I just did a new video going into Relays deeper, and even mentioned fuse taps in it. Check out the new Video here: ruclips.net/video/Xt0lC8mjJRI/видео.html
I wanna use a Fuse Tap for a Backup Camera I bought for my Front Bumper i already have a backup Camera but wanna use 1 for my Front Bumper Also was thinking using 1 Fuse Tap for My Trailer Wiring harness bc I bought a hitch installed it on my car and The Wiring for the trailer lights.. Would a Fuse Tap work for it? I used the meter tested the one fuse on how much was putting out for back wiring harness for trailer well Dad did lol.. Said like a little over 10 Fuse but i have a couple more open spots.. Thanks loved this video
A quite common use of a fuse tap is to directly power small dash cams. Since the cameras themselves draw very little current a fuse tap is a convenient and safe source of power.
EXCELLENT!! Glad I clicked on your video. I am hooking up train horns to my excursion and have been watching videos on how to use my fuse box to power them up. I WAS going to use a piggy back holder for this but i need a 20 amp fuse. By doing this I would have definitely overloaded that circuit and caused problems for myself. I will peruse your channel for more information on using relays and fuse taps as I am a newbie "customizer". After installing the horns I want to mount up LED light bars on the front bumper...You saved my vehicle from burning up! Thank You!!
Glad to help. I need to get back to making more Electrical videos soon. I would have to see more about what the setup you are configuring is, but I would definitely be using a relayed setup for it. A fuse tap to power the relay's control side alone may not be bad. I absolutely would not use it for the full 20A circuit, as you already are aware.
So let me ask you this... I have 2 open slots in my fuse box. To check if they are working I would have to use a meter to find out? Also that would tell me if they are ACC or IGN based right? either way i can use that to power a relay? I want to use a toggle switch to turn off the compressor when not in use so i dont burn it out. Does this sound correct or am i lost?
louieC STUMP yes a meter or even a test light would be an effective way to check if those circuits are live. That would also allow you to check for ignition hot or battery hot. Wiring the relay to a switch is just fine. If it were me I'd still choose an ignition hot circuit so the switch couldn't short out and run the compressor when the vehicle isn't on. Long shot that it would happen but better safe than sorry if you can manage it.
That's the only way I use fuse taps! These new electrical systems are becoming more complex and monitored each year. Even then you still have to find the right fuse to tap into that's not monitored by the ECU. Also it's good idea to use a relay with a built in diode to prevent any jumps getting backfead into the factory system.
Hi. Good video on relays. Thank you. I thought taps wouldn't overload the original circuit because you reinsert the original fuse to keep that circuit the same. The new pigtail then that gets the new fuse - hopefully properly rated, I just dont understand the circuit overload issue. Thanks again.
What about using a fuse tag to simply replace the circuit that used to be there but no longer is? My car has always had a missing cig lighter (and missing power source). So I installed a USB port in its place, and wired it to the cig lighter fuse using a fuse tap. That seems pretty safe, don't you think? The circuit is still only being used for one thing & I'm guessing a USB port is pretty low-load?
Can I use a fuse tap to run starlight engine into the cigar lighter fuse? But I was going to add a rocker switch to be able to turn it off and on. Do you still recommend using a relay to give power to the starlight engine and to the rocker switch ?
Thanks for video. I have a cigarette lighter port that is always on and I want it to turn on/off with ignition. Looks like a relay is the correct method since I don't know what kind of device will be plugged into that cigarette lighter port - perhaps some day a tire inflator or some other higher amperage device.
I am putting a gm engine in a mustang and have a standalone harness that needs keyed power. I was told I could do a fuse tap to get the power from the existing fuse block of the car and the new harness has its own relays and fuses. What are your thoughts on this along with the fuel pump wire should be key on only??? Your help is much needed, Thank you, B
But fuse taps have 2 slots for 2 fuses. The main problem is the wire, if you add an accessory and that will give an accumulated amperage with the original device is higher than the rated cable.
So, and excuse my ineptness here, could I run a fuse tap off an open fuse slot (as in one that’s just not being used from the factory) and run a dash cam off of it since In theory those don’t use much electricity? As long as I run the right fuse and wire gauge?
When I made this video I wasn't taking into account small loads like Dash Cams. On average they seem to pull 2A or less, so I can agree that is ok. I was more concerned about the larger things I see these used for.
What do you think of using a fuse tap to connect to an unused slot in the fuse box (ignition switched) The fuse tap will power a smaller fuse box that powers 6 circuits each with up to 1 amp draw. The lower side of the fuse tap will be open.i.e. no fuse. 5 of the circuits will be controlled by a switch. Very rarely all 5 switches will be activated.
So I'm running a relay for a electric water pump and plan to run my 18 gage switch wire from the relay to the fuse block radio cigarette lighter with a fuse tap which on my car I know is off the ignition with 15amp fuse would this be a okay uses since I'm still powering the relay with 12v from the battery?
Hey HotRod, I have a question you may be able to help me with. I have not been able to find an answer online. Ok, I am installing a winch on my truck. I am also going to install a power interrupt solenoid under the hood. The solenoid will be operated by a toggle switch inside the truck. The question is whether I need to run a relay between the toggle switch and solenoid. Would there ever be a need to run a relay between a toggle switch and solenoid? Thanks,
I need a switched power to turn on an amp since the stock radio doesnt have a remote wire output, would that be ok to use a fuse tap on the radio fuse.
You have the gift of being able to communicate things and break it down so I can understand and keep things simple. I am always looking to learn more. Thanks for sharing your gift!
The fuse taps are insanely popular for hardwiring dash cams. Would you recommend not using them for that either? I just installed my own, and used a 10amp circuit, with a 5amp fuse for the dashcam. The dash cam only draws 5v 2amps
A lot of folks have asked this since I posted this video. Dash cams and their relatively small loads were not a use case I was considering when I made this video. So yes, I largely feel fine about Fuse Taps used for those and other sub 2A loads. I was coming at it from more of a perspective of the classic car world I work in where people use them for 5, 10, 15A loads and that I have issue with.
It depends on the power draw. They seem to come in 3 Watt or 6Watt versions. Either of those should be fine to use with a Fuse Tap as they draw less than 1 Amp. Those are oddball smaller power draws than I was thinking of when I made this video.
I’m looking to get one with a bigger light engine that has more options for twinkle effects. Obviously they have higher watts, what’s the most ideal install for this model?
Can you use a fuse tap to trigger (86) on a relay? I only the relay to work while vehicle is on. How many amps on the fuse tap will I need to have it trigger the relay?
They are good for doing that yes. Relay control circuits should generally only pull 2A or less. I’d start with a 2.5A fuse. Wired properly that should work fine and not be an issue to any of the existing circuits as I was describing here.
I would check with the manufacturer of the amp to determine its actual draw but it should be a minimal load and fine to use a tap for. I'd say anything less than 1A is fine. More may well be fine as well but I personally just prefer to use that as a rule of thumb that is "better safe than sorry". To my knowledge remote circuits on amps are 1A or less.
Is it ok to use fuse taps to get car radio buttons illumination from dipped beam headlight levelling fuse and at the same time to use cigarette lighter fuse to get "signal" wire that turns the radio on/off with ignition on/off? For constant power for the radio is used existing wire from factory radio.
Would a fuse tap be ok to use for an Ignition relay array? (Like adding new relays for lights that I only want to be able to turn on when the ignition is on)
I have an off the shelf van alarm (smart 360 alarms) and it can be wired into a spare fuse on the permanent side. I have brought a piggy back fuse and crimp I am going to attach to this 12v adaptor that comes with it and into the 12v plug for the alarm. Is this an okay way of doing it? It’s only a 5 amp max 10 amp fuse it says
QUESTION? Lets say you want to add a few new circuits which run only when the key is turned on (IGN/run position) and not full time power. Can you install a fuse tap on one IGN source to a busbar. Busbar to individual switches (manual/automatic). From an individual switch to a corresponding relay. Relay to device/load. For example: one circuit to switch on a air compressor, another for an inverter, and one to a fan. This is on the assumption of using one battery source (not on a dual battery system, which will be more ideal). The power to the switches are low amperage. High amp loads through the relays.
