Installed Switched power Set up

[KGriner]

Recently installed a switch power set up in the interior of my JL.

The switched supply will be used to run my dash cam, radar detector, and whatever other interior accessories I install in the future.

There’s a write up with pictures at the bottom. I was an installer many (many) years ago BUT If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions on how I could do this better… PLEASE LMK.

The set up runs from a tap in the fuse box, number 58, down the top of the firewall through the wire rail (?) mounted on top of the firewall, down thru the driver side.

Once on the driver side I connected a 4 terminal strip with homemade jumpers (to power the other terminals) and fastened it to the aluminum sub frame with 3M sticky tape and zip wires just to make sure.


Here is the fuse with the tap, as you can see I covered the wire with loom tape. I think I used 30a fuse thinking ahead. I’ve seen people do this without using fuses but that’s just insane, if you value your jeep, ALWAYS use a fuse!

The arrows here show the location of the tabs to open the rail. I believe I had to remove the bolts on top in order to fully access the rail and run the wire through. I tried to fish the wire through the rail using a rod however, it just got jammed up so I decided to open the rail

This is where the wire enters the rail, There is an existing wire are there so I just loomed them both together.

Next is just a shot of the entire rail.

Next shot shows where the wire exits the rail near the master brake cylinder. As soon as the wire exits the rail, I covered it with quarter inch irrigation drip tubing As an extra measure of protection, probably unneeded but…

Next to the master cylinder there’s a little black grommet, it’s hard plastic on my JL but I drilled a small hole through it and ran the wire through the firewall and under the dash.

What under the dash, I used a four terminal strip, the strip that I had did not have jumpers so I made my own jumpers as you can see. Now, I have space for three extra accessories, more if I stack them.

View attachment 253359

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[Adventure.AS]

Nice write up. Does each device you are powering have a fuse or does the terminal block have fuses?

For owners with the Auxiliary switches there is a switched and live lead in the wire bundle inside the cabin (passenger footwell.). I used those wires to power my dash cam (with parking mode) and also my CB radio.

 

[KGriner]

Nice write up. Does each device you are powering have a fuse or does the terminal block have fuses?

For owners with the Auxiliary switches there is a switched and live lead in the wire bundle inside the cabin (passenger footwell.). I used those wires to power my dash cam (with parking mode) and also my CB radio.

I'd say YES, each device Should have a fuse because power still has to get from the strip to the device. That way if something happens between the strip and the device you'd have extra protection from potential device damage and damage to your jeep.

 

[cosmokenney]

Is #58 switched on and off with the ignition?

 

[KGriner]

Is #58 switched on and off with the ignition?

Yes

 

[cavguy]

Bumping this thread because I would like to use the plastic "rail" on the back of the firewall to run some wires from the drivers side of the engine compartment to the battery.

How much room is in there for extra wiring? For example, would there be enough room for a ARB twin compressor power wires + ground? Also wondering how much of a PITA it is to open up?

 

[cavguy]

Today I decided to see how much room was in that plastic wire rail. My findings:

1. Its a royal pain in the @ss to open that plastic rail! There are tabs on the top and bottom that may need to be depressed depending on the wire you are trying to run. At minimum you need to open all the top tabs.
2. For the 2.0T you have to remove the coolant reservoir in order to run wires in the rail.
3. The good news is, that there is indeed room for about 2-3 extra wires in there rail (guessing about 3 x 8-10 gauge). I was able to fit the entire ARB wire harness and my Mopar light wires in there. I think this is the best option for running wires from drivers side to passenger side in the engine compartment as it gets super hot in there.

 

[cosmokenney]

Today I decided to see how much room was in that plastic wire rail. My findings:

1. Its a royal pain in the @ss to open that plastic rail! There are tabs on the top and bottom that may need to be depressed depending on the wire you are trying to run. At minimum you need to open all the top tabs.
2. For the 2.0T you have to remove the coolant reservoir in order to run wires in the rail.
3. The good news is, that there is indeed room for about 2-3 extra wires in there rail (guessing about 3 x 8-10 gauge). I was able to fit the entire ARB wire harness and my Mopar light wires in there. I think this is the best option for running wires from drivers side to passenger side in the engine compartment as it gets super hot in there.

I did the cross compartment thing before I knew about this rail. I just used split loom. Not a great options but it has held up.

 

[cavguy]

I did the cross compartment thing before I knew about this rail. I just used split loom. Not a great options but it has held up.

Yes split loom is good, but I heard reports of it melting in certain cases (I assume due to the heat in our engine compartments - perhaps due to the loom touching hot metal).

 

[Bergerboy]

I'm in the process of doing a similar set-up for a multi-port power supply inside, that will have 2 USBs and 2 lighter sockets.
However, I was wanting power on with both engine and ACC modes, so I used the "Cigar Lighter" fuse #F52. It's a 20A micro, so I needed a micro-tap, which I couldn't find at 3 of the local parts stores (they had full-sized and mini). So I ordered a pack of 10 on the Bay for about $10.
I'll try the routing through the rail next and then through the grommet on the driver's side. I'll end up somewhere in the passenger foot well to mount the power supply box.
I didn't order the new JL with the trailer package, so I didn't get the Accessory switch panel with its added bonus 2 power supply wires.

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