Electronics Management

Let me say up front that I have very little experience wiring in a vehicle and I dont know much about it. So I may be asking about a well traversed topic on this forum. I am not even sure how to search.

Anywho, I am going to be adding stuff (ditch lights, a winch, rock lights, GMRS radio, USB port, etc.) to my Taco.

Virtually every instruction video I see for installing these things the person attaches them somehow directly to the battery.

I am worried my battery is going to end up looking like a plate of spaghetti.

Is there some master device available wherein I can power all of these things and attach their switches and then that one master device can then connect to the battery?

I just dont want it to look like a plate of wire pasta under my hood.

I know this may be a dumb or obvious question, but note my first three sentences.

 

Excellent question.

You can install a second fuse box for all of your accessories and run them off of that. Some people like to use an addafuse to add additional circuits to their existing box but I honestly think that’s pretty janky.

This is how I cured my spaghetti battery

 

Very nice. Do you have a link to that particular one? So basically you could run the power for something as big as a winch into that?

 

I’ll have to go look through my emails and see what box that is.


It won’t run a winch, winches require too much current.

 

I'm a cheap motherfucker. let me show you what I bought.

$15 Nilight - 50055F 6 Way Blade Screw Fuse Block 6 Circuits with Negative Bus Fuse Box Holder with LED Indicator ATO/ATC Fuse Panel Waterproof Cover for 12V Automotive Cars Marine Boats RVs Trailers

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089T47R2L?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

$14 iJDMTOY Stainless Steel Auxiliary Relay Box Holder (Up to 4 Units), Compatible with 2005-up Toyota Tacoma for Lightbar Fog Lamp, etc

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087T4TRBS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details


I just roughed this out last night, going back in tonight to clean up some of the cable management, but you get the idea.







... Now let me show you what I should have also bought.

$70 Auxiliary Power Fuse Block Bracket Updated Design Compatible with 3rd Gen 2016-Present Toyota Tacoma

https://www.amazon.com/Auxiliary-Br...mzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

 

This is the one I went with:

https://www.digikey.com/en/products...q7sbSQXv_IgxCUyJ6EzxxAvoPDbdHRmUiYdyIwQ1yC8dM

 

This is when it was first installed ive since added more wires to the slots, would like to find a clean way to organize some of my relays

 

Here's my solution for ideas, Using Switch Pro

$659 SP-9100 8-Switch Panel Power System With Concealed Mounting Hardware

SP-9100 to control lights and ARB Compressor on/off.

Winch, main power for SwitchPro, main power for Aux Circuts, ARB Compressor main power, and GMRS Radio go directly to battery.

Aux fuse block for things that do not need to be switched. Right now I just have power running to the bed.

At some point I want to do someting with the 2 fuses for the ARB compressor. They bother me zip tied to the battery hold down.

The main winch power wires should go directly to the battery.

Here's a thread for the SwitchPro to get some more ideas
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/switch-pros-9100-install-and-bs-thread.534369/

 

How hard was the install on that? It is this kit, correct?: https://overlandequipped.com/collec...for-3rd-generation-toyota-tacoma-2016-present

 

My somewhat tamed Spaghet and a relay mounting location option for the group.

I used the overland equipped kit, but would do the power trays one if I did it over again.

you should look into an Aux Beam or Switch Pros if you really want a clean wiring set up

 

$16 ELECTOP 6 Way Fuse Block Blade Fuse Box with Negative Bus, 6 Circuit Fuse Holder Fuse Block w/Negative Bus, Waterproof Protection Cover Sticker Labels for 12V/24V Automotive Car Truck Boat Marine RV

https://www.amazon.com/Electop-Nega...motive&sprefix=fuse+box+,automotive,68&sr=1-4

 

Definitely draw or map out what you want to hook up and that will help with the how. It’s taken me a fair amount of trial and error to get my set up the way I want it and I’m still not content lol

 

Older pic, but I used a Switchpro and fuse block on a @Mr.PowerTrays fender mount plate.

Switchpro controls all the lights on the truck

the fuse block gives power to anything that didn't necessarily need a switch, or had its own like my HAM radio, 12v power in the bed, fridge, etc.

 

Yes thats the kit, i only bought the bracket and ended up sourcing my own parts. (hindsight being 20/20 i would have just bought the kit)

not hard to install wear some gloves because its a tight fit and you will skin some knuckels, it does make it difficult to access your engine bay fuse box but you can still do it.

 

So am I correct in assuming you have added a lot of electronics? So you modded your OEM fusebox? Can you explain that a bit? Thank you!

 

I have a hood scoop light, KC hilites cyclone rock lights (6 total) and ditch lights.

the mods to the fuse box are for the rock lights as they have two wires for each light (12 total for six lights underneath the truck), the grounding post and alternate single line fuse block came with the rock lights kit. I anchored both to the fuse box but in hind sight I don’t think I needed either cause of my blue sea systems auxiliary fuse block.

All lights are run to OEM style switches from ch4x4.com through the fire wall grommet and to the left side switch panel inside.

I don’t have any add a fuses in the OEM fuse box and it is a PAIN IN THE ASS to remove the OEM fuse box cover cause I mounted stuff to it. Do not recommend.

I have some raptor lights for my grille but I need to unfuck my OEM fuse box because as it is now I can’t run the add a fuse.


Let me know if you have questions or need more specifics.

 

Janky Spaghetti is my spirit animal..

I've got driving lights, ditch lights, vhf, dashcam, chase light, bed lights, and a few other goodies added.
Take a minute to plan your routes, add some cable ties and some wire looms and you'll be good.
The best part about doing it yourself is you can make it look pretty:

 

Thanks. So ultimately your stuff is all wired directly into the battery? What is that that you have bolted to your inner body where the auxiliary fuse box would bolt in?

 

There was a great post a few weeks back that had showed the guys wiring diagram and then the application. He had power in the back for his hard topper and a ton of accessories and I think a second battery.

I’ve been trying to find it to link it to this tread

 

Without going out to the parking lot and checking I believe I have a pair of Squadron Sports, a pair of Squadron Pros, and my VHF added at the batt terminal. Other things that don't draw much go through the extra slot in the interior fuse panel using add-a-fuses.

Those are my driving/ditch light relays mounted to the existing threaded bolt holes. The ditch light harness there is out in the open, everything else is wrapped and strapped.

I'm a believer in keeping it simple, and have traced electronic gremlins in previous vehicles. Minimize the points of faliure and keep circuits straightforward and isolated.