Great video! I’m trying to hook up the blackvue battery it says that 2A is max. I can fuse tap the battery to the fuse box? Not sure if I have any empty slots so would it be safe to put the battery to piggy back? Since the battery would be connected to the fuse and the dash connected to the battery. The battery plus dash mean it’s consuming more power then 2A?
This is just a guess as I've only looked briefly at the battery, but I would figure on just the battery load. So 2A should be fine, just pick a decently sized fuse to piggyback on with the tap. Say a 15 Amp or higher I'd say. That way even if it pulls the full 2A you are less likely to overload anything.
Great info. You mentioned you used relay to improve power windows. I recently installed aftermarket power window motors on my xterm. I used a fuse tap on a 15amp fuse and put a 10amp on the top slot. The 10amp keeps popping. I presume the window motors are needing more draw. Can I put a relay on the fusetap 10amp circuit?
Agreed with Avery. Sorry I missed this earlier. A small load like one or a few gauges isn't as big of a deal as what I was thinking of when I planned this video. I should probably do a follow up with a better thought out statement at this point.
I am an extreme beginner here. What is considered a lot of amps (heavy load pulling)? I have been watching several videos of other posters. The numbers on the relay 30, 85, 86, and 87 are different in the videos. Meaning which gets full 12v from the battery, switch, device, and ground. How can the videos be different?
Doc. FunkBlack on an Empty fuse slot I wouldn’t be opposed to using them for even maybe a 5 or 10 Amp load. When I made this I was more thinking about the use cases I commonly came across where people were “misusing” them for larger load devices. Backup cameras have gained a lot of popularity since then and they only draw 1-2A on average and are generally safe to use. I wasn’t thinking of that use case in this script. I really need to make a 2020 update video to this one and clarify the discussion.
Apologies is this was already asked and answered (admittedly did not read all the replies). One of the Acc fuses I want to tap into is 10 amps. What Im unsure about is what size fuse to use to the relay?
hi, I just want to know if I add a front sensor without any display but just use a small speaker to give a bip bip sound, I use a acc fuse with a fuse tap and stop fuse with a fuse tap , do I need a relay? after all the power requirement is very small. looking forward for your reply.tq
I'm 5 years late but here we go. Can I connect 2 relays to 1 add a fuse to connect to my fuse box? I'm connecting raptor lights and ditch lights on my 4 runner.
Your warning about fuse taps doesn't seem right to me. Used right, the tap should create two independently-fused and independently-grounded circuits. Hence the slots for two fuses. If you insert the tap backwards, current for the new circuit will flow through both fuses, probably leading to blown fuses, but not to burned up circuits or fires. Unless you're referring to the part of the circuit before the tap (from the battery cable through the fuse box), which I suppose could be sized for the intended fuse, but that seems like an overly specific design spec. Am I misunderstanding something?
Finaly someone that understands it. You’re 100% right! If you have a fuse tap that is rated for max 40amps. And you put the fuse tap where originally a 15amp fuse was and connect the original fuse to the fuse tap. Then put a 20amp fuse to the fuse tap too to power something else. It is not dangerous at all. The only danger would be the wire that goes from the battery tot the fuse because that wire is designed to handle 15amps (original fuse) and not 35amps (original fuse + new fuse).
So if the danger in fuse taps isn’t in the fuse tap itself. It is perfectly safe when installed correctly. The problem when you use fuse taps is that you have to look if the cable from the battery to the fuse can handle both currents. If not i would not install a fuse tap because you can melt the wire from the battery to the fuse. But if the wire from the battery to the fuse can handle both currents fine then a fuse tap is perfectly safe.
@@mehmetaksoy6773 Thanks for confirming this. Would you know how common it would be in modern vehicles for the wiring before the fuse (battery side) to be sized specifically for a given circuit? My intuition would be that automakers often use parts in different vehicles, so it might make sense to size all of this wiring the same. Possibly less complicated to manufacture, also. OTOH, more material and more weight might be the deciding factor.
If I am running 4 relays under my fuse box can I wire all the grounds from the relays together and wire them to the same solid ground? Does gauge of ground wire matter?
jesse hayes do you mean the ground side of the control circuits for the relays themselves? If so, that is no problem. Control sides of most relays pull very littler amperage. Something like .1-.2A. So 4 relays are below a 1A draw. I'd just use whatever size wire allows you to easily wire the configuration. For 1A even over a decent distance something like 20 or 18ga would be fine. But most relays have heavier wire than that on the sockets. So whatever works for you to cleanly wire it should be fine.
I just installed new tow mirrors on my truck, they have small LED bulbs in them (stock mirrors did not). Your thoughts on running a fuse tap to the reverse light fuse so that the mirror lights come on when I go in reverse?
Small Leds are a small load so you will likely be fine. However i can't say for sure without seeing a diagram but I kind of doubt the reverse fuse only gets power when in reverse. More likely that fuse has power always and a switch elsewhere sends power to the reverse lights.
Confused now. I wanted to add lights to my reverse light using a relay & a fuse tap but now I'm confused if it's the way to go about it. I'm wanting to use the same switch already in the vehicle just add lights.
Hey, quick question When using a fuse tap as a switch for a relay, do you just ground out the other side of the switched circuit? Or does something else need to be done? Thanks in advance :)
My fuel pump relay took a shite and takes 5 to 10 attempts to start in the a.m. and due to a recall that my vehicle is not a part of, the relay bypass kit is not available to me. I have no choice but to tap the cig lighter fuse to the fuel pump fuse for emergency starting when it finally gives.
Power LEDs should be ok, they are low power enough. As for whether they will work with the key out, I cannot say. It depends on whether the Radio fuse is Key Hot or Battery voltage. I simply cannot say, maybe I could look it up if I knew the car, but no guarantees.
@@HotRodHippie I already did it tbh I'm trying to figure out which fuse I should tap into they do stay on is that good or bad? I want to make sure I tap into it right u said key hot good I believe would I tap into the fogs? Its gmc yukon denali 05 sport v8 6.L really need help thanks
The relay I got the accessory cable is too short and 14 awg, I need to extend it about 6 to 7 feet to get it inside cabin. Should I use 14 awg wire or 12 awg? The cable to the battery is also 14 awg I may need to extend it by another 7 to 8 inches, should I use 14 awg or 12 awg? Will the ones you recommend be able to handle 30 amps ?
I am wanting to install an electric chair I pulled off from a 2013 VW CC to my 2000 Eurovan. I am wired confused. I noticed there are 3 connections. I think one of them is for the airbag and the other for the heated seats and the last one for the movement of the chair. So should I do a relay for the chair and a fuse tap for the heated seats?
is there a way to add an additional fuse (and circuit) to the OE fuse box without using a fuse tap? the fuse box has plenty of spare slots, but none of them are wired up. also, how does the ignition-only wiring actually work? all I have seen so far is 'find a fuse that is only live when the key is on' but i want to wire it properly anyway. I do know the circuit does not need a relay.
I added a fuse tap/add-a circuit to power a relay but it did not work. positive side was on opposite side from what I expected. Could not fit it in the opposite direction. check the positive side source.
Brother I am planning to fit fog lights in my car. There is no company fitted wiring or any fog lights. So I am planning to use a piggyback connection to the fog lights switch. Is it possible ?
