Author Topic: 12v wiring  (Read 1249 times)

Offline footman

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12v wiring
« on: April 23, 2011, 07:32:56 PM »
Hey guys, anyone really skilled at 12v wiring?  I need to be schooled so I can wire my lockers and OBA

Offline skibum

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Re: 12v wiring
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2011, 09:20:52 PM »
Make shure you always find a good clean ground location(free of rust & paint). Star washers work great for ground conections because they dig into the metal for a good conection. Then spray paint or grease the ground conection so it won't coroad. Use shrink tube type crimp conectors or soulder all conections to minumize corosion. Just read directions very carefully & take your time because there is nothing worse than hooking everything up & it's not working so then you need to go through the hole thing again. I take it you have an e-locker.  Make shure you seal the wire correctly so you don't get a leak in the diff.  Could be either a gear oil leak or water could get in the diff. Don't want that!!
Finding a good positive power source would be best directly off the battery but make shure all things are turned off when you let the jeep sit so the battery is not drained. I like to find a Key On Power source so then I no that when I turn the key off that all systems are off as well. Just make shure that the Keyed Power source can handle the load or you will blow a fues. A good Keyed power source is the accory power port or cigerett lighter. NEVER tap into the Air Bag wires or even mess with them. They are usually yellow wires & most of the time are in a yellow plastic conduit.
Electral can be very intimidating at times but usually straight foward. Just get your self a good test light.  I have been doing this stuff for years & still to this day am challenged almost once a weak. Sometimes I can spend hrs on an electral issues but then im usually dealing with miltiplex controll units witch are very complex. Now you no why im bald ;D
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Offline gearhead1985B

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Re: 12v wiring
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2011, 04:33:26 AM »
what do you want wiring diagrams or what wiring is gravy just don't use square knots and electrical tape as a connector
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Offline rocket

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Re: 12v wiring
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2011, 06:45:34 PM »
I can help (as time allows); i've got a lot of 12v experience (not as much as skibum), inc. rewiring an entire car, adding several custom light/video systems to my truck, inc. wirless relays. 
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Offline B52BUFF

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Re: 12v wiring
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2011, 12:09:45 AM »
Follow skibums advise.  What you could consider doing is buying a new power block to feed power to anything like CB's or in your case lockers.  Painless makes a good one.  I put one in my vehicle.  They generally come in three flavors
1) Switched - When the key is off the power is off (in the case of a locker switch, you wouldn't drain the battery if you left the locker energized while the vehicle is off.)
2) Unswitched - Power is always available
3) A combination of both - No explination needed
Another thing to look at is to mount it into a tuperware bowl with lockable lid.  This helps prevent moisture from getting in or if you submerge your jeep prevents water from blowing the fuses.  ( I am considering this for my jeep)  Soldering can be difficult but will be less likely to give you problems as far as opens are concerned.  Of course this means that if you have any work to do later you will have to either unsolder or cut the wire.  Wire nuts are good but can fall off if jostled.  If you decide to go with the solder make sure you also use heat shrink to insulate the wire.  Any bare metal showing is a potential short.  There is also liquid electrical tape but it is messy.  Feel free to ask anytime.