TheCochese's Project Con Queso

And the Bussmann box build begins.

 

looks beautiful

 

The Bussman cometh.

 

Next step is wiring the cab, and figuring out where things might go temporarily vs where I'd ultimately like things to be. The difference being that I want to grab a couple MESO 3D print product, and seem to have missed the last two availability windows - the overhead six switch panel, and the three switch cubby panel. Combined with the three open spots currently in the lower part of the dash, this gives me 11 factory-style switch locations to play with.

I tend to use spreadsheets to do my initial planning. Not the intended use, but allows me to compartmentalize adequately. Unfortunately that doesn't really work in copying over here.

So here's what I'm planning for at this point as long term. Some of this may not happen, and I have no idea as to the order.

Bumper light (owned)
Hood lights (next)
Roof light
Scene lights
Heated front seats
Comms
Air compressor
Front camera
Puddle pods (maybe)
Winch (owned)

The switches for the bumper light and hood lights will be installed in the lower dash, as that's what I have available.

 

Lookin clean! Did you end up making the positive and negative feeds (from battery to breaker to bussman)? Or did you pick those up somewhere?

 

So the temporary locations would be for the bumper light and hood lights to go in the lower dash spots. However, I think for usage, that's not where I would want them. I think a long-term mounting location for everything might look like this:

Cubby panel:

• Bumper light
• Hood light
• Roof light

Those would seem to be the most driver-oriented of everything, so it makes sense that only the driver would have access.

That means I would need to determine the best location for the rest, between an overhead panel and the lower dash panel.

• Scene lights (one or two switches)
• Heated seats (two switches)
• Air compressor (if I don't do a cutoff switch)
• Comms (I am unsure if I want to go CB, GRMS, or get a HAM license)
• Front camera (mainly for parking, but for offroad use as well)
• Puddle pods (I don't know if I want these, but am leaving the possibility open)

Now, the other aspect to this is the wiring. The benefit of doing the Bussmann is that I can interchange the five relay spots with absolutely no impact to the wiring runs. I just swap a wire at the switch, and swap which lead it is plugged into at the box. There are spots for five fuse-only hookups, but I have absolutely no idea what I'd use those for. I suppose I could make up some sort of additional relay panel that would allow for use, and something I may look into. But honestly this is about wiring runs right now, and what makes sense to group up.

I should do a six wire run up the A-pillar to the overhead console, in advance of potential switches. Five relay triggers plus a 12v switched fuse power wire. This could terminate near the internal fuse box for future hookups, and use terminal connector for a clean look. Then I need to run four wires (three relay plus switched) to the cubby, and the same to the lower dash.

I think the heated seats would work best in the lower dash panel. Comms, air compressor in the overhead console. So I think I have an initial plan, and I'll be looking over the next month or so to get the wiring, connectors, etc so I can knock this out when the weather is nice.

 

Made them. Didn't have all the proper tools to do so, but I made do. Haven't made the battery wiring just yet, need to install the panel to see the lengths needed.

 

Putting this here partially so I can find it again tomorrow.

http://radio.garden/listen/bloop-london-radio/2tU_W51e

 

Didn’t think I was asking anything out of line, but whatever.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...with-free-shipping-conus-only.599113/page-196

 

What a dick.

 

Going to order a wiring resupply this weekend for the next phase - first step of the cab wiring. Right now I'm taking inventory. Wiring looks like I'll have enough, particularly if I don't tackle the overhead future run at this time. I'll need to order a lot of filler plugs, I didn't take into account I wouldn't be wiring everything up at once when I was making the initial list. Plus a few more terminals, and I need to order a few molex connectors. No real need for the weather pack stuff inside. Can't install the fuse box until I get the weather seals, at the very least.

Since my bumper has no real ETA, there's no rush. Hoping for a warm weekend maybe the 6th that I can get at least the lower two panels prewired. Also need to find a cubby panel so I don't have to move switches, but I don't think that's going to happen. Anything I order from Mouser might take extra time anyway.

In less fun news, the case for my iPhone 12 Pro Max finally took away wireless charging on the stock charger. I'm not in a mind to remove or deactivate it, but I do need to start considering options for trips. I ordered a RavPower Magsafe charger, may look into fabbing up a mount. I used to really like ProClip, but they have absolutely no imagination anymore. I hate their mounting locations in every vehicle I've owned for the past four years.