BelgianKnight depends on the load. Many of them are very small amperage draws, which I would consider acceptable. Your camera should list somewhere what it draws. If it's 2A or less I'd consider it. If not I'd look for an accessory circuit. Really if your fuse box has an extra accessory circuit, that is your better option anyway.
thanks for the great video. so i can use any empty fuse slot if its an ACC for a dash cam? would i plug an add a fuse into that empty slot and just put 1 fuse in the top of it so i still have fuse coverage? thanks
@@HotRodHippie i have a set of LED strip lights, and I bought an add-a-fuse to run it with but on watching your video, you only explain the 1 circuit, at least that's the way it sounds, and not the fact that you are running 2 circuits, and that any add-ons should use smaller fuses than the original, as well as the claim that they are only rated for 10amp and under loads... that said, I'm new to add-a-fuses, and only know this much through extensive research on RUclips, and other places...one thing I found on RUclips to be a problem, is that the instructions tell you how to add it, but never how to properly ground the add-on device to the frame (preferably) next to the fuse box... so that is my question, how do i, and where is the best place to ground your cameras, lights, and what have you, when using an add-a-fuse, in my case, on a 2004 buick regal??? Or any car for that matter... maybe you could do a video on it, and possibly fuses as well, as my car has no fuses labeled radio, it's always radio, combined with other things that I'm afraid to splice an extra circuit into... i never thought it would be so hard to find the proper fuse to piggyback... i do have an accessory lighting fuse im going to try, but it's so hard when everything is on a time delay for the interior lights... stays on a few seconds after opening and closing the doors i mean... its hard to measure the absence of volts when you have a fuse box panel located between the end of the dash and the door, and need the door closed to turn the circuit off... at least i think thats how that works, as I'm still figuring things out...
@@welcometoreality3450 I agree, but for a guy that doesn't recommend them, its to be expected... i still am amazed that I can find a lot of videos dealing with add-a-fuse circuits, but they expect that someone who knows nothing about taps, know the proper place, and proper connection type for the ground wire... i do like this guy's down to earth explanations though, so, overall it's a good video... **edit** I did get my LED lights hooked up, but I think I somehow fried my color change module so I have to hook it up directly, which does work... and, I have used my lights with the included cigarette lighter before, so i know i f'd it up, as opposed to from the factory... not sure if hooking up backwards will do it, but i bet it did...
would ask how about using them to hook up a dash cam in an open fuse slot ???? so I am not taking from something already in use ... for instance I put a 10 amp on the bottom and a 5 on top .not sure what the dash cam uses can not be much though... thanks
You should use a relay. The fuse tap is just protection. The relay still needed to provide proper wiring circuit. otherwise the fuse at the fuse tap will risk blowing frm potential overload.
Using fuse tabs it should use the same fuse load . My question is can I use multiple fuse tabs with the same fuse load on top of each other? I might need to use dash cam & radar detector using the same power source in my fuse box
i’m running a on board air compressor to air up tires. I have two wires that need to go into the fuse. One goes to the tail light fuse that tells the switch on the inside to light up at light. Another is to ignition that lets me operate the compressor when the key is at ACC. I bought 15 amp fuse taps that will go into 15 amp original fuse locations. Is there any problem here? Thanks
I have some halo rings for my factory headlights... they are telling me to run the positive on a relay where the acc is. So when my truck ignition is off the halos are off when I turn car on the the halos come on is the a correct way????
Diego Hidalgo if you want the lights on any time your key is on, then yes that sounds like how I'd do it. If it was me I'd put a switch on the accessory power to the relay so you could disable them if you just don't want them on sometimes.
Great video. Very informative...quick question...I have 4 sets of LED lights all of them pulling 3.5amp / combined 14amp . What is the best way to power them and what or how can be use. Fuse tap, relay, connectors , control switch etc....
You did a good job in 3xplainingvrelay operation and purpose. Not until I installed after market alarm on my car that offered convenience features... Power trunk Power windows up or down Sunroof as well Nott until my experience installing the alarm did understand what was a relay. To have 30 amp relay and 30 amp fuse the fuse may not hold the electrical current and blow, add a relay it has a spring loaded contact that power on closed, power off or electric overload opens.
I'm adding a line lock to my 2010 challenger srt8. I was thinking about adding a circuit bus since I will be adding gauges in the future. I would appreciate any advice, I dont want to create any problems. Thanks Sid
Adding a supplemental fuseblock would be a good idea if you know you will need additional power in the future. I would wire up a relay to key power. So when you turn on the car your supplemental fuses get power through the relay. You can use that supplemental panel to supply power to your line lock switch. Something like this panel is what I'm picturing: amzn.to/2SDzKeB
Would it be safe to use a fuse tap with the same amps on the DRL fuse slot to install a switch to turn off/on the DRL by looping back the circuit to the DRL load? Thanks for sharing... 😃
Ok, so I have a question about load resistors for hooking up LED turn signals, can yo simply install them to the wires coming from the switch in the steering column? Or do you have to go with as close to the bulb as possible? Front or rear? Or all?
It's Dj Dozer you could technically install them anywhere in the circuit you like. I've always done so as close to the lights as I can for shear ease. It is usually easier to do at the light rather than crammed under the dash. The only other issue I can see is adding the resistance so far forward, any wire resistance from corrosion or age may cause a larger voltage drop than you'd like. So I'd recommend at the light, but technically either should work.
Installing a 12v LED light behind the grill of my truck. I was going to fuse tap it to my headlights so it only turns on when they are on, but now I'm thinking otherwise. How could I use a relay to make them do the same thing?
So I bought some after market fog lights for my maxima. I saw some guys connect it to the fuse box with these extension , or others just connected it to their battery and just turned them off and on when they wanted them. Which one would you recommend? Thank you
If I have a fog light bezel and all I know is that it need 12V power. I want to wire it to a switch so it can be turned on command. Everywhere I look, I see 40Amp relay with 30Amp fuse. Is that really needed for a small LED Strip?
libinls I would not expect that to be necessary at all. Folks are probably thinking of the actual fog lights themselves, not the strip lights like you are talking about. I can't say for sure what they will draw though. What brand are the bezels?
HotRodHippie Thank you so much for getting back to me. You have no idea how much ur help means to me. This is the exact product. Unfortunately they don't tell you anything aside from the 12V. m.ebay.com/itm/FOR-15-17-SUBARU-WRX-STI-PAIR-OE-BUMPER-FOG-LIGHT-BEZEL-COVERS-W-LED-DRL-STRIP-/401403396844?txnId=717737948027
You are right I can't find anything. Even the one company I found that sells a wiring kit to install those doesn't list what siZe fuses they use. I can't believe those will pull more than. 2-5A but that is a shot in the dark guess. I think I'd feel safe using a fuse tap with those. Though if it was me I'd probably splice into the headlight wiring closer to the fog light and just do a neat solder job with heatshrink and sleeping.
HotRodHippie thanks Alan! I would've spliced into it as well. But, I'm trying to do a setup like a toggle switch. So it only turns on for shows and stuff from inside the cabin. I hate electric and I was hoping I could really do this. I might just end up doing the generic switch setup with the 12v. And pray it don't burn out. Lol
Most dash cams pull fairly low Amperage from what I've seen. You could wire them to the same Ignition source if they are not pulling too heavy of a load.
Great informative video. How would you recommend hard wiring a V1 radar detector? I was going to use a fuse tap on either a used or an unused fuse socket on my Audi A5, but after watching your video, I and holding off. Thanks in advance.
Eduardo Elizondo the V1 pulls a small draw. Only about 300-400mA from the information I can find. So if you have an unused fuse location in your fusebox, then a fuse tap would do just fine. If you don't have an unused one, then I'd say pick one of your largest circuits and you will be ok to use the fuse tap on that. When I made this video I was thinking about loads that are more excessive than these modern add-ons like dash cams and radar detectors draw.
You will need some type of electronic control system to tailor a flasher speed. A Flasher Relay is what controls your turn signal blinking but 1.5 second intervals is VERY slow, and I’d imagine most State DOTs would have issue with a blink that slow. I know In Pennsylvania I’d fail that for inspection. I think the SAE requirements are a minimum of One flash Per Second. Do you have LED bulbs flashing too rapidly? What is it you are trying to achieve?
Here is an adjustable one. I cannot possibly say if it will work for you though. I don’t know your use case such as vehicle and what you are exactly trying to achieve. amzn.to/2HlM8Qf
What about the two fuse tap. Pull the fuse put it in the bottom slot and a new fuse on top . Like i did with my dash cam . I pulled a 10 amp it goes in the bottom slot and i put a 3amp on the top slot . For the dash cam .
