I've added a Sirius sat.radio to my '08 FEH, but don't much like the fact that the 12V power taps in the dash and console are 'always hot.' Anyone know a safe 'tap' for switched 12V in this vehicle, by chance ? I've been looking through the shop manuals, but nothing jumps out that would fill the bill, so I thought it would be good to see if any of the kind folks here have already overcome this hurdle ?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer,

Gary

 

Wouldn't you use the 12v that powers the existing radio? That power is switched by the ignition key.

 

Perhaps, if I could locate a section of the cable without taking part of the dash apart. I was hoping I could find the (currently-empty) connector for the factory sat. radio, since this vehicle didn't come with that option....or, somewhere else that I could plug into.

 

Maybe tapping into the radio fuse at the fuse box. My manual is in the car so I don't know which fuse it is.

Did you look through the sticky on mp3 and wiring? https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...g-thread-8320/

 

Most of the content in the sticky on MP3 wiring has to do specifically with MP3's, and there's very little on a safe source of switched 12V there, unfortunately. Can't say I closely scrutinized each and every message, though....so, I could still have missed something.

I see several 'spare' 12V fuses in the panel inside of the passenger compartment. Can anyone tell me if those are just sitting there as true 'spares', in case one of the others blow....or, if they are fuses for 'spare CIRCUITS' as someone else has alluded to ? It would be great if it were as easy as finding an 'open sta-kon terminal' to just plug into, but it's not likely THAT easy....is it ?

Gary

 

There is exposed metal on the top of every fuse at each end. Use a meter or 12V tester of some sort from one contact to ground with the engine OFF and while running to determine if you have 12V.

 

When you find a circuit in your fuse-box, your friendly auto-parts store will have a fuse-tap to connect a wire to the fuse for that circuit.

Here's one on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Wirthco-30001-.../dp/B000CQBNFI

 

That's cool! I've been soldering my own for 20 years. Those would sure be handy and a lot easier! Never seen one in person, but now I know they exist!
Thanks.

 

Soldering/shrink-wrap is still my first choice for permanent changes, but not everyone knows how to do that.

IMO, these are a step up from the crimp connections tho.

 

Yep. I found them at my local NAPA store last weekend, & it works great ! The 'spare' fuses do, indeed, connect to 'spare' circuit taps.

Gary