Doh, I'm a little slow. That makes sense.

Okay, then so whats the difference if you run it directly to the battery wouldn't you still have the same problem?


-Steve did you like my idea of using a coat hanger for an antenna since you've broken your third one.

 

Well... I was driving up a wash at night while typing. Thus the slower keystrokes.

Which E-Mail... did I miss something? Heck... did I win something!!!!

No difference. Either from the battery or fuse box you'll be responsible for turning it off when you are done. I guess you could get tricky and try and tie added accessories to your OEM "ACC" position... but you'll have to really start watching your wire gauges and OEM fuses.

Coat hanger might not be such a bad idea. This last one I snapped of the brass stud on a tree branch I was going under at about 30. The Firestick slapped once and then ejected. I had to walk back and get it.

 

Um, I'll pass on that one. me no taht samrt wehn it cmeos 2 wiinrg.

 

Best to just wire it all hot and not forget to shut it off.

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...ion=Fuse+Block

Thats what I have and its worked very nice for the cost. I think it was only 10 bucks in the store.

I have it wired directly from the battery + with 8 gauge wire and a wirenut on the end to protect that exposed bolt. The way i wired it is incase it ever overloads there is a 30amp circuit breaker inline with the power wire, this way if it ever overloads it just shuts everything off. Its a very HD circuit breaker btw, screw end type.

All the stuff is wired to it and its held up really well and everything is wired directly, no relays, i use fuses in the block. The wires for the switches run out the little grommet int he firewall where the fusepanel is.

Alternatively they make little add a fuse kits you canuse where you wire intot hat, or you can wire into an empty fuseslot (that has power) and ground it, or buy these little metal tabs they sell for adding into the fuseblock. My friends cb we did this way to come on with ACC, just take a testlight and figure out what comes on with a 10amp fuse when acc is on..

However I still prefer wiring directly to the block, mineis mounted on the firewall near the master cylinder. I have my CB, and 2 sets of lights on it with no issues. If I can do it, so can you. I used to be a novice at wiring when I did mine, all I used was a testlight, multimeter and some basic tools and I was done.

 

For now I'm going to direct wire it to the battery (I'll get a panel down the line) but what all do I need to do so. Connectors? (I'm going to get some 10 gauge wire if I need to extend it). Stupid questions but I know that ground needs to be in contact with bare metal but will I need to extend it as well if I extend the hot wire (will it take the same guage wire)?

Someone will be helping me with this don't worry. I'm just a little stupid when it comes to wiring.

 

There are a lot of different ways to add wires to your battery. Audio companies sell some nice terminals with multiple ports. Might be the best way to go.

I am no expert on this, but I know a ground is a ground for the most part except when concerning certain types of audio equipment. If not done right, you can get some weird feedback or "ground loops" as they are called.

If you hook it all up and have trouble transmitting or getting static, you may want to re-evaluate the ground point you have chosen.

Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

Thanks, Steve.

I ended up exchanging the wally world special for a cobra 18wxst 2 from the local truck stop. It should fit in right under my cd player. Hopefully, tomorrow night I'll be and running.

 

Yes that will fit under the cd player, I have the same cb mounted there.

you don't need 10 gauge for the cb alone, just at least match the existing power wire, probably 14 or 16. 10 won't hurt, its just overkill. you can get battery ground lugs at Lowes too, I just saw a bunch while looking for some other hardware... they're in the hardware bins. For the ground, the important thing is to have a good connection. the 12 volt.com has tons of wiring info, click around there for awhile. Here is a ground article:http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...TID~49445~PN~1

 

I need to look but I think i can run the ground where Steve S. wire it to when he installed my locker and lights.

 

Got it installed tonight with help from one the guys from the yuma4wheelers. The antenna connection in the back is a little too long so it doesn't sit flush. So it's about 1/2" out from my radio at the most. We ran the antenna cable up the A-pillar and cut the door seal a little bit to get the wire past.

Other than that I'm happy with it. Just got to make sure to turn it off since we wired directly to the battery.

 

FWIW:

I grounded mine to a nice piece of metal in the dash behind the radio and its worked fine every since. I do get a slight bit of feedback from the engine at high rev with squelch turned down tho.. Not a big deal, i dont leave it that low..

 

Looks good...

Radio Shack sells 90 degree elbows for the antenna wire. Maybe that will get you the clearance you need?

 

Got to try out the CB yesterday and it works fine. Just need to turn it correctly do to it interfering with my door locks and windows. Depending how I adjusted the sqeluch my door locks and windows sounded funny.