Hi there thanks for your video, I do have a question I need a power source for my LC2i pro converter , those are using 14 wag so I don’t want to get the power from my battery like I would do for my 4 wag sub amp . Is it safe to tap in my new processor from the fuse box ?
You mean a sub panel for more fuses or a fuse tap? Either way it really just depends on what is being plugged into it and how it is wired. I have safely added sub fuse panels to vehicles that lacked the necessary extra circuits in the past. You just have to find a safe place to pull power from. And with fuse taps many folks have found places I can see them being ok. Like low load devices such as dash cams.
TRD_tv if wired properly (safe routing, quality wire thickness) there is nothing wrong with that. I would wire it on a relay so that it isn't just battery hot all the time. But I've used panels like that many times in the past. In fact I quite like the looks of that one and may pick up a few to have on hand.
i planned on wiring the accesory fuse box to the battery directly. i figured the fuzes in were protection enough. am i wrong? should i run a fuse to a fuse box? just seems counterproductive
The only problem with wiring the fuse box directly to the battery is that anything you connect to it will always be powered. Say you wire fog lights off of it, or a cb radio. You could very easily leave them on and kill your battery because they always have power. Every circuit should have some form of circuit protection. If you put that fuse box inside the vehicle and wire it directly to the battery then the wire feeeding the fuse panel could Short out. If the wire rubs through on the firewall, then that wire is an unprotected circuit. Meaning it could Short out. Not only damaging the wire, but potentially anything else attached or around it. Or even starting a fire. It would be a good idea to run a large fuse (say a mega fuse) close to the battery on the feed to that fuse panel. The only circuits I'm ever ok with not having a fuse or fusible link are the battery cables to the starter. Personally opinion.
A 30A rating on a relay is just the max load it can handle passing through it. Your fuse size (on the load circuit) should be based on the size of load you are feeding / controlling with that relay. Is it lights, a fuel pump, a fan? Whatever the load being supplied dictates the fuse size. However you shouldn’t go over 30A as the relay isn’t intended to handle it. You can usually get 40A relays to replace 30s though. Now the Control circuit of a relay is a small load as it’s just a small coil activating the switch in the relay. That you can generally use a 5A or smaller (2.5A is often what I use for just a single relay.).
@@Platinumtag glad to help. I did a dedicated video going a bit more in-depth on relays if you want something else to reference. It includes a section on wiring them. ruclips.net/video/Xt0lC8mjJRI/видео.html
Thank you. I did a dedicated video explaining how Relays work, and in that video I explained how to wire one. Full video here: ruclips.net/video/Xt0lC8mjJRI/видео.html Or you can find just the section about wiring a relay in a snippet I like to call "Quick Tips" here:ruclips.net/video/Rw7azxRrIpg/видео.html
If I was to tap my fog lights into acc; are fuse tap a good option or I should just tap into the ignition switch acc plug or cigarette lighter? I called a couple local shop for quotes for fog lights installation and they run around two hundred to two hundred fifty dollars so I feel it's a little pricey so I will attempt to do it myself. Good explanation on do's and don't video. Thanks in advance
Tou Yang you could use a fuse tap to tap into accessory to trigger a relay. But I absolutely would not run fog lights without a relay. It will be a safer circuit and give you brighter lights too.
How many lights? At 10w per light you are at .83A so figure 1A per light. Does the vehicle have existing DRLs? I'm confused as to why you want to tie them to EFI. I would avoid that at all cost. Tieing into even the power supply or ignition signal to EFI can introduce electrical "noise" into the system. If you really need to do it a relay is your best bet. Isolate the two circuits from one another but allow you to control based off the circuit you want.
HotRodHippie it’s a 1995 Toyota t100 it doesn’t have drls but I want to install switch back both blinkers and drls I couldn’t find the acc fuse in the fuse box under the hood
Nice video man. I have a question im installing 12 led pro comp rock lights, i want the to turn on when i turn on my headlights, so im.planning to get the power out of the headlights trailer hitch pigtail, i will run the power but also will put a fuse a couple.of inches after the connection, i will be running to sets of cables on each side, 16awg. What you think, can you hit me with an advice please? I will appreciate. Thanks in advance. ( 2009 dodge ram 1500 )
I can't say how much power the rock lights would pull but I would use a relay. Wire the relay to your hitch pigtail like you planned. So when you turn on the lights the relay activates. Then wire it so you are sending fused battery direct power to the rock lights. That will be safer for your wiring and make your lights function better as well. They likely don't pull a lot of power but I'd just call it a safer bet to do things that way. Relay to control the lights on and off, and a battery feed for the lights. You could also then wire a switch to the relay so you can override and turn off the lights if/when you want. Say just interrupt the ground side of the relay with the switch.
Hey there. Silly question: do we have to use one Fuse for each Relay and vice-versa? Thanks in advance for the reply, and sorry if too basic question. Cheers
I just did a new video going into Relays deeper, and even mentioned fuse taps in it. Check out the new Video here: ruclips.net/video/Xt0lC8mjJRI/видео.html
I wanna use a Fuse Tap for a Backup Camera I bought for my Front Bumper i already have a backup Camera but wanna use 1 for my Front Bumper Also was thinking using 1 Fuse Tap for My Trailer Wiring harness bc I bought a hitch installed it on my car and The Wiring for the trailer lights.. Would a Fuse Tap work for it? I used the meter tested the one fuse on how much was putting out for back wiring harness for trailer well Dad did lol.. Said like a little over 10 Fuse but i have a couple more open spots.. Thanks loved this video
A quite common use of a fuse tap is to directly power small dash cams. Since the cameras themselves draw very little current a fuse tap is a convenient and safe source of power.
EXCELLENT!! Glad I clicked on your video. I am hooking up train horns to my excursion and have been watching videos on how to use my fuse box to power them up. I WAS going to use a piggy back holder for this but i need a 20 amp fuse. By doing this I would have definitely overloaded that circuit and caused problems for myself. I will peruse your channel for more information on using relays and fuse taps as I am a newbie "customizer". After installing the horns I want to mount up LED light bars on the front bumper...You saved my vehicle from burning up! Thank You!!
Glad to help. I need to get back to making more Electrical videos soon. I would have to see more about what the setup you are configuring is, but I would definitely be using a relayed setup for it. A fuse tap to power the relay's control side alone may not be bad. I absolutely would not use it for the full 20A circuit, as you already are aware.
So let me ask you this... I have 2 open slots in my fuse box. To check if they are working I would have to use a meter to find out? Also that would tell me if they are ACC or IGN based right? either way i can use that to power a relay? I want to use a toggle switch to turn off the compressor when not in use so i dont burn it out. Does this sound correct or am i lost?
louieC STUMP yes a meter or even a test light would be an effective way to check if those circuits are live. That would also allow you to check for ignition hot or battery hot. Wiring the relay to a switch is just fine. If it were me I'd still choose an ignition hot circuit so the switch couldn't short out and run the compressor when the vehicle isn't on. Long shot that it would happen but better safe than sorry if you can manage it.
Would you recommend using a fuse tap to activate a relay so that the relay is now a ignition activated relay circuit?
Curt D yes that is a perfectly acceptable use of one in my eyes. I recommended that a few times to folks in the comments here.
That's the only way I use fuse taps! These new electrical systems are becoming more complex and monitored each year. Even then you still have to find the right fuse to tap into that's not monitored by the ECU. Also it's good idea to use a relay with a built in diode to prevent any jumps getting backfead into the factory system.
Hi. Good video on relays. Thank you. I thought taps wouldn't overload the original circuit because you reinsert the original fuse to keep that circuit the same. The new pigtail then that gets the new fuse - hopefully properly rated, I just dont understand the circuit overload issue. Thanks again.
What about using a fuse tag to simply replace the circuit that used to be there but no longer is? My car has always had a missing cig lighter (and missing power source). So I installed a USB port in its place, and wired it to the cig lighter fuse using a fuse tap. That seems pretty safe, don't you think? The circuit is still only being used for one thing & I'm guessing a USB port is pretty low-load?
There are unused spaces in my factory fuse block. How dO I add a new circuit into one of these existing slots please.
