Battery and Firewall pictures

Status
Not open for further replies.

Julian1

Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2002
Messages
909
Location
Birmingham, AL
Mobile Scanner Power Sourcing

With all due respect to those who hardwire to the battery for powering their scanners...

Why would I want to punch through a firewall to connect a scanner? A two way radio, sure, but a scanner? If I am way off base, please advise what I'm missing.

I have been very successful in stripping insulation back on the red-positive wire and tucking the bare copper neatly into the fuse of my cig-lighter. The fuse has the amps for my scanner. The red-postive wire leading to the scanner has its own fuse too.

I ground to a metal surface beneath any bolt that I can get to easily w/ a socket wrench.

I have done this in three vehicles w/ Uniden 780 or 785, and both with powered amplified speakers. One a Rad Shack amped speaker, the other from G.E.

Only problem on a Ford Taurs was alternator whine that a Rad Shack "choke" could not eliminate.

If I've been overlooking something all this time, please advise.

Thanks to all who've posted pics. I look forward to doing the same once I mount into the new car. SMC mounts has my hardware en route for mounting over the console of a Ford Fusion. Using one of their computer stand mounts.

Best Regards,
Julian
 

2112

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Messages
354
Location
OK
Julian1 said:
Why would I want to punch through a firewall to connect a scanner?

2112 said:
7. Don't tap the vehicle's fuse block for anything with a current pull greater than about 0.5 amp. Some cars can be finicky even about this kind of pull from the fuse block.

Run-of-the-mill scanners generally pull around 0.5 A. Some of the more full-featured models may pull more (up to 1.0 A?). I'd imagine that most cars can handle even this through the fuse block. However, as cars become more power-efficient, include more electronics accessories, and increase computer control, it is easier to find models that are finicky about even small additional amounts being pulled through the fuse block. Personally, I don't like to take anymore expensive chances than I have to.

Cig lighter plugs work for many people. For others, they don't. I don't use them. I use hard-wired connections, as this is what I personally consider "doing it right". I don't like driving about worrying about whether or not my scanner will work.

In the end, you have to be happy with your installation. Each thing you do during the installation process is a trade off. Connection to the battery = more work, but you get a more reliable connection, etc. It's up to you to decide the where the balance is for you.
 

Signal3and2

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
96
Location
Iowa
I'll see if I can't get some pictures soon, but here's how my exploder is wired up.
I have an Optima Red Top battery, and the factory hot wire connects to the top post. The battery also has side terminals, so I ran my main 5g power wire from that side post. about a foot later, there is a 100A fuse which is mainly just incase the main power wire shorts out somewhere before it runs through the firewall. I ran the 5g wire through the firewall by using the steering column grommet, poking a screw driver through, taping the wire to the screw driver and pulling it back through. The grommet hugs the wire. Then under the dash, the 5g runs into a distrubution block where it splits into two 8g wires. one runs back to the subwoofer, the other runs over to my console. it then runs into fuse block, where I have 4 seperate fuses. 1 fuse runs 800mhz way and 2096, 1 fuse runs v8000 and 2066, 1 fuse runs all my warning lights, and the other fuse is for the siren functions. (siren functions are disabled via direct ground where their normally would be a park-kill module, i use the speaker for radio rebroadcasting through the siren unit). All grounds run about 1.5 feet to under the dash and are bolted to some metal brackets that the factory center console used to bolt to.

I'm also going to agree with 2112 on this one on hardwiring versus cigar plugs. I've done some VERY shoddy installations (ie; wires hanging everywhere, magnets, velcro) in my personal vehicles in the past, but with each new vehicle I gained confidence and knowledge on what NOT to do with the next one. I think I finally figured out how do to things cleanly and safely, without having temporary wires running all over the place because they look horrible and are a safety hazzard in my opinion. Good luck!
 
Last edited:

wogggieee

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 30, 2005
Messages
1,385
Location
Hugo , MN
SLWilson said:
Better LATE than never.....Anyway, We used an existing Gromet and went through the firewall with power and coax wires. We DIDN'T hook anything directly to the battery. GM provides a HOT connection point to use for jump starting their Tahoe's so I figure all the other Tahoe type trucks are the same. Photo of that & an L-bracket mounted antenna. The vehicle is a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe Z-71...See Below. Steve
Could you possibly email me larger copies of those pictures, its kind of hard to see whats what in the smaller ones. Thanks.
 

SLWilson

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
1,221
Location
Ohio
Larger Pictures

wogggieee said:
Could you possibly email me larger copies of those pictures, its kind of hard to see whats what in the smaller ones. Thanks.
They're on the way. Let me know if you get them OK....Steve
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top