General electrical info needed.

[jthomas68]

As some of you may have seen me say,i`m electrically handicapped.Mechanics seems self explanitory to me,but i have caught many things on fire that i tried to wire in.Luckily,i have you all to guide me .Basically,i have multiply switches to install for various things,and i will have an LED light for each one,showing it`s activation.I`ll number the questions for ease:

1:Is it easiest for get the 3 prong stitches(+,acc.,and -)so i can run the led straight to the switch.If not,any suggested alternative route?
2:Any special switches i should look for.Such as,are there different volt recommendations?
3:Any special leds to get,or is a 12v light a 12v light?
4:What guage wire should i get?
5:What`s the best way of wire connections?Should i use a wire connector and crimp the wire together,or solder them and cover it with shrink tubing?
6:Anything else i`m forgetting?

I know it`s alot,but i`d appreciate any input i could get.Thanks.

 

[ScotSHO]

jthomas68:

1:Is it easiest for get the 3 prong stitches(+,acc.,and -)so i can run the led straight to the switch.If not,any suggested alternative route?
2:Any special switches i should look for.Such as,are there different volt recommendations?
3:Any special leds to get,or is a 12v light a 12v light?
4:What guage wire should i get?
5:What`s the best way of wire connections?Should i use a wire connector and crimp the wire together,or solder them and cover it with shrink tubing?
6:Anything else i`m forgetting?

I know it`s alot,but i`d appreciate any input i could get.Thanks.

OK, sit down - here comes a brain dump!

1) By a three prong switch, you mean one with an indicator light in it, right? If so, then yes, those are the easiest to wire. + goes to the 12v supply (or battery), - goes to ground (simply to light the indicator light), and acc goes to the piece of equipment you are wiring.

2) Depending on what you are hooking up, you have to take into account the amps the device will require. If you are powering fog lights for instance, (usually 10-15A), then you should NOT wire the fog lamps directly thru the switch, you should wire the switch to a relay, and then from the relay to your fog lights. If you are putting a switch in the blue wire to an amplifier, to manually switch it on and off, then a direct wire from the switch to device is fine. Make sure the switch is rated for the device you are hooking up. I recommend using 12v switches only, with the proper amp rating.

3) I never messed with LEDs, but I suspect there are 12v LEDs at Radio Shack.

4) Wire gauge #'s work backwards: 20 gauge wire is smaller than 12 gauge wire. Depending on you loads, 12 gauge would probably cover most applications.

5) If we are talking interior wiring, then wire crimps with electrical tape over top would work fine. If under the hood or exposed to water, then soldering with shrink wrap is better. They make marine connectors which you can mechanically crimp and then heat which seals the connection - but they are pricey.

If you like, I am in Lewiston, NY and I could help you out. I've installed stereos and fog lights in a few vehicles of mine and my friends - and I don't like taking short cuts. Do it once, and do it right. Let me know, you could make it a day trip and then we could go Showing off the SHOs.

I'm tired now....

Scot Hewitt
95 Ultra Red MTX - 66k

 

[jthomas68]

Thanks Scott,that was very helpful.I`m not wiring and lights,or stereo`s,or things like that.It`s more for n2o activaton,heater,a...wait,i`ve said too much already.As you`ll find,i`m a bit of a secretive guy.

 

[SHO92]

Most LEDs are not 12v and they will need a resistor to drop the 12v to what ever the LED needs. If you power an LED with straight 12v is will burnout within minutes. There is a book that radio shack will have hanging on a peg in the electrical section that will have the equation in it that you need to use to figure out which resistor to get. BTW different color LEDs require different volts, therefore different resistors. The voltage they need will be on the LED package somewhere. Also its better to have the switch flip a relay to power your devices so that they recieve a real and steady 12v. Beleive it or not, Radio Shack has a horibble selection of relays in the store. They can order the ones you need though. http://www.the12volt.com/ <-- has some good explanations of what relays to use. Generally you'll be looking for a SPDT relay. Hope this helps a little.

 

[Slo-Sho]

Here's a brain teaser....what's the difference between a SPDT and a DPDT? By the way, I have all types of lighting mods to my SHO. Both tail lamps blink instead of just the outside one. Cornering lamps illuminate with reverse lamps. (Very nice at night) LED rear lamps. Just to name a few. thumbs_u

 

[projectSHO89]

what's the difference between a SPDT and a DPDT?

SPDT Single Pole Double Throw

DPDT Double Pole Double Throw

A DPDT Switch (or relay, etc) contains two separate SPDT circuits that are both actuated at the same time, by the same actuating force.

Steve
89

<small>[ September 15, 2002, 09:19 AM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[Slo-Sho]

Correctamundo! (Best Samuel L. Jackson accent)

 

[jthomas68]

Yikes,this is getting a bit over my head.I just don`t trust myself with electrical.I think i`ll just skip the LED,and go with a more basic light.

 

[SHO92]

JT I was just in my local parts store, a National Auto, and they had a few switches that I hadn't seen before. One of them was a round rocker switch about the size of a nickel, that had an LED built into it. That would be easy to wire up, because all of the resistors and leds are already done, it just had the 3 terminials on the back side of it. Look around you can find a lot of switches with the LED built into it. There are places on the internet that you can find them at too. Just don't get a switch that has the 110v illuminiation, the light inside won't work.