Usg a fuse tap?
Can I use a fuse tap to run starlight engine into the cigar lighter fuse? But I was going to add a rocker switch to be able to turn it off and on. Do you still recommend using a relay to give power to the starlight engine and to the rocker switch ?
I want to add 3 led raptor lights in my 2020 gmc sierra. Can I use a fuse tap or go directly to battery with a switch? Thanks
Thanks for video. I have a cigarette lighter port that is always on and I want it to turn on/off with ignition. Looks like a relay is the correct method since I don't know what kind of device will be plugged into that cigarette lighter port - perhaps some day a tire inflator or some other higher amperage device.
I am putting a gm engine in a mustang and have a standalone harness that needs keyed power. I was told I could do a fuse tap to get the power from the existing fuse block of the car and the new harness has its own relays and fuses. What are your thoughts on this along with the fuel pump wire should be key on only???
Your help is much needed, Thank you,
B
But fuse taps have 2 slots for 2 fuses. The main problem is the wire, if you add an accessory and that will give an accumulated amperage with the original device is higher than the rated cable.
So, and excuse my ineptness here, could I run a fuse tap off an open fuse slot (as in one that’s just not being used from the factory) and run a dash cam off of it since In theory those don’t use much electricity? As long as I run the right fuse and wire gauge?
I have a 3 amp klaxon horn to install. What size fuses would you recommend. I'm going to use a relay, 12 volt battery. Thank for any info.
Question I used a Fuse tap for my dash cam I took the windshield wiper which is 30amp mini and fused with a 5 amp mini for the dash cam is that okay
When I made this video I wasn't taking into account small loads like Dash Cams. On average they seem to pull 2A or less, so I can agree that is ok. I was more concerned about the larger things I see these used for.
HotRodHippie thank you
What do you think of using a fuse tap to connect to an unused slot in the fuse box (ignition switched) The fuse tap will power a smaller fuse box that powers 6 circuits each with up to 1 amp draw. The lower side of the fuse tap will be open.i.e. no fuse. 5 of the circuits will be controlled by a switch. Very rarely all 5 switches will be activated.
I used a fuse tap for key power to a dual voltage reader.
I'm assuming this is a case where it doesn't affect too much?
Correct that's a low power draw situation. Just guessing there but I feel confident in saying so.
So I'm running a relay for a electric water pump and plan to run my 18 gage switch wire from the relay to the fuse block radio cigarette lighter with a fuse tap which on my car I know is off the ignition with 15amp fuse would this be a okay uses since I'm still powering the relay with 12v from the battery?
Hey HotRod, I have a question you may be able to help me with. I have not been able to find an answer online. Ok, I am installing a winch on my truck. I am also going to install a power interrupt solenoid under the hood. The solenoid will be operated by a toggle switch inside the truck. The question is whether I need to run a relay between the toggle switch and solenoid. Would there ever be a need to run a relay between a toggle switch and solenoid? Thanks,
I need a switched power to turn on an amp since the stock radio doesnt have a remote wire output, would that be ok to use a fuse tap on the radio fuse.
Can i tap into a 15amp fuel pump fuse to connect DRL strips? and if i can, i should use a 15amp fuse or a 10amp fuse for the DRL?
You have the gift of being able to communicate things and break it down so I can understand and keep things simple. I am always looking to learn more. Thanks for sharing your gift!
Great info. So can I use a fuse tap to give ignition power to a relay for a holly elec fuel pump?
Yes the fuse tap would be a good way to control a relay if you lack easier Key Hot signals. 👍👍
The fuse taps are insanely popular for hardwiring dash cams. Would you recommend not using them for that either? I just installed my own, and used a 10amp circuit, with a 5amp fuse for the dashcam. The dash cam only draws 5v 2amps
A lot of folks have asked this since I posted this video. Dash cams and their relatively small loads were not a use case I was considering when I made this video. So yes, I largely feel fine about Fuse Taps used for those and other sub 2A loads.
I was coming at it from more of a perspective of the classic car world I work in where people use them for 5, 10, 15A loads and that I have issue with.
@@HotRodHippie Thanks for the quick response!
Can I use a fuse tap to power a fiber optic starlight kit for my headliner? If not, what’s the best way to go about wiring it?
It depends on the power draw. They seem to come in 3 Watt or 6Watt versions. Either of those should be fine to use with a Fuse Tap as they draw less than 1 Amp. Those are oddball smaller power draws than I was thinking of when I made this video.
I’m looking to get one with a bigger light engine that has more options for twinkle effects. Obviously they have higher watts, what’s the most ideal install for this model?
Can you use a fuse tap to trigger (86) on a relay? I only the relay to work while vehicle is on. How many amps on the fuse tap will I need to have it trigger the relay?
They are good for doing that yes. Relay control circuits should generally only pull 2A or less. I’d start with a 2.5A fuse. Wired properly that should work fine and not be an issue to any of the existing circuits as I was describing here.
What about using the circuit tap to connect a remote wire for an amplifier? Would that put too much load on the circuit slot?
I would check with the manufacturer of the amp to determine its actual draw but it should be a minimal load and fine to use a tap for. I'd say anything less than 1A is fine. More may well be fine as well but I personally just prefer to use that as a rule of thumb that is "better safe than sorry". To my knowledge remote circuits on amps are 1A or less.
Is it ok to use fuse taps to get car radio buttons illumination from dipped beam
headlight levelling fuse and at the same time to use cigarette lighter fuse to get "signal" wire that turns the radio on/off with ignition on/off?
For constant power for the radio is used existing wire from factory radio.
What amp fuse is sufficient to trigger a 100 amp relay to a remote fuse block. Thanks
Would a fuse tap be ok to use for an Ignition relay array? (Like adding new relays for lights that I only want to be able to turn on when the ignition is on)
Yes that is a perfect use for them.
I have an off the shelf van alarm (smart 360 alarms) and it can be wired into a spare fuse on the permanent side. I have brought a piggy back fuse and crimp I am going to attach to this 12v adaptor that comes with it and into the 12v plug for the alarm. Is this an okay way of doing it? It’s only a 5 amp max 10 amp fuse it says
QUESTION? Lets say you want to add a few new circuits which run only when the key is turned on (IGN/run position) and not full time power. Can you install a fuse tap on one IGN source to a busbar. Busbar to individual switches (manual/automatic). From an individual switch to a corresponding relay. Relay to device/load. For example: one circuit to switch on a air compressor, another for an inverter, and one to a fan. This is on the assumption of using one battery source (not on a dual battery system, which will be more ideal). The power to the switches are low amperage. High amp loads through the relays.
Great video! I’m trying to hook up the blackvue battery it says that 2A is max. I can fuse tap the battery to the fuse box? Not sure if I have any empty slots so would it be safe to put the battery to piggy back? Since the battery would be connected to the fuse and the dash connected to the battery. The battery plus dash mean it’s consuming more power then 2A?
This is just a guess as I've only looked briefly at the battery, but I would figure on just the battery load. So 2A should be fine, just pick a decently sized fuse to piggyback on with the tap. Say a 15 Amp or higher I'd say. That way even if it pulls the full 2A you are less likely to overload anything.
how about use a fuse tap as a trigger for the relay for a load that draws a bit high amp?
Completely acceptable use case. I should have said that in the video. 👍👍
Great info. You mentioned you used relay to improve power windows. I recently installed aftermarket power window motors on my xterm. I used a fuse tap on a 15amp fuse and put a 10amp on the top slot. The 10amp keeps popping. I presume the window motors are needing more draw. Can I put a relay on the fusetap 10amp circuit?
would you use one of those fuse taps as an easy way to grab some power for a backlight for boost gauge?
That would be perfectly fine in most situations, another fraction of an amp on a healthy circuit isn't a big deal.
Agreed with Avery. Sorry I missed this earlier. A small load like one or a few gauges isn't as big of a deal as what I was thinking of when I planned this video. I should probably do a follow up with a better thought out statement at this point.
thinking about using a remote turn on wire from my pioneer stereo to power a usb plug. do you know if that would work and if it would be safe?
