12V source...constant and switched?

[4speedfunk]

Does anyone know where to tap for electrical accessories on the H3?

I got a bunch of "blunts" under the hood, and also some under the dash...but little mention as to what is what. I'm wiring up my front E-locker, and soon I'll be adding a permanent CB. I tried searching for this but came up short. Also wouldn't mind knowing where to tap for the instrument panel lighting circuit. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[f5moab]

Under the hood, the battery is the best location using inline fuses. If a lot of taps are needed, get one of those marine sub fuse boxes that have the capability to add fuses directly into the box.

Under the dash, the accessory plug is a great place for a B+ circuit.

For IGN hot there is a brown wire to the back of the heater switch that is good for low current components.
(Gray Connector in rear of heater control; terminal K, brown wire.)

For high current components, the yellow wire to the power windows is great. (Located in the front kickpanels or for the rear windows under the sill panels. (Always go for the largest yellow wire if going under the sill panels; the skinny yellow wire is the SIR side impact sensors. Size in wire is very noticeable.)

If you are not going to tow anything, or even if you do, you can slice off the red wire that goes to the 4-wire bundle to the right of the steering column. This is a constant hot from the battery (fuse 83) for a brake controller.

 

[alrock]

For constant, I did what F5 just said (and Hunner also recommended): Blue Sea Systems fuse block. I have this directly under the hood with the hot wire running to the battery. http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...361752632&sr=8-2&keywords=blue+sea+fuse+block

I haven't bothered to have anything with ignition-on power source

 

[08H3]

Keep notes. The Jeep had a CB in it when I bought it. Since it will likely never leave the farm, I'll probably move it to the Hummer.

 

[06 H3]

4speedfunk asking questions!?!? Usually your answering them...Thats weird :wink:

 

[4speedfunk]

4speedfunk asking questions!?!?

Yeah yeah yeah...I get it. Good one 06!

I hate wiring. I understand it. I'm not really intimidated by it. I just hate lying on my back with my head twisted around trying to hook something up. For awhile I had Trailbreaker hangin around my shop. He was an electrician and for some bizzare reason...he just loved to fiddle with automotive wiring. His H3T was all decked-out with strobes, wig-wags, radios, air compressors, LED lights, switches, blah blah blah...pretty much a rolling testament to "accessory nerdom". I was really looking forward to handing him a pile of lights, radios, and my keys and saying..."Take all this stuff...get it done...see you in a week". Then he sold his Hummer and I lost-out on my electric guy! So...now I'm forced to do it all myself. Unlike mechanical mods...I'm totally not "into" wiring. I absolutely hate it.

Thanks F5...that sub fuse block idea is spot-on. Rather than tap into a bunch of existing wires, I like the idea of tapping directly off the main IGN source and routing a single 10ga. hot wire to a dedicated accessory block inside the truck, easily accessible, with clearly labeled circuits, with real spade connectors. That way I can add/remove stuff without all the fishing, splicing, stripping, circuit testing etc. I know GM is cutting costs...but damn. On a vehicle like the H3, its pretty much a given that outdoorsy types will be adding electric gadgets, and it sure would have been nice of them to give us a nice little sub-panel like this. They probably saved seventy-eight cents on the MSRP by leaving it out.

 

[f5moab]

One thing I always like about the H3 is it had just ONE fuse panel. My PU has two, so at times you might have to figure out which fuse panel is the fuse panel to go to for a fuse. Heck I had one vehicle with three fuse panels.
As for sub panels, not sure if I have ever had any vehicle with any sub panels that were designed for the owner. But as far as the H3 goes, remember, this is the vehicle that had the ****tiest battery cable terminals in the history of any vehicle made. :giggle: Tie strapping the bare wire from the cables to the battery terminals would have been better.:gaah: