New guy to this forum - just got a 98 Civic EX to use as a daily driver. I will need to get power that is turned on and off by the key for a CB radio, and probably a 3 socket "lighter" style plug so I can run my radar detector, sat radio tuner, and phone charger. I have not had time to look at any options under the dash yet - and I have very little experience with foreign cars, so I was hoping someone here can tell me the easiest place to pull power from. Thank You in advance!
Where To Get Accessory Power From?
- Thread starter Racinfan83
- Start date
easiest? the fuse box under the drivers dash, look up a diagram, we have the same car btw, the safest? depends, do you have to have it on when the car starts, or would a switch work? cuz you can just run a line from the battery and put a fuse on it, thats what i did, but you can also run from the cigaret lighter, that would give you constant power and on off by ignition,
your headunit has an accessory. Just tap a wire for something that only comes on when the car is on.
just kidding, i reviewed what your doing, do not tap into the cigarette lighter, way to small for what your putting on there. hmmm....the fuse box is your best bet with the on of via ignition, but I don’t know if your going to get enough safe power running from that. If it were me, I would just run from the battery with a big 12 gauge and put it on a switch.
would he get enough power from that to run everything though? i mean, maybe i'm just very conservative when it comes to wiring (fireman in training) but its very easy to burn up a car with some improper wiring.
oh i didnt read what he was all hooking up. Holy jesus, i would recommend running a feed line off the battery and putting a switch in or tap into the fuse box. dont run it all off one line though or atleast run some thicker wire. Or tap each one into a different source. Such as radar detector and phone charger into one like the cigarette lighter. and the rest into others. You shoudl be find running two off the lighter
holy jesus is right!
I wired my Sirius & radar in to the fuse panel using the flat connections at the top edge of the panel, use a test light to see constant power or ignition only, cremp the end of the wire with connector & plug it in, then connect your ground, then you will only need one outlet for your phone.
Imperialzim
Wrencher
I would pull the power from the acc coming off the ign itself. It is a White/Black 12 or 10 gauge wire in a black loom at the bottom of the steering column. You can check it via test light. It should read power with the key on but NOT when the engine is cranking.
true, but im fairly confident he shouldnt run them all off one line. unless he runs them at seperate times. thats a lot to run off that gauge of wire
cobb2819
New Member
but the size of the wire only dictates the current flow through it. 10 item that only pull 1 amp each is only 10 amps, no matter what the accessories listed are. most sat tuners are only like 2 amps, a cellphone charger might only be 1, and so on.
Good point, but i feel like a CB pulls more. but very good point. OP will have to look them up and tell us.
actually now that i read it again, they all draw very little power except for the cb maybe. They make different sizes and power needs
Thanks for all the help! I think for now I will just run a dual plug off the lighter for the radar detector and phone charger/ or sirius. The CB is the one that worries me - it needs to be on a single line as it is a little "hotter then stock"...LOL
Quick other question - is there a way to make the dome light come on when you open the door? Mine doesn't. I have power locks but that doesn't work, and no keyless due to the radio being not stock. Don't know if any of that matters with the dome light?
I do appreciate all the replies. I'm sure I will be asking lots of dumb questions in the future. Always been a Dodge/Chrysler/Chevy guy. Not much experience with foreign cars. I do own a 71 Nova SS with a BBC for any of you other gearheads that might be interested...lol
Quick other question - is there a way to make the dome light come on when you open the door? Mine doesn't. I have power locks but that doesn't work, and no keyless due to the radio being not stock. Don't know if any of that matters with the dome light?
I do appreciate all the replies. I'm sure I will be asking lots of dumb questions in the future. Always been a Dodge/Chrysler/Chevy guy. Not much experience with foreign cars. I do own a 71 Nova SS with a BBC for any of you other gearheads that might be interested...lol
put the switch in the middle. there is three settings. always on, when doors open, always off
yes that happens a lot, its cuz hoda ran the dome light relay through the security harness on the back of the factory radio, so al you have to do is buy a security harness male end and stick it on that green connector that is floating behind your radio, on the harness there is a blue wire that come and and come back in on the one you buy, thats the relay.
sorry, took me forever to find the dang thing, this will allow the dome light to come on when you open your door.
http://cgi.ebay.com/SCOSCHE-96-98-HONDA-CIVIC-15-PIN-ALARM-HARNESS-HA04B-/300487217920?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f66f1300#ht_4494wt_890
http://cgi.ebay.com/SCOSCHE-96-98-HONDA-CIVIC-15-PIN-ALARM-HARNESS-HA04B-/300487217920?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f66f1300#ht_4494wt_890
cobb2819
New Member
if i remember correctly, all you have to do is jumper the light green / black wire to the light green / red wire. i know it's been posted around here somewhere. i'm normally looking at the plug when i do it at work, with my DMM handy. light green / red is door trigger in, and light green / black is dome light ground out, if memory serves me right.
yes, you can also do it that way to0 lol, i bought the connector just cuz i put in a security system too.
Very Cool! Thanks!