Finding accessory power in engine bay

Rush4th

Hi everybody!

I just received my fog lights and will be installing them tomorrow. I didn't opt in for the aux switches so I bought a seitch panel that's mount in the accessory mount on the dash, but not wired yet.

Everything seems simple, except the switch panel needs an accessory power which I was planning to mount on the fuse box.

Before I get into this tomorrow, I just want to see where would be a good spot to tap into accessory power.

Do be honest, I haven't looked yet, but I just want to make sure I don't need to run another wire through the cab or take the whole dash apart.

The fuse panel is under the steering wheel. Just pull down from the top edge forward toward the drivers seat and there is a hinge on the bottom that allows the panel to fold forward into the footwell. There are a few unused fuses that have switched power - I used #35 and inserted a Micro 2 Tap-a-Fuse to access switched power. If you want battery power use #4

Good luck with your project tomorrow and be sure to post up some pics of your handiwork.

I might go that route. I just received my fog light kit from mandrautomotive. Best kit I've seen!

I gotta see what amp I need for the auxbeam switch panel relay box, since I didn't get the aux switches. But now I have 6 switches and a sunglass holder lol.

I'll post pics once it's done. Hopefully tomorrow if it doesn't rain too hard.

Rush4th

I might go that route. I just received my fog light kit from mandrautomotive. Best kit I've seen!

I gotta see what amp I need for the auxbeam switch panel relay box, since I didn't get the aux switches. But now I have 6 switches and a sunglass holder lol.

I'll post pics once it's done. Hopefully tomorrow if it doesn't rain too hard.

I believe that the Auxbeam switch panel needs to be wired directly to the battery in order to then provide power distribution to the switches on its panel. However, the single switched power power fuse connection is utilized to energize the relay in the panel that then feeds the battery power for the individual circuits.

The last time I hooked up a switch panel it didn't have the small power wire. This one has a power wire to the battery, a tiny power wire and a ground coming from the box it came with.

Energize the relay? So I can just hook that up to the battery too? I might have been spending too much time with the sound system and I'm confusing myself lol.

Rush4th

The last time I hooked up a switch panel it didn't have the small power wire. This one has a power wire to the battery, a tiny power wire and a ground coming from the box it came with.

Energize the relay? So I can just hook that up to the battery too? I might have been spending too much time with the sound system and I'm confusing myself lol.

- the small wire provides switched power which in turn energizes a relay within the panel which then provides battery power to the individual circuits that are the switches on the panel.

- if you connect the small wire directly to the battery you defeat the functionality of having the switches only on when the vehicle is on

It is set up like this so the circuits aren’t powered on all the time from the battery. The small wire simply provides a power trigger.

If this doesn’t make sense or you need more assistance, post a pic or model # so I can take a look & provide the proper assistance but based on your last post I believe this is how your switch panel works.

No it makes sense now. Sorry took a minute.
But do you know if there's a spot I can tap into in the fuse under the hood? (My fuse buddy is coming in tonight and wanna get it done before it rains)

Since the relay box is going to be mounted either on top or around that fuse box, I'd like to keep it all under the hood.

Are the aux switch fuse locations accessory or can you turn them on without the car being on? Any other suggestions?

And for such a small wire, how many amps are too much for a fuse?
QPAB006237 is the part#.

Rush4th

No it makes sense now. Sorry took a minute.
But do you know if there's a spot I can tap into in the fuse under the hood? (My fuse buddy is coming in tonight and wanna get it done before it rains)

Since the relay box is going to be mounted either on top or around that fuse box, I'd like to keep it all under the hood.

Are the aux switch fuse locations accessory or can you turn them on without the car being on? Any other suggestions?

And for such a small wire, how many amps are too much for a fuse?
QPAB006237 is the part#.

I don’t know if there is a switched fuse under the hood - I haven’t needed it because I have the Aux switches. You will need to run a wire through the firewall regardless of where you mount the control box or how you wire up the unit.

if you mount the control box to sit in the engine bay, you will need to run the control wire harness for the switches into the cabin.

if you mount the control box in the cabin (under the dash) you will need to run the large (+) battery cable to the engine bay to connect to the battery.

Remember, the small wire is just a trigger for the internal relay of the unit which then connects the battery power for the 6 switches. The little wire just turns it on so the battery power can be utilized through the 6 circuits.

Wire size (and type - copper v aluminum) determines the amount of amperage a wire can carry.

Good luck with your project. I looked up the model # and if you follow the directions you should be fine. Here’s a simplified graphic:

Sorry I'm not good explaining myself. I've ran the cable to the switch through the grommet, I was wanted to know if I didn't have to run the small wire as well.

The box doesn't fit on the fuse box without hitting the bottom of the hood, so now I have to find a good spot for it.

I got to the cabin fuse box, but I don't have a micro tap, just a mini, which was another issue I ran into. All of the broncos fuses are micro.

