Single under-dash power source for aftermarket accessories

[AndrewM]

Has anyone created a single 12V power supply "bus" under the dash, fed with a single wire from either the main or aux second battery via the firewall grommet to which you can wire all the aftermarket accessories? It may or may not also include fuses for each circuit. For starters I need to power LLAMS, UHF, Redarc TowPro and a TPMS.

I did all this on the old D3 but ended up with wires everywhere and think there has to be a better, neater way on the new D4.:cool:

There is also the issue of whether to power from the main or aux batteries or from an ignition source.

[Tombie]

Llams is self powered
Redarc should be wired direct for safety
Tpms should be switched (use aux socket as pick up)
UHF depending on your preference would be the only one to consider - I would go direct to main battery to reduce noise.

[rufusking]

The drivers side accessory socket (Cigar lighter) is a good accessory feed. The passenger side is separately fused but also feeds the rear of the centre console and the outlet in the cargo area.

[AnD3rew]

An experienced 4wder advised me to ensure the UHF is powered directly and not through ignition for two reasons.
- if you are at a campsite and expecting friends to join you you can leave the ignition off and the UHF on to hear approaching friends and guide them in to you.
- if you are the driver and have the keys in your pocket and fall off a cliff it allows your passengers to get on the radio and call for help even if hey don't have the keys.

I took his advice and while (knock on wood) I haven't needed it for the second reason, I often use it for the first reason.

[scarry]

An experienced 4wder advised me to ensure the UHF is powered directly and not through ignition for two reasons.
- if you are at a campsite and expecting friends to join you you can leave the ignition off and the UHF on to hear approaching friends and guide them in to you.
- if you are the driver and have the keys in your pocket and fall off a cliff it allows your passengers to get on the radio and call for help even if hey don't have the keys.

I took his advice and while (knock on wood) I haven't needed it for the second reason, I often use it for the first reason.

And on a D4,there is no accessories setting for the ignition.

Which at times can be a PITA.

[apom]

And on a D4,there is no accessories setting for the ignition.

Which at times can be a PITA.

Isn't pushing the start button without touching the brake the same as accessories?

[Meken]

No that gets you ignition on - all the dash is lit up

[LandyAndy]

Even so,its pretty limited how long the ECU will let you use the acc function.The D4 is pretty power hungry it will either time you out or shut you down due to low power stored.
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

You can also press the wireless button and get the juke box happening after pressing the stop button,but it is timed and power available controled by the ECU.
Andrew

[rufusking]

The "Power Saver" relays (R1 and R3 behind the glovebox) that control the console outlets can be easily bridged with a fused jumper with spade connectors on each end. There is a thread on this way back somewhere. This will give you direct battery feed but run the risk of drawing down the battery if the devices are left on.

[BMKal]

I'm actually in the process of making up a power supply box to go under the dash to eliminate having multiple accessories plugged in via piggy-back plugs etc to the two cigarette lighter sockets. The gear is all on the table out on the back verandah.

I'm using a Narva fuse box, so all accessories will be individually fused. For power, I am running two wires from the Traxide cable which runs behind the drivers side kick panel - one of these cables will feed three or four fuses so that I have constant power supply for accessories which need it (such as phone cradle & dash camera). The other cable will run via a relay to the remaining fuses so that, even though the power is coming from the auxiliary battery, it is switched off when the ignition is turned off. The relay will be "switched" from an existing ignition controlled power source (I've read that there's one easily accessible in the back of the headlight switch panel). The "switched" power supply / fuses will supply things like sat-nav / TPMS and radar detector so that I don't have to turn them off every time I get out of the car.

My UHF radio already has a direct supply from the main cranking battery, so no need to touch this.

Pretty easy to make up yourself - for me it's just been a matter of making the time to do it in between other jobs. The gear for this has all been on the table outside for a couple of weeks now .................. :(

[scarry]

I started something similar to what BMKal is doing.
i ran mine from one of the two Merrit plugs i have in the rear of the vehicle,that are wired into the auxiliary battery,part of the traxide set up.

I didn't get it completely finished,apart from a connection for the hand held spotlight.

[Tombie]

Or you can grab this... Not cheap but easy!

http://fuzeblocks.com/index.php?pid=10


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/258.jpg

[haydent]

An experienced 4wder advised me to ensure the UHF is powered directly and not through ignition for two reasons.
- if you are at a campsite and expecting friends to join you you can leave the ignition off and the UHF on to hear approaching friends and guide them in to you.
- if you are the driver and have the keys in your pocket and fall off a cliff it allows your passengers to get on the radio and call for help even if hey don't have the keys.

I took his advice and while (knock on wood) I haven't needed it for the second reason, I often use it for the first reason.

the flip side of this is that if you manually have to turn your radio on/off every time you drive the car you end up leaving it off plenty of times and potentially miss things, so i wire to acc, the noise thing is a furphy with modern uhf, maybe in the 27mhz am cb days...