I am an extreme beginner here. What is considered a lot of amps (heavy load pulling)?
I have been watching several videos of other posters. The numbers on the relay 30, 85, 86, and 87 are different in the videos. Meaning which gets full 12v from the battery, switch, device, and ground. How can the videos be different?
What about using them tap fuses for a load of 1 maybe 2 Amps, on a empty fuse slot?
Doc. FunkBlack on an Empty fuse slot I wouldn’t be opposed to using them for even maybe a 5 or 10 Amp load. When I made this I was more thinking about the use cases I commonly came across where people were “misusing” them for larger load devices. Backup cameras have gained a lot of popularity since then and they only draw 1-2A on average and are generally safe to use. I wasn’t thinking of that use case in this script.
I really need to make a 2020 update video to this one and clarify the discussion.
Apologies is this was already asked and answered (admittedly did not read all the replies). One of the Acc fuses I want to tap into is 10 amps. What Im unsure about is what size fuse to use to the relay?
I really appreciate your time teaching this my g blessings 🙏
Would you feel comfortable running a rearview camera off of one of the power taps? 05 Chevy silverado 2500 looking for ignition power.
Yes. Those cameras pull less power than I was considering when I made this video. 👍
@@HotRodHippie Thank you for you reply on an old video!
hi, I just want to know if I add a front sensor without any display but just use a small speaker to give a bip bip sound, I use a acc fuse with a fuse tap and stop fuse with a fuse tap , do I need a relay? after all the power requirement is very small. looking forward for your reply.tq
I'm 5 years late but here we go. Can I connect 2 relays to 1 add a fuse to connect to my fuse box? I'm connecting raptor lights and ditch lights on my 4 runner.
Yea, relays are a good use case for add-a-fuses as they don't draw much load at all. I didn't consider that use case enough when I made this.
Do you think the fuse tap isn't either suitable for say, powered windows? Since they don't consume that much. Thanks!
Wow thanks for fast reply, I have basically same thing. Do you have a video on how to wire the relay. I really appreciate this
I do not but I'll look at doing one. This comes up often enough.
Your warning about fuse taps doesn't seem right to me. Used right, the tap should create two independently-fused and independently-grounded circuits. Hence the slots for two fuses. If you insert the tap backwards, current for the new circuit will flow through both fuses, probably leading to blown fuses, but not to burned up circuits or fires. Unless you're referring to the part of the circuit before the tap (from the battery cable through the fuse box), which I suppose could be sized for the intended fuse, but that seems like an overly specific design spec. Am I misunderstanding something?
Finaly someone that understands it. You’re 100% right!
If you have a fuse tap that is rated for max 40amps. And you put the fuse tap where originally a 15amp fuse was and connect the original fuse to the fuse tap. Then put a 20amp fuse to the fuse tap too to power something else. It is not dangerous at all. The only danger would be the wire that goes from the battery tot the fuse because that wire is designed to handle 15amps (original fuse) and not 35amps (original fuse + new fuse).
So if the danger in fuse taps isn’t in the fuse tap itself. It is perfectly safe when installed correctly. The problem when you use fuse taps is that you have to look if the cable from the battery to the fuse can handle both currents. If not i would not install a fuse tap because you can melt the wire from the battery to the fuse. But if the wire from the battery to the fuse can handle both currents fine then a fuse tap is perfectly safe.
@@mehmetaksoy6773 Thanks for confirming this. Would you know how common it would be in modern vehicles for the wiring before the fuse (battery side) to be sized specifically for a given circuit? My intuition would be that automakers often use parts in different vehicles, so it might make sense to size all of this wiring the same. Possibly less complicated to manufacture, also. OTOH, more material and more weight might be the deciding factor.
If I am running 4 relays under my fuse box can I wire all the grounds from the relays together and wire them to the same solid ground? Does gauge of ground wire matter?
jesse hayes do you mean the ground side of the control circuits for the relays themselves? If so, that is no problem. Control sides of most relays pull very littler amperage. Something like .1-.2A. So 4 relays are below a 1A draw. I'd just use whatever size wire allows you to easily wire the configuration. For 1A even over a decent distance something like 20 or 18ga would be fine. But most relays have heavier wire than that on the sockets. So whatever works for you to cleanly wire it should be fine.
Is it possible to somehow replace a fuse with a fuse that can be controlled by a switch to turn it on and off easily?
I just installed new tow mirrors on my truck, they have small LED bulbs in them (stock mirrors did not). Your thoughts on running a fuse tap to the reverse light fuse so that the mirror lights come on when I go in reverse?
Small Leds are a small load so you will likely be fine. However i can't say for sure without seeing a diagram but I kind of doubt the reverse fuse only gets power when in reverse. More likely that fuse has power always and a switch elsewhere sends power to the reverse lights.
Confused now. I wanted to add lights to my reverse light using a relay & a fuse tap but now I'm confused if it's the way to go about it. I'm wanting to use the same switch already in the vehicle just add lights.
Is it safe to use a fuse tap for a dash cam?
Hey, quick question
When using a fuse tap as a switch for a relay, do you just ground out the other side of the switched circuit? Or does something else need to be done?
Thanks in advance :)
My fuel pump relay took a shite and takes 5 to 10 attempts to start in the a.m. and due to a recall that my vehicle is not a part of, the relay bypass kit is not available to me. I have no choice but to tap the cig lighter fuse to the fuel pump fuse for emergency starting when it finally gives.
hoped you would show us how to wire in a relay...
Fair point. I should do a dedicated relays video breaking down uses for them and how to wire them. Thanks for the input.
Can I use the tap in fuse tap into radio fuse to power led and should they still get power with
key out car?
Power LEDs should be ok, they are low power enough. As for whether they will work with the key out, I cannot say. It depends on whether the Radio fuse is Key Hot or Battery voltage. I simply cannot say, maybe I could look it up if I knew the car, but no guarantees.
@@HotRodHippie I already did it tbh I'm trying to figure out which fuse I should tap into they do stay on is that good or bad? I want to make sure I tap into it right u said key hot good I believe would I tap into the fogs? Its gmc yukon denali 05 sport v8 6.L really need help thanks
The relay I got the accessory cable is too short and 14 awg, I need to extend it about 6 to 7 feet to get it inside cabin. Should I use 14 awg wire or 12 awg? The cable to the battery is also 14 awg I may need to extend it by another 7 to 8 inches, should I use 14 awg or 12 awg? Will the ones you recommend be able to handle 30 amps ?
I am wanting to install an electric chair I pulled off from a 2013 VW CC to my 2000 Eurovan. I am wired confused. I noticed there are 3 connections. I think one of them is for the airbag and the other for the heated seats and the last one for the movement of the chair. So should I do a relay for the chair and a fuse tap for the heated seats?
What does increasing a load on a circuit by "not much at all" mean? Thanks.
is there a way to add an additional fuse (and circuit) to the OE fuse box without using a fuse tap? the fuse box has plenty of spare slots, but none of them are wired up. also, how does the ignition-only wiring actually work? all I have seen so far is 'find a fuse that is only live when the key is on' but i want to wire it properly anyway. I do know the circuit does not need a relay.
I added a fuse tap/add-a circuit to power a relay but it did not work. positive side was on opposite side from what I expected. Could not fit it in the opposite direction. check the positive side source.
Brother I am planning to fit fog lights in my car. There is no company fitted wiring or any fog lights. So I am planning to use a piggyback connection to the fog lights switch. Is it possible ?
what about a fuse tap in a fuse location for a unused accessory like a sunroof that the car does not have?
Would it be fine to use fuse tap to change circuit from to constant power to ignition by connecting it to empty slot?
What about a dashcam?
Would you use a Fuse Tap for a dashcam?
