Electronics Basics and Reference

Blue Seas Aux Fuse Block is what most run on here

 

or an sPOD

 

Tacoma sPOD

http://www.4x4spod.com/mobile/default.aspx#P37418

 

That sPOD looks great! It has relays already mounted, sweet! I will likely need two and install them in a nice box like the Factoy mounted one under the hood. Location is unknown. I'll also need to convert to dual batteries and upgrade the alternator to support the electrical load.

 

I have tried to find this, but no luck. How many relays can 1 switch activate safely? How do you do the calculations? I am wondering if I can have several sets of lights (led), all wired individually to there own relay and fuse, but activated by 1 switch.

 

questions are how many amps do the lights draw individually & all together?, how many amps can the relay handle?

 

Yep. You have your questions backwards. There is a high likelihood you can wire all your LED lights into one relay. LEDs take up very few amps. Figure out how much your lights draw, and make sure your relay can handle it.

 

is sticky still around???? I have questions about potentiometers maybe you can help me with

 

sub'd

 

Dear OP,

Thanks for this thread. It has helped me understand a lot. I saved it to my faves. I vote this should be a sticky somewhere.

 

I have my dash dismantled and cleaned up the mess of wires that were left dangling from my trucks last wiring job. I want to hook the cigarette lighter to use for powering up my phone. I know I need to run the wires to a fuse of 15w and I have know idea what color wire I need to use to connect to the proper wire the leads to the fuse box.
I have a wire running with a 30w fuse from the battery to my stereo amp under the passenger seat and I need advise on whether or not I can use this wire to power my lighter? My thinking is to put a connecter out from the amp wire and link it to a 15 w fuse that then runs to the c. lighter. Then run a ground wire to somewhere under the dash and screw it in. Will this be a good Idea?

 

So i did some more research and discovered that the brown 12v accessory wire leading off the fuse panel is my wire, so I think i will simple connect this wire to the C. lighter and ground the c. lighter to a screw under behind the dash.

 

I went ahead and tested the brown wire and it had no electrical pull on the light test, so I am going to assume it is a bad wire.

I still need to know if I can do my original plan, which is to connect the C. lighter 12 volt cord with a 15v fuse and connect it to the amp power cord?

 

I'm just checking in on the latest posts. Do you still have a question?

 

My first question is: wasn't the cigarette lighter already wired and fused from the factory, or are you doing some modifications? I'd recommend rewiring the original wire(s) to the original fuse location.

I do not recommend connecting your cigarette lighter to the amp fuse for a number of reasons:

1. The amp likely needs upwards of 20-30A to operate, or else the manufacturer wouldn't have recommended such a size of fuse and wire. Connecting another load to the same power line will rob power from the amp thus reducing its "headroom". In other words, say that the amp typically operates on 20A, and then you turn on your cigarette lighter that draws say 10A, this might blow your main 30A fuse. Do you want your stereo to shut down every time you use the lighter? Note: the scenario above is a slight exageration and fuses are typically rated higher than necessary, but it could happen if your amp is under load from high volume and multiple speakers. Although USB (i.e. phone charger) is relatively low current (~2A), who's to say you don't use the cigarette lighter sometime in the future to run a vacuume or tire pump, which draw a lot of current!

2. Amplifiers enjoy clean power. Anytime you introduce other loads or noise on the power or ground lines of an amp, you risk reducing the quality of the sound. I would not compromise the amp or speaker wires (i.e. cut, splice, etc).

3. Some amps are very sensitive to voltage transients. Adding a load may in fact damage your amp. This is particularly true if running something like a vacuume or pump. Without getting into too much detail, just know that electric motors can send jolts of electricity backwards down the power line. This could be damaging to your amp.

Are you sure the wire is bad? This is not likely if it is a factory installed wire, unless you modified it in someway. Check if the fuse is good and installed properly. Also, most cigarette lighters only work when the key is "on" not in "accessory". Try testing it again with the truck in "on" or running if in doubt.

If all you want to do is provide a USB charger for your phone, I recommend reinstalling the original factory cigarette lighter circuit and/or locating the standard 12V "Accessory" circuit in the truck. Tap off of that rather than messing with your amp.

 

so how would you properly hook halo lights to my parking lights on a 2014 tacoma

 

Check out the original post, it outlines wiring up a circuit with a relay. I don't know the specifics of your application and/or any kit or prefabricated wiring harness you may have purchased, but the basics of using a relay are the same.

 

Nice thread. Surprised I havnt seen this before. Agreed it should be a sticky though. Would save me alot of PMs haha jk guys I dont mind all the questions

 

It used to be a sticky, not sure if/when removed. Glad you've been fielding questions, I rarely check on the site since I got rid of my Tacoma.