Harbinger Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 (edited) Hi guys, I'm going to try and get around to re-wiring my unsightly (yet functional) tool/switchbox. Basically I want to remove the ashtray and fab up some sort of plate to mount switches to. I want to find some switches that are one color when off and another color when on. I've seen them before but it was some random site a few years back. Can't seem to find them @ radioshack either. Once I've got those, a switch panel, all I'll need is a fuse panel to replace the homegrown wiring setup inside the toolbox. Edited January 27, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Here's the panel C4S has in the X... piece of plexy, painted w/ flat black paint, holes drilled for switches... to replace the "pocket". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 (edited) That looks good -- to bad I don't have a double DIN slot How is it affixed to the DIN opening? *drools over Pezzy's Camera and its image quality* Edited January 13, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 I believe he glued it to the front of the pocket, cut out the back of the pocket for waring, and then put behind the 'dash' face... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 harbie you could pretty much do the same thing. just take out the ash tray and that little peice of metal at the top. get you a peice of plexi or plastic...or even some thing gauge steel/alum and work with that. as far as the multi color switches..those are a bit more specialized and you might have to search around the net for those. or just go the normal route and get ones that light up when in use. i dunn about you, but i go nuts with a bunch of little lights everywhere..and if its not in use i just as soon not have to see it at night lol. either use the ones you got, or a nice set of clean rocker switches and call it a day. actually, if you dont really have anything layin around the house for plate material..looks like the other side of that box would yeild some clean, flat plastic to work with. then just glue or secure it somehow to the back of the trim plate...run all your wiring and pop it all back in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 I was going to do exactly the same thing as C4S in my Pathy...but then I coudln't find my dremel....and then I got lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Anyone seen where to get those nice switches he has? I took a look on the net and found the standard automotive switches only. Are they for a PC or something or am I just blind. I really like that design, going to need to revamp my own wiring some time. Dowser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mws Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Newark Electronics and Mouser Electronics are my two favorite sources for switches. Mouser has hundreds of styles, Newark has literally thousands. You'll have to look carefully as most lighted switches are designed for 120 systems and would not light up with only 12 volts. You can also wire in LED's alongside the switches... Conversion vans tend to have lots of switches added. And some are attractive, and most are lighted. If your local JY's have any, you might want to take a look. And for a fuse panel, check these beauties out: http://www.seamar.com/blueseas.html Scroll down a bit... I am using two of the 12 circuit panels in Frankenvan, and they are the nicest I have found. Got them through Bass Pro of all places... Here's another couple sites you may find useful: http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm...atid=384&step=2 http://www.americanautowire.com/index.cfm http://www.wiringproducts.com/index.html?t...html&lang=en-us http://www.v-sales.com/switches.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Anyone seen where to get those nice switches he has? I took a look on the net and found the standard automotive switches only. Are they for a PC or something or am I just blind. I really like that design, going to need to revamp my own wiring some time. Dowser Conviently enough -- I believe he has forgotten... I know he picked them up pretty cheap, online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 actually, if you dont really have anything layin around the house for plate material..looks like the other side of that box would yeild some clean, flat plastic to work with. then just glue or secure it somehow to the back of the trim plate...run all your wiring and pop it all back in! Thats kinda what I was thinking of doing, might even see if I can find some molex connectors so I could disconect the panel when I take the dash piece off. Hmmmm :idea: i dunn about you, but i go nuts with a bunch of little lights everywhere..and if its not in use i just as soon not have to see it at night lol. either use the ones you got, or a nice set of clean rocker switches and call it a day. I'm the oppositie, I like shiny objects in the cab (pretty lights!) and I like being able to find them quickly when I have to. And using the ash-tray section I'm being forced to get smaller switches anyway. Are they for a PC or something or am I just blind. I really like that design, going to need to revamp my own wiring some time. Could be for a PC. I found ones kinda like C4S's here: ThinkGeek! You can also wire in LED's alongside the switches... Conversion vans tend to have lots of switches added. And some are attractive, and most are lighted. If your local JY's have any, you might want to take a look. And for a fuse panel, check these beauties out: http://www.seamar.com/blueseas.html Thanks for the info MWS! I might have to order one of those fuse panels depending on how well my search goes here in town. Wiring up seperate LED's isn't a bad idea either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Could be for a PC. I found ones kinda like C4S's here:ThinkGeek! hmm... dont believe he got his there - but that's VERY close, if not the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Switches huh.... Check this Sh!t out. Now thats cool. Dowser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 (edited) Check this Sh!t out. Now thats cool. :eek: Those programmable LCD ones are SICK! A tad out of my range though So I bought a Fuse block today (This one to be exact). It has 6 outputs and a max of 30amps each. Heres the question -- whats a good fuse rating for off road lights? I have some small cheapies, cheap fogs (side illumination from up top) and some KC daylighters that aren't on the truck at the moment. I also have the three map lights (wired as one in a series), and a CB to wire up to this thing. Any suggestions on fuse ratings? :idea: Should I just start with the smallest fuse and step up in size untill it doesn't burn out the fuse consistently? Or am I nuts? Edited January 14, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filthy