I need to know where to get 12v power source for all these items I am going to install: 3 x 8" lcd, 3 tv amplify antenna, vga spliter, video signal amplify, backup camera, backup sensor, themometer, neon sound sensitive light....

I already use the connector below the yellow plug for my fog. Should I tap into there too or is there another place for 12v?

Also do I need a fuse somewhere?

Thanks
Max

http://www.hondaelement.org/attachment.php?postid=37042

With all that stuff you are hooking up, go directly to the battery. Don't try to tap inside the car. No circuit was designed for that extra load.

Yes, you need a fuse right by the battery. Add up the values of all the fuses on the various devices you are using and make it that size.

With all that stuff you are hooking up, go directly to the battery. Don't try to tap inside the car. No circuit was designed for that extra load.

Yes, you need a fuse right by the battery. Add up the values of all the fuses on the various devices you are using and make it that size.


Where can one find current draw?

For example - I am adding a "50x4" HU, keeping with stock sub/amp. I also need to put in an active crossover. I'm assuming that the crossover is not going to push me over the top, and that I can simply tap into the +12v line that goes to the radio. However, I found no amperage rating on either.

I should be safe in my assumption, correct?

Current draw is most easily found by looking at the the piece's fuse. Typically a deck has a 10 amp or so fuse. That is the maximum of its current draw. Otherwise the fuse will blow.

In your case, the current draw of the crossover is negligible. Its fuse is probably small. It could be as little at 3 amps. There is no amplifier there. Go ahead and attach it to the power wire feeding your deck. You'll be OK. :)

If I were to do it myself, I'd use a direct line from the battery with an inline fuse along with a relay. Tap the relay's switch wire into maybe the front power socket's fuse with an Add-A-Circuit. Any interior neon lighting I'd do the same but instead have the relay wired to maybe the parking light's hot. Any exterior neon should have it's own seperate switch and could be relayed thru the parking lights or thru the battery. Just depends on what effect you want. But by using the relay the current is only active while the ignition is on, preventing all those accessories from accidentally draining the battery if left on.
Some of those accessories will be wired differently tho like the backup sensor and rear cam are powered thru the reverse signal or reverse lamps hot I believe. Typically they have a low draw and only activate when you shift into reverse. But the camera could be on all the time if you want it that way. My indash HU monitor can switch automatically to rearview when it receives an active video signal or if the camera is on all the time you can switch to rearview manually.

Great advice, Empire. Relays are an installer's friend. I never meant for all of this stuff to be on all of the time. Frankly, I hadn't really thought it through as thoroughly as you have. Good job.

Empire's explanation is also an excellent test. If you can follow it, then you are probably capable of your own installation. If you couldn't, then please take your gear to an install shop. :)

Thank you everyone especially Empire for your input. But here are more questions:

1) What guage of wire should be use from main battery to relay?

2) How many (AMP) for the relay should be use?

3) Should there be an individual fuse for each componenet?

4) Empire you said to "Tap the relay's switch wire into maybe the front power socket's fuse with an Add-A-Circuit". Does that mean any fuse slot will do?

5) I need to power a PS2, karaoke dvd player, and wireless microphone using a 400w peak power inverter, can I also use a relay/switch to turn on the power inverter? Again if so, what amp relay?

6) I also want to add some blue led along the ceiling to have the effect like the picture new bB. any idea what location is best to place the led bulb? Also I want to blue led light to be diffused instead of in a striaght beam. how??

Also if I put the blue led outside beside the wheel like this bB, would clear silicone be good enough to isolate the wires from water ?

Thanks for answering my long post.
Max

http://www.geocities.com/satuskilai/stouchset.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/satuskilai/acc.jpg
http://karaoketuner.com/lib/hrj1800f.jpg
http://karaoketuner.com/lib/hrj1800b.jpg

http://pcpartusa.com/2003/CD_Player/984/984_2.jpg
http://i4.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/39/ed/81_12.JPG
http://pictures.kyozou.com/pictures/438000/437878.jpg

For 2 vga switch between karaoke dvd player / pocket pc vga navigation
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/chinaezone/1028.jpg

Then all split to 3 VGA LCD monitors
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/digitcos/4Port150mzSpliterBack_001.jpg

For 1 rca video to 3 rca video (PS2/backup camera)
http://www.sbo2.net/photo2/a674-2.jpg


For Sound switch between (PS2, DVD Karaoke, Pocket PC, ipod) all goes to stock HU Aux in
http://www.goodprice88.com/ebay/sele-1.jpg
http://www.goodprice88.com/ebay/sele-3.jpg
http://www.t-dimension.com/pic/car/jvj/cxa330/1.jpg
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/haysli/A_218_Music_light___1.JPG

Want to look like this interior - will also pulse along music beat
http://www.carview.co.jp/tms/2005/just/toyota_bb/images/01_l.jpg

This thread made me think of something, so I'll semi-hijack with some questions.

A friend of mine gave me 2 10" monitors for absolutely nothing this week. I almost forgot about them, because of 'other' projects.

but in any case they are not mobile video monitors. They are monitors that were to be used in another application (as a matter of fact they are touchscreen, although I'm not sure if I have any use for that as of now).

I have looked at them that much, but from what I saw they take VGA inputs. Is there a cheap and dirty way to get them to take an RCA input? I did some searching for RCA to vga converters and I was looking at like 75 dollars... which was not the range I was looking for. lol

I saw the picture above and the VGA splitter box thing and it reminded me of my questions.

Does the video source in your setup offer VGA output?

Here (http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/amc/relay.htm) is a simple schematic you can use for a relay and secondary fuse box. The virtue of this arrangement is that while the relay is normally activated by the ignition-on, you can choose to activate the secondary fuse box with the ignition off when convenient or disable it altogether for diagnostic purposes. A sealed experimenter's box will make it easy to mount, will electrically isolate the relay and junctions, and should give sufficient protection from moisture that you can mount it under the hood.