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Getting a Wire from under the hood into cab

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Old December 12th, 2016, 10:46 AM
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Default Getting a Wire from under the hood into cab

Would the easiest way for me to install a wire from the fuse box under the hood into by 2004 Express 3500 be managed by undoing the engine cover ?
Old December 12th, 2016, 11:34 AM
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If you are looking for permanent "hot" 12V, just grab it from under the seat fusebox. There is already a terminal with a 10mm nut, and I have 8 items connected to it in my van.
Old December 12th, 2016, 2:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Artie1
If you are looking for permanent "hot" 12V, just grab it from under the seat fusebox. There is already a terminal with a 10mm nut, and I have 8 items connected to it in my van.
I'm actually interested in changing my power outlets to where they are off when I turn the engine off.
Old December 12th, 2016, 11:08 PM
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Might be easier to just wire an in line switch that you can flip off to kill them. Also Artie....I hope that you are not pulling too much amperage with your 8 things, because that under seat box is fudes with an expensive 125 amp fuse link, and the wire that fees it can olny handle so much load.
I ran a separate wire through the grommet on the firewall up above the brake pedal.....
Old December 13th, 2016, 7:02 AM
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Originally Posted by canucklehead
I ran a separate wire through the grommet on the firewall up above the brake pedal.....
That's what I was looking for - I didn't know about this grommet - I'll have to go back and take another look - Thanks!
Old December 13th, 2016, 8:59 AM
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I used that same grommet to run a wire from an ignition controlled fuse to an aftermarket relay connected to the battery. Then I ran the controlled relay hot wire back through the same grommet to an aftermarket fuse block so I would have fuses for all my added items. The ignition controlled fuse I used was the one to the electric windows on my van, because it wasn't being used anymore after I "hot wired" my electric windows to work with another circuit that was not ignition controlled. I like to have my power windows work without the key on.




Old December 13th, 2016, 10:19 AM
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nice!
Old December 14th, 2016, 12:24 AM
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Originally Posted by canucklehead
Also Artie....I hope that you are not pulling too much amperage with your 8 things, because that under seat box is fudes with an expensive 125 amp fuse link, and the wire that fees it can olny handle so much load.
Those 8 things are mostly intermittent use - power seats, power sliding door, brake controller, trailer power lead. The only permanent power consumption is the 2-channel amp and a small subwoofer, but it is minor. I also have another power post that I added to the rear of the van just for the sake of convenience to be able to hook up a portable air compressor to fill trailer wheels.
It's been like this for 2 years now and so far no problems. A few months ago I also mounted a second battery on the frame using the diesel van chassis bracket, and it is connected to the same under-seat power lead, with a big power disconnect switch.




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