Wiring a switch
OWNZ A P5
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 477
From: Ca
Electrons flow from the negative to the positive terminal on small batteries such as the one in your remote controls for your TV: AA, AAA, C, D. In a car the chassis is always the ground unless you're working on a big rig, where 12v is the ground.
Protege Newbie
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2
The reason the fuse is close to the battery on the positive lead has nothing to do with which way current flows, it is simply the fact that the chassis is ground on cars.
By having a one foot section of wire from the positive terminal to the fuse, that is the only section that could touch chassis ground and cause a catastrophic short (a short with no fuse to blow to stop it), on a high gauge wire this is not as big of a concern since the wire will more then likely melt and break before doing major damage, but still undesired. On a small gauge wire this could be very bad, since it is like dropping a wrench between the two terminals on the battery.
And by fusing the ground wire, all of the wire from the positive terminal to the device is capable of causing a catastrophic failure since if it does contact the chassis, it will take the path of least resistance and bypass the device and the fuse.
By having a one foot section of wire from the positive terminal to the fuse, that is the only section that could touch chassis ground and cause a catastrophic short (a short with no fuse to blow to stop it), on a high gauge wire this is not as big of a concern since the wire will more then likely melt and break before doing major damage, but still undesired. On a small gauge wire this could be very bad, since it is like dropping a wrench between the two terminals on the battery.
And by fusing the ground wire, all of the wire from the positive terminal to the device is capable of causing a catastrophic failure since if it does contact the chassis, it will take the path of least resistance and bypass the device and the fuse.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,016
From: Northern VA
My Opinion is to run a Powerwire from ur Cig Lighter. (rear of it) then spit the wire to how many ever switchs u want. This will shut off the lights when ur car is off...unless u want the lights to be on with no keys in it, run it to the battery.
Jus a lil input for ya. My Neons are ran to my cig lighter.
Jus a lil input for ya. My Neons are ran to my cig lighter.
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 79
From: Maine
Switch
If you want to hook up those interior lights, all you have to do is detach the back of your fuse panel and solder an extra wire on to a fuse lead that is 12+switched (it comes on when you turn your key on) This could be a radio or fan panel
Then this way you will only have to use a fuse that is about 5A bigger than the original, since I doubt you will need more than that. Run the ground to the other side of the light (NEVER GROUND BACK TO THE BATTERY, THIS CAUSES THE WIRE TO BE UNDER CONSTANT CURRENT FROM RESISTANCE AND WILL CAUSE THE WIRE TO MELT!)Ground the light to the chassis and try it out. remember to think ahead about wire gauge size that you need. AWG=too small=wire meltdown=ugly mess
Good luck
Erick
Then this way you will only have to use a fuse that is about 5A bigger than the original, since I doubt you will need more than that. Run the ground to the other side of the light (NEVER GROUND BACK TO THE BATTERY, THIS CAUSES THE WIRE TO BE UNDER CONSTANT CURRENT FROM RESISTANCE AND WILL CAUSE THE WIRE TO MELT!)Ground the light to the chassis and try it out. remember to think ahead about wire gauge size that you need. AWG=too small=wire meltdown=ugly mess
Good luck
Erick
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