Powering CB

[KK4SYW]

I have a mobile CB radio I want to install in my car. I know I can buy a cigarette lighter adapter and plug it directly in the cigarette lighter for power, but I would rather not do that. I also know that I can wire the radio directly to the battery, but I am afraid I will forget to turn the radio off and run the battery down. I don't know much about connecting the radio to my car's fuse box, but I think this is the way I want to go about powering it. Could someone please explain to me how to properly connect the CB to the fuse box of a car and how to properly ground it. Thanks.

 

[bob-the-scanner-man]

It's not hard at all to run directly to the fuse panel. I have a dashboard camera in my car wired up in that fashion.

What you need is something called a fuse panel tap. Pull a fuse from the panel(preferably something that is ~10 amps), plug in the fuse tap, and then you'll have 2 fuse ports. Add the fuse you pulled out to the first slot, and then add a fuse for your radio to the second slot. The wire coming from the fuse tap is where you attach your positive wire. Then just attach the ground wire from your radio to the metal chassis of the car.
Here's a pic of a fuse tap:
Fuse Tap

The fuse you use needs to control a circuit that is off when the car is off, since you're worried about the radio running the battery down. Usually this will be the fuse for the power windows, locks, or the car's stereo. Just use your car's manual to find which fuse is which.

I will say that you shouldn't be too worried about running the battery down. I have a 2m Azden installed in my car and wired directly to the battery. I've been in a hurry before and left it on over night. The next morning the car started with no problems at all. Most radios have very low current draw when they are just sitting there, turned on, and receiving. Transmit is what really runs the battery down but if you just forget to turn the radio off it usually takes a wile for it to run the battery down.

For radios, especially CB's, it's always a good idea to go straight to the battery. Among other reasons, it helps cut down on interference from other electronics/circuits in the car.

 

[KK4SYW]

ok. Thanks for the help. I may just go ahead and connect it directly to the battery.

 

[bob-the-scanner-man]

You're welcome.

If you have the means of connecting directly to the battery then that's what I would do. If you accidentally left the radio on overnight it shouldn't run the battery down. Just make a habit of checking to be sure the radio is off before you get out of the car.

Another good thing about wiring directly to the battery is that you can use your radio even if you don't have the car keys with you or the car started. If you just want to run outside and use the radio in the car you can do it without having to start the car or anything, so that's nice.

Good luck with it!

 

[LtDoc]

Most of the newer cars have an ignition activated set of fuses, those devices only come on when the ignition is on. Finding one of those fuses and tapping it would be one way of doing it.
Having 'been there' before, once you've run the battery down by leaving something on, it's not as hard to remember after that. I really don't recommend that method of learning/remembering, but...
- 'Doc

 

[prerunner1982]

What kind of radio are you going to run? All the Cobra 19 radios I have will revert back to channel 1 or channel 9 if they are wired through an ignition switched power source (either through fuse block or cig lighter). If you don't plan on using the CB very much then this isn't an issue, however if you will have it on daily you will get tired of changing the channel every time you get back in the vehicle.

 

[KK4SYW]

What kind of radio are you going to run? All the Cobra 19 radios I have will revert back to channel 1 or channel 9 if they are wired through an ignition switched power source (either through fuse block or cig lighter). If you don't plan on using the CB very much then this isn't an issue, however if you will have it on daily you will get tired of changing the channel every time you get back in the vehicle.

I am going to be using an older Skyfon radio (23 channels). It doesn't have a digital channel display (it is a dial for channel selection) so I won't have a problem with the radio going back to channel 1 or 9. Thanks for your post.