BelgianKnight depends on the load. Many of them are very small amperage draws, which I would consider acceptable. Your camera should list somewhere what it draws. If it's 2A or less I'd consider it. If not I'd look for an accessory circuit. Really if your fuse box has an extra accessory circuit, that is your better option anyway.
thanks for the great video. so i can use any empty fuse slot if its an ACC for a dash cam? would i plug an add a fuse into that empty slot and just put 1 fuse in the top of it so i still have fuse coverage? thanks
@@HotRodHippie i have a set of LED strip lights, and I bought an add-a-fuse to run it with but on watching your video, you only explain the 1 circuit, at least that's the way it sounds, and not the fact that you are running 2 circuits, and that any add-ons should use smaller fuses than the original, as well as the claim that they are only rated for 10amp and under loads... that said, I'm new to add-a-fuses, and only know this much through extensive research on RUclips, and other places...one thing I found on RUclips to be a problem, is that the instructions tell you how to add it, but never how to properly ground the add-on device to the frame (preferably) next to the fuse box... so that is my question, how do i, and where is the best place to ground your cameras, lights, and what have you, when using an add-a-fuse, in my case, on a 2004 buick regal??? Or any car for that matter... maybe you could do a video on it, and possibly fuses as well, as my car has no fuses labeled radio, it's always radio, combined with other things that I'm afraid to splice an extra circuit into... i never thought it would be so hard to find the proper fuse to piggyback... i do have an accessory lighting fuse im going to try, but it's so hard when everything is on a time delay for the interior lights... stays on a few seconds after opening and closing the doors i mean... its hard to measure the absence of volts when you have a fuse box panel located between the end of the dash and the door, and need the door closed to turn the circuit off... at least i think thats how that works, as I'm still figuring things out...
yeah should have mentioned their first choice for tap should always be to tap into accessory fuses
@@welcometoreality3450 I agree, but for a guy that doesn't recommend them, its to be expected... i still am amazed that I can find a lot of videos dealing with add-a-fuse circuits, but they expect that someone who knows nothing about taps, know the proper place, and proper connection type for the ground wire... i do like this guy's down to earth explanations though, so, overall it's a good video... **edit** I did get my LED lights hooked up, but I think I somehow fried my color change module so I have to hook it up directly, which does work... and, I have used my lights with the included cigarette lighter before, so i know i f'd it up, as opposed to from the factory... not sure if hooking up backwards will do it, but i bet it did...
would ask how about using them to hook up a dash cam in an open fuse slot ???? so I am not taking from something already in use ... for instance I put a 10 amp on the bottom and a 5 on top .not sure what the dash cam uses can not be much though... thanks
Dash cams pull very little power. You'll be safe using one for that. 👍
if you get power from a fuse tap, is it still necessary to add a relay if i'm gonna add a fog light?
You should use a relay. The fuse tap is just protection. The relay still needed to provide proper wiring circuit. otherwise the fuse at the fuse tap will risk blowing frm potential overload.
Best way of explaining a relay for me, thanks
Using fuse tabs it should use the same fuse load . My question is can I use multiple fuse tabs with the same fuse load on top of each other? I might need to use dash cam & radar detector using the same power source in my fuse box
i’m running a on board air compressor to air up tires. I have two wires that need to go into the fuse. One goes to the tail light fuse that tells the switch on the inside to light up at light. Another is to ignition that lets me operate the compressor when the key is at ACC. I bought 15 amp fuse taps that will go into 15 amp original fuse locations. Is there any problem here?
Thanks
I have some halo rings for my factory headlights... they are telling me to run the positive on a relay where the acc is. So when my truck ignition is off the halos are off when I turn car on the the halos come on is the a correct way????
Diego Hidalgo if you want the lights on any time your key is on, then yes that sounds like how I'd do it. If it was me I'd put a switch on the accessory power to the relay so you could disable them if you just don't want them on sometimes.
Is there any risk or damaging the relays if doing so?
Great video. Very informative...quick question...I have 4 sets of LED lights all of them pulling 3.5amp / combined 14amp . What is the best way to power them and what or how can be use. Fuse tap, relay, connectors , control switch etc....
You did a good job in 3xplainingvrelay operation and purpose.
Not until I installed after market alarm on my car that offered convenience features...
Power trunk
Power windows up or down
Sunroof as well
Nott until my experience installing the alarm did understand what was a relay.
To have 30 amp relay and 30 amp fuse the fuse may not hold the electrical current and blow, add a relay it has a spring loaded contact that power on closed, power off or electric overload opens.
I'm adding a line lock to my 2010 challenger srt8. I was thinking about adding a circuit bus since I will be adding gauges in the future.
I would appreciate any advice, I dont want to create any problems.
Thanks Sid
Adding a supplemental fuseblock would be a good idea if you know you will need additional power in the future. I would wire up a relay to key power. So when you turn on the car your supplemental fuses get power through the relay.
You can use that supplemental panel to supply power to your line lock switch. Something like this panel is what I'm picturing: amzn.to/2SDzKeB
Would it be safe to use a fuse tap with the same amps on the DRL fuse slot to install a switch to turn off/on the DRL by looping back the circuit to the DRL load? Thanks for sharing... 😃
Can I use a fuse tap through a relay to a switch to power fog lights?
Yes. That is a good use for a fuse tap. Signal a relay with the fuse tapped circuit to control a larger load like fog light. 👍
Thanks for your help.🇵🇱🇺🇸
Ok, so I have a question about load resistors for hooking up LED turn signals, can yo simply install them to the wires coming from the switch in the steering column? Or do you have to go with as close to the bulb as possible? Front or rear? Or all?
It's Dj Dozer you could technically install them anywhere in the circuit you like. I've always done so as close to the lights as I can for shear ease. It is usually easier to do at the light rather than crammed under the dash. The only other issue I can see is adding the resistance so far forward, any wire resistance from corrosion or age may cause a larger voltage drop than you'd like. So I'd recommend at the light, but technically either should work.
Installing a 12v LED light behind the grill of my truck. I was going to fuse tap it to my headlights so it only turns on when they are on, but now I'm thinking otherwise. How could I use a relay to make them do the same thing?
So I bought some after market fog lights for my maxima. I saw some guys connect it to the fuse box with these extension , or others just connected it to their battery and just turned them off and on when they wanted them. Which one would you recommend? Thank you
If I have a fog light bezel and all I know is that it need 12V power. I want to wire it to a switch so it can be turned on command. Everywhere I look, I see 40Amp relay with 30Amp fuse. Is that really needed for a small LED Strip?
libinls I would not expect that to be necessary at all. Folks are probably thinking of the actual fog lights themselves, not the strip lights like you are talking about. I can't say for sure what they will draw though. What brand are the bezels?
HotRodHippie Thank you so much for getting back to me. You have no idea how much ur help means to me. This is the exact product. Unfortunately they don't tell you anything aside from the 12V.
m.ebay.com/itm/FOR-15-17-SUBARU-WRX-STI-PAIR-OE-BUMPER-FOG-LIGHT-BEZEL-COVERS-W-LED-DRL-STRIP-/401403396844?txnId=717737948027
You are right I can't find anything. Even the one company I found that sells a wiring kit to install those doesn't list what siZe fuses they use. I can't believe those will pull more than. 2-5A but that is a shot in the dark guess. I think I'd feel safe using a fuse tap with those. Though if it was me I'd probably splice into the headlight wiring closer to the fog light and just do a neat solder job with heatshrink and sleeping.
HotRodHippie thanks Alan! I would've spliced into it as well. But, I'm trying to do a setup like a toggle switch. So it only turns on for shows and stuff from inside the cabin. I hate electric and I was hoping I could really do this. I might just end up doing the generic switch setup with the 12v. And pray it don't burn out. Lol
How to hard wire multiple Dash Cams? Are they all hard wired to the same ignition in the fuse box?
Most dash cams pull fairly low Amperage from what I've seen. You could wire them to the same Ignition source if they are not pulling too heavy of a load.
Great informative video. How would you recommend hard wiring a V1 radar detector? I was going to use a fuse tap on either a used or an unused fuse socket on my Audi A5, but after watching your video, I and holding off. Thanks in advance.
Eduardo Elizondo the V1 pulls a small draw. Only about 300-400mA from the information I can find. So if you have an unused fuse location in your fusebox, then a fuse tap would do just fine. If you don't have an unused one, then I'd say pick one of your largest circuits and you will be ok to use the fuse tap on that. When I made this video I was thinking about loads that are more excessive than these modern add-ons like dash cams and radar detectors draw.