 

I have yet to find an official MagSafe car charger that is shipping yet. I agree that ProClip's vehicle side mount isn't very good for the Tacoma; but I still love their holders. So I ended up ordering the ProClip USB powered one, as I will use a RAM Ball mount to attach it to the DMM. I'll pull my dash mounted USB port and hide it behind the dash hooked into the USB lead from the ProClip.

 

There's really nothing I need to see on the phone with CarPlay being pretty good in most respects, so I'm going to do something out of sight. The big issue with MagSafe is that I need to secure the charger or it'll just come with the phone.

 

OK, so making notes here for my own benefit for restock.

4ga - have about 54" of both black and red raw cable, which should be enough for the pos/neg runs from the Bussmann to the battery, plus the cable from the battery to the winch shutoff switch. I also have a pre-terminated 24" red. I only have two 5/16" lugs though. I either need 3/8" for the cutoff or I suppose I could ream out these. Not sure what the battery terminal size is, I will check that out as it gets warmer today.

10ga - all out of red and black. Need about 8" to make the last fused pigtail. May just order a few more feet of both for future projects, CE Auto Electric sells by the foot at a reasonable cost.

18ga - 25' of brown, grey, pink. Those will probably stay unused. About 15' of white, green, blue, yellow, orange. These are the relay wiring colors, which should be plenty to run from the overhead console to near the grommet. The lower two switch locations should be covered with the harness I already made. About 15' of red, which will be run from the switch locations to the add-a-fuse on the interior box. About 15' of black, which shouldn't be needed.

Terminals - plenty of everything except #12110853 - tangless 12-10AWG. These are the ones that go into the Bussmann. I need one, but will order a few extra.

Cable seals - down to a handful of both the green and blue wire seals, but I need a ton of the cavity plugs. Twenty to be safe.

Ring terminals - might be okay here, but I could order a second big pack.

Molex - I want to make things super easy to switch around, so I think I want all the interior runs to have Molex connectors at the switches. Each switch has four wires - LED +/- for dimming, 12v switched for power supply, and a relay activation. LED +/- will be handled locally at each switch location, so I just need n+1 capacity connectors at each switch location. I need a four circuit at the driver's cubby, I'll use a six circuit at the lower dash for expandability, and I think I'll use an eight circuit in the overhead. I could use a six, but if I'm going to put items up there I'd like to run without ACC ON, I'll need to run an extra power supply wire. And all the terminals I need to make them work. Perhaps I can use the pink wire for either the ACC or constant on leads.

I think that's it? Oh, my bumper light bar uses a Deutsch 2-pin connector with a foot long lead with 14ga wire. It's stupidly short. If I'm going to buy wire to extend, it's not much more to buy a new connector set and do it right. So a 2-pin connector and black and red 14ga wire also needed, about five feet each. May see if CE has that as well.

 

https://www.quadlockcase.com/

After much dilberation. I went with the Aussie case & ball mount. Looks cleaner than that stupid Ram mount claw.

 

That's nice, but pricey.


I did a test fit of what I have, and discovered it really is a PITA to install this Pelfrey mount. It's a dumb design, but think I figured just about how to do it and not throw it across the yard. I'll need a 13mm ratcheting spanner. I don't know if I'll be able to get at the under hood fuse panel after, and I'm pretty damn sure the relay box next to it is going to not be accessible.

Finding a spot to mount this battery cutoff has been a major issue. Really the perfect place for it would be right in front of the battery, but there really isn't a way to easily make this work. If the stock battery tray had a panel that came up the front side of the battery that I could attach this to, it would be absolutely perfect.

The only other options I can think of are to modify the winch hardness really short and mount it on the winch itself (which isn't recommended, you want the cutoff near the battery), or modify the Pelfrey panel and it sits on there. Not what I want to do, but I will if I have to.

 

Yeah, I know it's pricey but I've been using the belt clip on my new phone for a week & I have nothin' but good things to say about this system. Solid AF & I abuse Phone Cases. Have you considered somthin' like dutz fasteners instead of somethin' conventional. Half a turn per fastener is all it takes to undo.

 

I don't want to do anything that interferes with my normal use of the phone, which is why I'm going to try the MagSafe route first. I need to keep wireless charging and I'd like to keep my slim case if at all possible.

3D printing might be a viable option as well. First thing's first though, have to come up with the winch cutoff stuff.