Trauma

Need to run a switch/power wire for a volunteer firefighter light. Wheres the best place to tap into if I don't feel like going all the way to the engine compartment?

Hskr4x4

Do to it being a light, I'd recommend running it to the battery. That way you don't blow fuses, start wire fires, or have any electrical issues (jeeps are pissy)

It's stupid simple to run the wire through fire wall.. Run power and tuck in with all the other wiring backed up against fire wall/cowl area and pull little grommet deal out on drivers side and tape wire to clothes hanger and feed through. Wire will come out around gas pedal area

2012JUS

If you have an automatic there should be a rubber hole where the clutch plate would be, and yeah a clothes hanger would do the trick. Or on the passengers side there is another rubber grommet u can poke through and it should stay sealed when you have your wire through as well. Go to the battery and save yourself a headache

SCMatt

I agree with the above except I wouldn't poke through the rubber grommet's. There are several spots that are filled with foam that you can poke through that I find to be easier.

As as running power to a "SWITCH" if you have the light powered through wiring harness to the battery but need to power the switch, I would tap into the aux. power connector. Easy enough - 4 bolts on the dash and can use an inline splice. That way you can turn the lights on independent of your headlights, but also only turn it on when the key is in the car.

road_king

[QUOTE=SCMatt;3140914]I agree with the above except I wouldn't poke through the rubber grommet's. There are several spots that are filled with foam that you can poke through that I find to be easier.

Yep, the two on both sides of the upper dash - door jams are perfect. The passenger side leads straight to the battery.

The driver side is perfect to install a switch on the left side of the dash. I installed a winch in out switch to my Warn Powerplant after installing my PS Trail Cage without taking any of the dash apart!

miwukjeep

If you have a cigarette lighter (and dont smoke) and an power port. Steal the power from the cigarette lighter.

DeucesALLin

...using your CEL power source. Mine is always on so I drilled the dashboard and tapped into it.

SCMatt

Cigarette lighter is always on. If you use this to power a switch then the items powered by that switch can be turned on when the key is out of the ignition, so if you leave the top down or doors off somebody walking by can be a jerk and flip your aux lights on to kill your battery.

The Aux. power only comes on when you put the key in and turn it to aux, so said jerk comes by and flips switch - and nothing happens.

If you want it to be able to be switched on without having to put in the key then do this, if not use an inline splice and power it from the aux. it's the easiest spot to tap into in a JK. Other options i've seen used are marker lights etc. but I found them to be a bit harder to locate and require longer wires.

TheTerminator

12v sources on the center dash. Left one is switched. Right one is constant. Choose which one suits you better.

maple75

Quadratech makes an adapter to gain a cpl extra power point. Due to the canbus system, its not recommended to tap in to a power wire