Connecting Elect. Items to Battery?

[shaddr3]

Ok theres a bunch of electrical things you can add to your car. Now alot of these guides and things, say run a line straight to the battery. Now this may be a noob question, but I have the balls to post it so here it is. When you run it straight to the battery, does it mean split the red line going to the battery, and run into that (talking about +positive)? Can someone really help me out here? Thanx!

[YZ125rider21]

well what you trying to do.... your not stating on what you wanna do....if you got something electrical that you want power on at all times run it to your positive side of the battery...if you only want the electrical thing to come on when the car key turns over run it to like the radio fuse in the fuse box....this dont help you out give me more detail i seem to know alot about electrical

[shaddr3]

For instance, lcd screens like tv stuff, they have the on buttons and everything, but they need to be fused dont they, but where do they get the power? also these power folding mirrors, those too, my compressors for my air ride system, everything ya know.

[Killa_CRX]

Originally Posted by shaddr3

For instance, lcd screens like tv stuff, they have the on buttons and everything, but they need to be fused dont they, but where do they get the power? also these power folding mirrors, those too, my compressors for my air ride system, everything ya know.

You can hook them directly to the battery, but I wouldn't recommend it... even with the power off, they'd drain your battery, unless you had a cut off switch wired into the mix... as far as an in line fuse, installation instructions for what you're trying to put in should tell the fuse size you should be using, and how far from the item it should be..... if not, when in doubt, start with a 10amp fuse and don't use any more than a 20amp.

another option rather than running a line to the battery would be running a line to a power output that only comes on when the ignition is on...there are several sources in the car you can use this for.
could also use the same method with a line to the battery on a relay, which would let you draw more power than just finding a line in the car and trying to run too many 'accessories' off of it.

[91civicDXdude]

many noob responses....

the easiest and best way to get power inside the cabin is from the fuse box. if you look, there are 5 accessory terminals (3 in the middle in a row, and 2 on the top side by side)

simply crimp on a female spade terminal to your power wire, and hook it to one of the accessory male spade terminals. of the middle three, one is all time hot, one is ignition switched hot, and one is light switched hot. I dont remember right off hand which is which, but im almost certain the one of the leftmost side is light switched hot (have my gauges power wires ran there.) you can use a simple multimeter to measure 12VDC and find out for sure.

this is the correct way to power accessories. Remember to use a fuseable link.