

you can put a block on that wire and then its easy to add wires to later.

[Scoobydoo]

 Swindog said:

you can put a block on that wire and then its easy to add wires to later.

Yep, exactly right. Do the same for earth as well.