So, what type of relays are you using if you want your turning lights to slow down to as much as just one winks in each 1 and a 1/2 second?
You will need some type of electronic control system to tailor a flasher speed. A Flasher Relay is what controls your turn signal blinking but 1.5 second intervals is VERY slow, and I’d imagine most State DOTs would have issue with a blink that slow. I know In Pennsylvania I’d fail that for inspection. I think the SAE requirements are a minimum of One flash Per Second.
Do you have LED bulbs flashing too rapidly? What is it you are trying to achieve?
Here is an adjustable one. I cannot possibly say if it will work for you though. I don’t know your use case such as vehicle and what you are exactly trying to achieve.
amzn.to/2HlM8Qf
@@HotRodHippie I will come as close as possible to what a 1966 Thunderbirds turning lights look like, but a little slower.
@@HotRodHippie I have already this one GZXY 3 Pin CF14 EP35 LED Flasher Relay for Turn Signal Bulbs adjustable(1 Pack), but it is not slow enough.
This is what it looks like, but it should be 1/2 a second slower:
ruclips.net/video/Qwzxn9ZPW-M/видео.html
What about the two fuse tap. Pull the fuse put it in the bottom slot and a new fuse on top . Like i did with my dash cam . I pulled a 10 amp it goes in the bottom slot and i put a 3amp on the top slot . For the dash cam .
Um can I use a generator on my battery To run my alternator for My motorized baby crib in the back seat?
Great video. Good job
Hi there thanks for your video, I do have a question
I need a power source for my LC2i pro converter , those are using 14 wag so I don’t want to get the power from my battery like I would do for my 4 wag sub amp .
Is it safe to tap in my new processor from the fuse box ?
The f is a wag
I was going to use a fuse tap just to power a dash cam. Thought?
Dash cams are an exception. They generally pull 1A or less in power. As such they are fine to run off a fuse tap.
Do relay's have spare locations like a fuse's do? I want to install an amp for my motorcycle how do I do it with a relay?
Is this dude still around? It seems like any from 3 years ago onwards don’t get a response, but he was very active answering questions before that.
is it a bad idea to run your premade accessory fuze panel INSIDE the vehicle
You mean a sub panel for more fuses or a fuse tap? Either way it really just depends on what is being plugged into it and how it is wired. I have safely added sub fuse panels to vehicles that lacked the necessary extra circuits in the past. You just have to find a safe place to pull power from. And with fuse taps many folks have found places I can see them being ok. Like low load devices such as dash cams.
TRD_tv if wired properly (safe routing, quality wire thickness) there is nothing wrong with that. I would wire it on a relay so that it isn't just battery hot all the time. But I've used panels like that many times in the past. In fact I quite like the looks of that one and may pick up a few to have on hand.
i planned on wiring the accesory fuse box to the battery directly. i figured the fuzes in were protection enough. am i wrong? should i run a fuse to a fuse box? just seems counterproductive
and its a sub panel: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DYT2TVS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The only problem with wiring the fuse box directly to the battery is that anything you connect to it will always be powered. Say you wire fog lights off of it, or a cb radio. You could very easily leave them on and kill your battery because they always have power.
Every circuit should have some form of circuit protection. If you put that fuse box inside the vehicle and wire it directly to the battery then the wire feeeding the fuse panel could Short out. If the wire rubs through on the firewall, then that wire is an unprotected circuit. Meaning it could Short out. Not only damaging the wire, but potentially anything else attached or around it. Or even starting a fire. It would be a good idea to run a large fuse (say a mega fuse) close to the battery on the feed to that fuse panel.
The only circuits I'm ever ok with not having a fuse or fusible link are the battery cables to the starter. Personally opinion.
If I have a 30amp relay should I use a fuse with more amp or less amp or same amp?
A 30A rating on a relay is just the max load it can handle passing through it. Your fuse size (on the load circuit) should be based on the size of load you are feeding / controlling with that relay. Is it lights, a fuel pump, a fan? Whatever the load being supplied dictates the fuse size. However you shouldn’t go over 30A as the relay isn’t intended to handle it. You can usually get 40A relays to replace 30s though.
Now the Control circuit of a relay is a small load as it’s just a small coil activating the switch in the relay. That you can generally use a 5A or smaller (2.5A is often what I use for just a single relay.).
@@HotRodHippie thanks very much for the knowledge looking to wire my cooling fan, so I'm much confident now.
@@Platinumtag glad to help. I did a dedicated video going a bit more in-depth on relays if you want something else to reference. It includes a section on wiring them.
ruclips.net/video/Xt0lC8mjJRI/видео.html
@@HotRodHippie thanks I will check it out,
Thanks for car wiring theory, can you do a video on how to actually wire up a relay? I'm trying to hook up an old CB the right way. Thanks bud :)
Thank you. I did a dedicated video explaining how Relays work, and in that video I explained how to wire one.
Full video here: ruclips.net/video/Xt0lC8mjJRI/видео.html
Or you can find just the section about wiring a relay in a snippet I like to call "Quick Tips" here:ruclips.net/video/Rw7azxRrIpg/видео.html
Hi can I tap the drl on a horn relay? I cant find any ACC on the engine fuse box.
If I was to tap my fog lights into acc; are fuse tap a good option or I should just tap into the ignition switch acc plug or cigarette lighter? I called a couple local shop for quotes for fog lights installation and they run around two hundred to two hundred fifty dollars so I feel it's a little pricey so I will attempt to do it myself.
Good explanation on do's and don't video.
Thanks in advance
Tou Yang you could use a fuse tap to tap into accessory to trigger a relay. But I absolutely would not run fog lights without a relay. It will be a safer circuit and give you brighter lights too.
can i use fuse taps for charging the dash cam directly instead of cig lighter power source ?
Yes. That is a smaller load than I was discussing when I made this video a couple years ago. 👍
I want to connect my drl lights to the efi is that a good idea if not where can I connect them besides the acc fuse the led lights are 10w
How many lights? At 10w per light you are at .83A so figure 1A per light. Does the vehicle have existing DRLs? I'm confused as to why you want to tie them to EFI. I would avoid that at all cost. Tieing into even the power supply or ignition signal to EFI can introduce electrical "noise" into the system. If you really need to do it a relay is your best bet. Isolate the two circuits from one another but allow you to control based off the circuit you want.
HotRodHippie it’s a 1995 Toyota t100 it doesn’t have drls but I want to install switch back both blinkers and drls I couldn’t find the acc fuse in the fuse box under the hood
Nice video man. I have a question im installing 12 led pro comp rock lights, i want the to turn on when i turn on my headlights, so im.planning to get the power out of the headlights trailer hitch pigtail, i will run the power but also will put a fuse a couple.of inches after the connection, i will be running to sets of cables on each side, 16awg. What you think, can you hit me with an advice please? I will appreciate. Thanks in advance. ( 2009 dodge ram 1500 )
I can't say how much power the rock lights would pull but I would use a relay. Wire the relay to your hitch pigtail like you planned. So when you turn on the lights the relay activates. Then wire it so you are sending fused battery direct power to the rock lights. That will be safer for your wiring and make your lights function better as well. They likely don't pull a lot of power but I'd just call it a safer bet to do things that way. Relay to control the lights on and off, and a battery feed for the lights. You could also then wire a switch to the relay so you can override and turn off the lights if/when you want. Say just interrupt the ground side of the relay with the switch.
Thanl you very much for this info.man appreciated
Hey there. Silly question: do we have to use one Fuse for each Relay and vice-versa? Thanks in advance for the reply, and sorry if too basic question. Cheers
Yes, you use a relay/fuse for each thing you are going to power. Think of it like charging your phone... a charging box/charging cable for each phone.
What about tapping into a fuse to power bluetooth RGB lights on an LED headlight?
Yes this is perfectly fine just dont power pumps and stuff with fuse taps as those draw a lot of current
What about using it for an amplifier for subs
On the trigger wire? Sure, that is a low enough load.