I got an idea...

[Drastic]

I'm thinking about making a switch board for all my lights and etc. that'll fit inside my arm rest. Not all the way down in the bottom but just at the top of the opening. Each switch would have a little light next to it so you know if its on or not. I'm sure it would be easy but does anyone have any ideas on how to run the wires out so that it doesn't look messy. I was thinking that maybe I could drill a hole through the side so that the wires come through between the side of the arm rest and the seat, and then put some tubing/wire cover or something over the wires and run it under the seat, under the carpet, and back under the dash through the firehole and to the battery. Or is there another power source I could tap into. I've been tapping into my fuse box in the dash but I don't want to have to many wires going there.

What do you guys think?

[GOOSEY2099]

Open the center console, pickup the rubber insert on the bottom, take out the 2 bolts. As i remember that will allow you to remove the whole console. Then you can run wires anywhere you want to. There may also be 2 more screws under the shifter trim piece. What kind of light do you have anyway? and where are they located.

[Drastic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GOOSEY2099)</div><div class='quotemain'>Open the center console, pickup the rubber insert on the bottom, take out the 2 bolts. As i remember that will allow you to remove the whole console. Then you can run wires anywhere you want to. There may also be 2 more screws under the shifter trim piece. What kind of light do you have anyway? and where are they located.</div>

Thankx I had no idea I could do that. You saved me ALOT of trouble. I only have a have a few lights right now: Blue Strobe Lights, Blue Washer Lights, Multi Color Underbody kit but I haven't put them on yet. That's all I have right now but after I put this board to gether I'll start getting alot more. I just didn't want to have wires running to this and that for a power source.

By the way what could I tap into for a power source besides the fuse box and straight to the battery? I've seen some people talking about tapping into the cigarette lighter for power. Would I have to take all that panel around it off to get to it?

[pinoyesv6]

i'd go straight to the battery to get the power.

i have a 10 gauge power wire. from the battery. put in an inline fuse like 10 inches from the battery. ran the power through the firewall. ran that across the dash and then down the center console.

tapping for power at the fuse box and tapping at the cigarette lighter is to me, pretty much the same thing since the lighter is hooked up to the fuse box. i messed a few things up when i hooked up 2 neon bars, and like a couple sets of led lights to my fuse box. thats why i went to the battery for power.

if you want, you can hook that circuit up to a relay and have that connected to the fuse box or the lighter so that your circuit will only turn on when the car is on. there were a few times before, when i accidentally left my mights on. since without that relay, everything was getting constant power. luckily it just a pair of led's and they hardly draw and power at all so i was ok.

[Stewi]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GOOSEY2099)</div><div class='quotemain'>Open the center console, pickup the rubber insert on the bottom, take out the 2 bolts. As i remember that will allow you to remove the whole console. Then you can run wires anywhere you want to. There may also be 2 more screws under the shifter trim piece. What kind of light do you have anyway? and where are they located.</div>

There are actually 2 screws under the black rubber piece inside the armrest, once you lift the armrest out there is a metal bracket that has 2 screws. There are 2 screws under the shifter cover plate, and there are 2 screws behind the ash tray. Before you try ripping the console out make sure you remove all the screws, then you can run the wiring right under the flaps on the side of hte center console.

[Drastic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>i have a 10 gauge power wire. from the battery. put in an inline fuse like 10 inches from the battery. ran the power through the firewall. ran that across the dash and then down the center console. Â*
</div>

You mean like when running a guage wire to power an amp? Would I run the wire down the center console and into a battery power input on the switch board and should I ground it too?

[Cali]

the best way to tap into power is directly from the the ignition harness.

there are two wires you can tap into.

there's a wire (i'll post the actual color when i get home) that gives you a constant charge (just as if you tapped directly to the battery) so regardless if the car is on, you have power.

then there's the blue/white (or yellow, i'll double check) that has power only when your key is in the ignition, which is the safest way to tap into power so you dont drain your battery if you forget to switch something off.

that saves you the hassle of having to run a line through the firewall and the lines are safe, i believe at least a 10 gauge. of course, as with any other electronics, make sure you include a fuse of around 10-15.

[pinoyesv6]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Drastic)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>i have a 10 gauge power wire. from the battery. put in an inline fuse like 10 inches from the battery. ran the power through the firewall. ran that across the dash and then down the center console. Â*
</div>

You mean like when running a guage wire to power an amp? Would I run the wire down the center console and into a battery power input on the switch board and should I ground it too?</div>

yea. i have a hole in the firewall already for wires so i just ran it there. across that knee panel and down the center console. took out the armrest and the cupholder and thats where i did all my wiring. just make sure nothing gets in the way of the e-brake.

[seth98esT]

Make sure if you make a big hole in one of those rubber grommets that you cover it back up somehow. If you dont, cold air will shoot through and make your feet cold haha. My friend ran some wires through one of the rubber grommets in this firewall and left the hole open a bit and in the winter your feet will freeze off haha

[Drastic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cali)</div><div class='quotemain'>the best way to tap into power is directly from the the ignition harness.

there are two wires you can tap into.

there's a wire (i'll post the actual color when i get home) that gives you a constant charge (just as if you tapped directly to the battery) so regardless if the car is on, you have power.

then there's the blue/white (or yellow, i'll double check) that has power only when your key is in the ignition, which is the safest way to tap into power so you dont drain your battery if you forget to switch something off.

that saves you the hassle of having to run a line through the firewall and the lines are safe, i believe at least a 10 gauge. of course, as with any other electronics, make sure you include a fuse of around 10-15.</div>

If it's not too much of an inconveniense, could you post pics. And I'm still a little lost on exactly how to include a fuse.

[Cali]

i'll do that later i gotta run to school for now.

[Drastic]

I'd still like those pics if you have some.