Need help powering GPS and CB in 05+ Tacoma

[gearbox]

I'm also asking on TTORA due to the higher traffic, but I know you guys are more capable of kindess


I can find common/ground/chassis on my own, but I need a constant and an accessory for my CB. How do I do that?

Also, how can I hook up 12v constant to my GPS? I'm going to order a bare power cable by Garmin.


Here's what the Cobra manual says about powering it:


Here's the fuse box spaghetti to the left of the steering column:









Here's the radio bay:






So what do I do? I have taps, spades, a wire stripper, and a bottle of bourbon.

[granitex1]

Personally I would run a aux fuse block, and pull the power to both from there. The nice thing about it is you can put it really anywhere you want to, you can wire it hot and have convient power to hook up something else in the future. I try not to touch the factory wiring unless I have no choice, even then I typically just use a tap a fuse to power a switch. Depending on the fuse you tap it can be hot or switched, some people like to put aux lighting on a switched loop so that they can not leave lights on. O have mine hot so that if I need lights I have them, I just have to remember to turn them off.

[spencyg]

If you have a multimeter (which you should with any electrical project), you could try to find the constant hot wire which goes to your radio and tap into that for BOTH +12V connections. If you tie into a switched 12V source like your directions suggest, than the truck will always have to be on for the GPS to work.....just like your radio. The only downside to having both the red and orange wire connected to the constant 12V source is the potential to leave the GPS on and drain the battery (over days). Regardless, your radio has both the constant and switched power going to it. Pull the radio and disconnect the plug in the wiring pigtail. Get out your multimeter and find a good ground on the frame to reference to. Then just start poking the + probe (red) into each of the pigtail pins (truck side, not radio side) until you get a 12V reading. There is your constant. Next, switch the truck key to "Acc" and do the same, noting which pin was constant before, and which ones weren't. Now just find a pin that is 12V when the key is switched to "ACC", and 0V when it isn't. There is your switched power. Use your wire taps on the wires corresponding to the pins you've discovered, and you're done. It isn't the easiest job in the world, but it isn't the hardest either.

If it was me, I'd personally wire in a remote accessory distribution block with its own circuit breakers like suggested above, but for what you need/want, it might be overkill. If you plan to continue adding electronics and other goodies, than I'd do the block now.

Spence

Spence

[Jacket]

Indeed, aux fuse block would be ideal, and usually those are set up for both constant power and ignition power taps, but....

Have you found the blank ignition-controlled power on the bank next to the steering column?



I just used a male spade connector into the fuse slot. Works good if you want the CB to turn off when the ignition is off. For the constant power, I'd run straight to the battery (through the drivers side grommet by the e-brake cable), which would be the cleanest source for your CB. Keep in mind you don't need that if you connect the ignition power - I think it just allows you to program stations and have memory when you stop/start the truck. The CB will run with just red/black hooked up, but every time you stop/start the truck, you'll have to change your channel back to where you were.

Another place to get accessory power is the cig lighter, but I think the existing blank in the fuse box is easier.

[crawler#976]

The rubber gasket that seals the main harness on the drivers side the firewall has an unused nipple directly below the main wire bundle. All you need to do is snip the end off, and you have a factory sealed pass thru to run an accessory power wire and ground off the battery into the cab.

Mark

[gearbox]

I would like to get an aux fuse box later down the road once I go to dual batteries and when I add an inverter. I'll need a lot more help at that time!


Here's what I have now. The connectors on the left is to wire to ground, the one on the right slips onto one in the middle which taps into an EXISTING fuse. Right?



Am I right to believe I can piggyback on a fuse that's already being used or should I pop a dummy fuse into an empty spot?



I can figure out which side of a fuse is hot, but that requires buttoning up the dash and a whole lot of trouble. Does anyone know right off the bat which side of which fuses I should hit? Thanks!

[spencyg]

Get out that multimeter and probe ground and each side of the fuse holder. The side you want to hit is the side that doesn't have voltage when the fuse is removed.....this way you get the protection of the fuse instead of going straight to the battery.

Spence

[gearbox]

Get out that multimeter and probe ground and each side of the fuse holder. The side you want to hit is the side that doesn't have voltage when the fuse is removed.....this way you get the protection of the fuse instead of going straight to the battery.

Spence

I'll keep that in mind for future additions, but this unit has inline fuses.