[haydent]

I generally like to use one of these on the cigarette lighter fuse
188295

[Tombie]

the flip side of this is that if you manually have to turn your radio on/off every time you drive the car you end up leaving it off plenty of times and potentially miss things, so i wire to acc, the noise thing is a furphy with modern uhf, maybe in the 27mhz am cb days...

Whilst the NR on modern UHFs is very good as noted, using direct to battery connection provides a fantastic filter which reduces the induced noise and improves performance.

This line noise can be notably measured using an oscilloscope when using alternative feed sources. Especially in electronically controlled engines which produce significant RF when running.

And I wouldn’t worry about leaving a UHF on, they draw minuscule amounts on standby. The UHFs (2) are both on 24/7 in my D4 - I can’t be bothered turning them off.

[DieselLSE]

The UHFs (2) are both on 24/7 in my D4
Do you have conversations with yourself?

[RANDLOVER]

Do you have conversations with yourself?

Good to have one UHF for monitoring/scanning channels and one to talk on, or in Tombie's case an extra one to get passengers involved in sing-a-longs, especially duets. [bigrolf]

[Tombie]

Both are commercial units, programmed with the usual 80 plus a plethora of registered channels.

I can actively use both in that capacity.

On long trips, one is on the talk channel the other is scanning and monitoring.

We use the Commercial handhelds for the singalongs

[DieselLSE]

Both are commercial units, programmed with the usual 80 plus a plethora of registered channels.

I can actively use both in that capacity.

On long trips, one is on the talk channel the other is scanning and monitoring.

We use the Commercial handhelds for the singalongs
I've never been into CB stuff as I usually travel with just one vehicle, so I've just carried GME 5W handhelds. But after the Simpson trip I can see the advantage of a vehicle mounted unit and I will get one for my next trip later this year. But I thought there was a way to scan all channels but only talk on one. Do I really need to install two units?

[Tombie]

I've never been into CB stuff as I usually travel with just one vehicle, so I've just carried GME 5W handhelds. But after the Simpson trip I can see the advantage of a vehicle mounted unit and I will get one for my next trip later this year. But I thought there was a way to scan all channels but only talk on one. Do I really need to install two units?

You are correct. You can have a talk priority and scan.

I have 2 doing that... on the road I have my chat channel (dedicated so i never miss anything)
Second unit is monitoring 40 (or other) and scanning.

Or the second unit is on work channels

[DieselLSE]

dedicated so i never miss anything
What is it that you would miss? I only ever hear inane chatter, often with atrocious language or work chatter often with atrocious language! Some people seem incapable of communicating without ****** every second word in a forlorn attempt to add emphasis where it is never needed.
Monitoring 40 makes sense. In the outback, monitoring the designated comms channel makes sense as it alerts you to approaching convoys. Ditto with certain roads in the Vic Alps where it is wise to alert any oncoming logging trucks of your position every km. But other than that, I'd prefer the silence.

[DiscoJeffster]

But other than that, I'd prefer the silence.

Ditto. Rarely turn mine on these days. Don’t tend to travel with others and like you say, the endless filth isn’t a good reason to interrupt the tunes. I only got one as it was a prerequisite to staying at one particular station for emergency use.

[scarry]

Ditto. Rarely turn mine on these days. Don’t tend to travel with others and like you say, the endless filth isn’t a good reason to interrupt the tunes. I only got one as it was a prerequisite to staying at one particular station for emergency use.

Same here,haven't even bothered to fit one in our latest vehicle.

We have a set of 5W hand helds,use them when needed and much more versatile than a vehicle mounted unit.

But for those that need an in vehicle unit for work i can see how they are a lot more convenient than hand helds.

[loanrangie]

Same here,haven't even bothered to fit one in our latest vehicle.

We have a set of 5W hand helds,use them when needed and much more versatile than a vehicle mounted unit.

But for those that need an in vehicle unit for work i can see how they are a lot more convenient than hand helds.


I have a vehicle mounted GME and a little uniden hand held which is handy for use out of the vehicle.

[RANDLOVER]

What is it that you would miss? I only ever hear inane chatter, often with atrocious language or work chatter often with atrocious language! Some people seem incapable of communicating without ****** every second word in a forlorn attempt to add emphasis where it is never needed.
Monitoring 40 makes sense. In the outback, monitoring the designated comms channel makes sense as it alerts you to approaching convoys. Ditto with certain roads in the Vic Alps where it is wise to alert any oncoming logging trucks of your position every km. But other than that, I'd prefer the silence.

Mine has been useful for mobile speed camera locations, and the scanning is quite slow especially now with 80 channels to get through, the truckies are pretty quick with a warning and will just say something very short like "Flash for cash, Mains road after the BP outbound", so easy for scanning to miss most or all of the transmission. I also use it to warn traffic of an ambulance or fire truck coming through.