Adding Switched Power to the sPod Write-Up

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This is my third and hopefully final write-up on hacking the sPod. I think it does everything I want it to now but we all know how that goes.

My first mod was wiring the lower array of LEDs on the switches into the dash lights...

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-e...lights-311176/

Then came adding a lockout button for the locker switches...

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modi...ite-up-324369/

And now adding switched power to selected switches. Now I know the sPod has a low voltage cut-off but I have no interest in waiting until my battery gets weakened. It also is good for soft top guys and members who run naked as it disables the selected accessories from kids playing around. May or may not be a big deal to you. I wanted to make my light bar and a pillar lights only work with the key on. I am going to leave the rock lights unswitched.

So the plan was to run a switched power wire up to a junction block mounted in the sPod. I wanted a junction block as it would allow me to add or remove switches from switched power anytime by just attaching or removing a pigtail. I left the sPod connectors pigtailed so all the unswitched switches would still have power and I could just hook them back up if I decide to remove a switch from switched power. Rather than wait for shipping, I had some time so I just made my own junction block from scrap around the garage. I decided on using a piece of aluminum flat stock, some black machine screws for mounting, a small machine screw as a terminal, and some rubber grommets.




I decided to tap the aluminum stock but you can just add a nut and lock washer if you prefer.




I then plastdipped it and mounted it inside the sPod. I used two grommets per screw...one as an isolator and one as a spacer.




Since I already had a single wire weatherpack connector for the dash light feed in the sPod, I just removed it and used a 2 wire weatherpack connector in its place...one wire for the dash lights and the other to feed the junction block. I also stuck a piece of electrical tape over the unused sPod spade connectors. I wrapped a wire tie around each just as an extra measure to make sure the tape doesn't come loose. I then made up the pigtails using a ring connector for the terminal side and a female spade connector for the switch side.




Next up was to run switched power up to the weatherpack connector in the tub. You can use a tap-a-fuse in the TIPM. Ron has an excellent write-up here. Since I had previously installed a tap-a-fuse when I installed a garage door transmitter, I was able to just tap that wire in the engine bay and run through the trusty old styrofoamed hole in the passenger side. Then up the a pillar and across the header trim.



Tested and all looked good so I re-installed the sPod. Sorry for the blurry pics but I had to turn the flash off so the lights would show up and it was a rainy, overcast day. Here you can see the pillar lights and the light bar are no longer functional with the key off...




And function again with the key on...




The junction block screws on the side of the sPod. They really do match but the flash makes them stand out...




And as an unplanned bonus, they are hidden by the visor when it's not in use...




Not too bad a project, about 4 hours all tolled with the weather causing breaks.

 

Reserved for pics...

 

Big thumbs up! This is cool... good write up.

--James

 

Thanks, James. The one thing that annoyed me about the sPod...lol.

 

Yep, been bugging the crap out of me as well. I actually did a splice job on mine this morning. Ran/spliced the switch lights/power into the dash lights this morning. Not as cool as your end result, but you've got me thinking.

 

It seems to be never ending...but I'm hoping the spod mods are ending. Yeah right.

 

I still have a couple left on mine. Instead of switched power, I rewired the switch that came on my sPOD controller (originally for turning on the backlights, which are now wired to the dash lights) so that it deactivates all of the sPOD functions. Since all of those functions are off-road only, that works well to prevent inadvertent activation of a switch when it shouldn't be. But, there's not a good indication of when that switch is turned on. So I want to replace it with a lighted button switch that will turn on when the sPOD is powered up.

Second, my dual-battery isolator has a lead to indicate when both batteries are charging. Right now that isn't wired up. I'd like to wire it up to a (new) bulb on the sPOD--illuminating when both batteries are charging. The way the isolator works, the aux battery doesn't charge until the starting battery is fully charged. When I'm at home I don't drive all of that much--usually less than 10 miles every few days. After a period of time at home the aux battery loses charge because the primary battery is always charging for the first few miles of a drive. At least that's what I suspect, since my fridge can't run overnight without going into power saver mode. On trips, when I'm driving lots daily, it isn't a problem. The light will give me a visual indication of what's going on. Better yet: Someday find an "analog" gauge with oil pressure and voltage that I can replace my sPOD oil pressure gauge with. Then I can wire that to the aux battery and know exactly what condition it's in!

 

I know what you mean about the push button. I considered swapping mine for a lighted one as well. Mine just kills the lockers. I sometimes use my lights when not wheeling and having everything on the pushbutton would expose the lockers again. It would be simple enough to run an LED off the pushbutton.

The Interceptor may work but it's pricey. It has two analog inputs and a couple of red LEDs which you can assign based on thresholds. They call them annunciators or something along that line. I haven't used mine yet so I'm not sure if it would work or not.