Scottiac

(If these questions are stupid, please bear in mind that I was completely car-illiterate before yotatech, and all I know comes from this board! )

After looking through Corey and Bob's excellent writeups on installing an auxiliary fuse box to drive new toys, I decided to put one in when I put my CB in. Their applications both had a continuously "hot" fuse box (not ignition/accessory controlled).

I currently have two toys I want to power; a CB (which can be turned off, so it doesn't matter), and one of them little compass/temperature/whatever doo-dads (which can't). And more to follow, I'm sure. At the very least a few more 12v outlets.

So I tore into the dash this weekend to see what I was getting in to. (I love taking things apart, especially when Bob gives such good writeups on putting it back together! )

So after tearing and thinking, and thinking and tearing, I came to the following conslusions.

1. Bob is right; a new hole in the firewall definitely looks to be the way to go.

2. I ordered my CB cable with already terminated ends. Those PL-29 terminations are fairly chunky. I'm going to have to put a pretty good sized hole in place to route that as it is. (a little greater than 1/2", I think; didn't have my calipers with me). Anyone have a suggestion as to a tool to put about a 3/4" hole in metal? Just get a big ole' drill bit? (someone posted a cool "tree-looking" drill bit for progressively larger holes a couple days ago.. gotta go find that post!) I assume I can find gaskets to fit pretty much any standard size. Where do you get those? auto parts, or hardware store? Or should I just pitch the cable (save it for a rainy day, whatever) and get one without the ends already attached?

3. The wiring under the dash is no fricking picnic to splice in to. (Well, probably easy enough, but it's kinda a mess under there)

4. I think I'd ideally like two aux fuse boxes, one that is continuously hot, and one that is at "accessory" level. In generic terms, I think that'd involve running some 4awg with a 125A fuse from the battery to the "hot" box, and to a relay (controlled by an accessory wire???) that fed to the second aux fuse box.

I admit the reason for the attractiveness of the aux fuse box is the degree of confusion in the dash wiring. My cowardly streak said not to even mess with it. I could technically wire both devices to some accessory wire already in place; the aux fuse box just felt more correct somehow.

So to actually ask the questions:

a) Am I being obsessive in wanting both a "always hot" and a "accessory" level fuse box. Does this even make sense?

b) Best tool for drilling a 3/4"-1" hole in the firewall? Where to get gasket/grommet thingies?

c) Should I just get a new cable w/ unattached ends and put them on myself?

d) How would I wire the "accessory" fuse box?

Thanks to all who advise and abuse!

Robinhood150

a) Sounds like a fine idea
b) and c) Use a hole saw, available at the hardware store. Gromets are also available at the hardware store. However, there are big gromets under the seats of my 2nd gen and I believe also in the 3rd gen. I just sliced a hole in one of those for the cb cable, including the plugs.

d) You're going to want to tap the ignition wire and wire it to a relay, which is in turn wired to your distribution box. Most common relays are only rated to 30 amps so you'll want to keep track of how much amperage all the stuff wired to the dist box uses.

partszar

here's what I think. My opinion of course.
I dont think your being obsessive with wanting both a always hot and accessory fuse box. The drill bit is commonly called a uni-bit, a hole saw is another option, get a bimetal hole saw it will work in both steel and wood if you get one. gasket/grommet thingies at the hardware store. If you drill a 3/4 inch hole in the firewall cable termination is a dead issue. Your idea about the relay to power the aux fuse box is how I would do it, just make sure to fuse the power side of the relay> I dont know what you will be runing off the always hot fuse box. But if it can draw 125 amps plus I'd wire it straight to the battery with a fuse. HTH