Luker Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Amperage is wattage divided by voltage, hence if you have 2x100W lights then it's 200/12 = 16.666 AMPs so a 20-25 AMP fuse should be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 (edited) So I started ripping into this yesterday. Results? The guy who wired up that toolbox was either a genius or a madman, I'm not sure which. Where I'm at: Switch panel is made -- used 1/4" ply painted it black and wedged it into the ashtray opening. Looks a lot better than a toolbox on the dash. Wiring: Finally sourced where all the wires are coming from. Dude used three relays total, one for each set of lights on the roof. Two of them were in the toolbox, and one is in the engine compartment. Why he didn't just place all of them in the toolbox confuses me. :confused: He tapped into the High beam wire alright -- right behind the passenger side headlight! Does this make sense to anyone? Seems like you could tap into it at the light switch and avoid a long cable run! Plans: I'm going to install the fuse block in the glove box, along with the two relays. The third relay is going to stay in the engine compartment so I can avoid re-running all the wiring. As soon as I can I'm going to pick up some molex connectors and install them between the switch panel and the wiring coming from the truck for ease of removal later. Once thats done I should be good to button it all back up untill the the next time I need to install something. Going to have to figure out what to do with the 1/2 inch hole in my dash though! :-) Edited January 19, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 (edited) Heres a question -- is it common/worthwhile to install a diode in the line coming from the high beams? It wasn't done on my truck, but a few online writeups I've found mention it. Edited January 19, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 common...not really. worthwhile.....doubtfull. me personally id unhook it from that spot, and get the trigger from somewhere else. like inside at the dimmer switch wire. you dont need much to activate the relay. as far as the hole...mmmm, you got me on that one. dash cap maybe? or install a tweeter there in the front lol. or hey, you could get one of those OEM clinometers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 (edited) me personally id unhook it from that spot, and get the trigger from somewhere else. like inside at the dimmer switch wire Is there any reason to do this other than tidying up wiring? If I go through the trouble to relocate that I might as well move the other relay inside too. or hey, you could get one of those OEM clinometers! He he -- Already thought of that -- would make the wiring it in all the easier too. That or just getting a dash mat -- but then again, whats the point in this thing ;-) Heres a quick little diagram I drew up..... Edited January 19, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 (edited) well for one..its a hack job wiring up the relay like that. so me being the anal person i am...id move it in..and yes, it would also tidy up the wiring. and you might as well move your other relay in as well. its better to have all your related stuff in one area..rather than spred out over 2-3 places. and youll get longer life from moving it inside as well id suppose (theoretically) due to a more controlled invironment. not the hot/cold/dry/wet up and down changes. less chance of corrosion as far as your diagram..it looks pretty good to me oh, and as far as the hole in your dash, i was trying to think of SOMETHING to cover it..even temporarily...you could always get one of those little adhesive mounted liquid compases and stick it right there lol. i dunno, just throwing anything out. Edited January 19, 2006 by DSM_guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 (edited) well for one..its a hack job wiring up the relay like that I wouldn't say its a hack job -- the relay in the engine compartment has a base on it covering up the connectors, a seperate line to the battery with a 20amp inline fuse, and all the wiring done under hood is fully wrapped/protected. I'm just confudled on why he'd put everything else in the cab and that one relay under-hood. :confused: Same with connecting to the high beams behind the headlight. Just seems like a lot of extra work to me. Another weird thing is that relay underhood is the only thing I've found with a fuse on it! :o as far as your diagram..it looks pretty good to me Thanks -- I needed to do that to A:) Get it out of my head and SEE it, and B:) Pass some time @ work. Edited January 19, 2006 by Harbinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 when i said "hack job" i was referring to wiring it in there at the HI beam wiring behind the headlight for the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Is there any reason to do this other than tidying up wiring? If I go through the trouble to relocate that I might as well move the other relay inside too. He he -- Already thought of that -- would make the wiring it in all the easier too. That or just getting a dash mat -- but then again, whats the point in this thing ;-) Heres a quick little diagram I drew up..... I just got back for holidays, hence the late reply. Where is the power to the switches in the diagram? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Pickles Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Maybe the 2 relay locations are from different install. Say he had a set or 2 up top originally, then went back and added more and the additional relays, choosing to put them inside this time. Who knows why people do what they do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 I just got back for holidays, hence the late reply. Where is the power to the switches in the diagram? Welcome back The power to the switches will come from the HI-beam wire and the Interior illumination wire. The map lights switch will pull it straight from the extra fuse block. Maybe the 2 relay locations are from different install. Say he had a set or 2 up top originally, then went back and added more and the additional relays, choosing to put them inside this time. Who knows why people do what they do... That crossed my mind -- but it still doesn't explain why he spliced the hi beam wire behind the passenger headlight. O'well, it makes life interesting at least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 That crossed my mind -- but it still doesn't explain why he spliced the hi beam wire behind the passenger headlight. O'well, it makes life interesting at least because it was the easy thing to do. rather than take the time to find the correct wire in the dash he saw an opportunity to quickly locate the wire of his choice in a less time-consuming way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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