But seriously, thank you for your help. I'm in Norco CA. Come get a beer, I owe you a few.

So just hooked everything up, had to wait for some electrical pieces. Best fog/spot lights! Shout out to mandrautomotive and to Bschurr for the assist! Fuse 35 worked great!

Had to wire the auxbeam up cuz I wanted a sunglass holder lol.

Rush4th

So just hooked everything up, had to wait for some electrical pieces. Best fog/spot lights! Shout out to mandrautomotive and to Bschurr for the assist! Fuse 35 worked great! View attachment 31108

Had to wire the auxbeam up cuz I wanted a sunglass holder lol.

View attachment 31110

So you just ran the accessory wire in the cabin and tapped #35 under the dash? What fuse/fuses did you put in the tap?

I ran a wire through the speaker grill with a gromet and hooked up up the switch to the accessory rail from archetype to mount the switch. Then I ran that wire through the firewall above the dead pedal.

It was a micro fuse tap with a 5 amp. I bought the variety pack on Amazon, cuz I'm not an electrical guy what so ever.. but I took out the 5amp out of #35 and put the tap in with another 5 amp. Just powering the switch I was told 5 amp wouldn't blow. It's been working great for about a month now without an issues.

My Base 2021 Bronco does not seem to have a fuse panel door under the steering wheel. I wonder if the Base is somehow designed differently(?)

I have a basesquatch, its there. You have to lower the entire plastic under the steering wheel. There is a hinge on the bottom.

Carefully grab and pull towards the seat right under the steering wheel. I broke a few of the green clips which I bought a pack from the dealer to replace. I don't remember how much they were, but it was the cheapest ford bill I've ever had lol.

Ah yes, that worked opening the panel under the steering wheel. Thanks. Going back to the fuse topic, I have a 5 amp in the 35 micro slot as you did. I had to buy an external six auxiliary switch panel which I will mount in the console. I have a pair of Rigid round lights (4") near the mirrors, a pair of Rigid cube lights in the bumper, a 30" Rigid bar light in the bumper, and finally a triple Raptor grill light set in the grill. All of those lights will be powered out of the aux panel box which has a single red power wire input. (it is not a relayed box with a separate power line). In your opinion, will I need to upgrade that 5 amp fuse?

glennmann

Ah yes, that worked opening the panel under the steering wheel. Thanks. Going back to the fuse topic, I have a 5 amp in the 35 micro slot as you did. I had to buy an external six auxiliary switch panel which I will mount in the console. I have a pair of Rigid round lights (4") near the mirrors, a pair of Rigid cube lights in the bumper, a 30" Rigid bar light in the bumper, and finally a triple Raptor grill light set in the grill. All of those lights will be powered out of the aux panel box which has a single red power wire input. (it is not a relayed box with a separate power line). In your opinion, will I need to upgrade that 5 amp fuse?

That 5 amp fuse simply energizes the external panel which in turn picks up battery power (that large red wire) to energize the on-board relays and fuses in your external panel which in turn feed the individual circuits that you specify above.

Tl;dr - the 5 amp fuse should be fine!

In my case, the aux panel does not have a large and small red wire (i.e. no on-board relay). No matter, I can work with what I have. However, separately, I inserted the micro tap a fuse into #35 and turned on the ACC and there is no power. I flipped the tap a fuse, put it into other slots, nothing. I wonder what the problem is. The tap a fuse has a double fuse receptacle (it has slots for two fuses). That makes no sense but I haven't tried to insert two fuses yet. I'm sure these little things are made in china and someone probably got the design wrong. My next step is to put a multimeter on the Bronco contacts to see if there is no power there.

glennmann

In my case, the aux panel does not have a large and small red wire (i.e. no on-board relay). No matter, I can work with what I have. However, separately, I inserted the micro tap a fuse into #35 and turned on the ACC and there is no power. I flipped the tap a fuse, put it into other slots, nothing. I wonder what the problem is. The tap a fuse has a double fuse receptacle (it has slots for two fuses). That makes no sense but I haven't tried to insert two fuses yet. I'm sure these little things are made in china and someone probably got the design wrong. My next step is to put a multimeter on the Bronco contacts to see if there is no power there.

You need to insert 2 fuses - 1 is for the actual circuit that the tap-a-fuse is inserted into and the 2nd is for the load that you are controlling from the tap-a-fuse…

You need both to complete the circuit. I used another 5 amp cuz that what the auxbeam said to use.

Every electrical accessory has a recommended fuse size. I'd tap into the same size accessory fuse that your switch recommends.

But you'll still need 2.

Think of it this way , the red ACC wire for the Auxbeam distribution box functions kind of like a blue remote wire on an amplifier for stereos , its a trigger to energize the circuit board to cut on and be functional. Like an On Off switch.