JameyWelch@freightliner.com wrote:
: I am going to be installing a secondary fuse panel for some future
: modifications and had a few quick questions.
:
: 1. Where would be the best place, besides the battery, to get continual
: power from. I don't mind splicing wires as I have the tools to do so,
: but I don't know where the best place to get continual power from.
For wiring in an additional fuse panel, the only place I would
consider drawing power from is the battery. Add up the amperage of
all of the accessories you plan to use (if you're not sure of the
future use, just go worst case scenario and multiply the number of
slots in your new fuse box times 30-40 amps, or 50 amps if you want
to go a bit overkill.) A Google search will tell you what gauge of
wire you need to handle that total current; run that wire directly
from the battery to the fuse panel.
: 2. Where would be the best location to get accessory power from, that
: is, power that is only on when the key is in the accessory or run
: position.
I would again run a line directly from the battery (if you've
already run a constant 12v line from your battery for the aux. fuse
panel, you can probably just tie into that, but without knowing
exactly what your plans are, I can't say for sure.) For the circuits
you would like to be switched (they see +12v only when the key is on),
use a relay (or relays, depending on current rating). A simple SPST
relay will work just fine; it will switch the constant 12v to the
"accessory" circuits. Make sure that the relay is rated for the current
your accessories will draw through it. Trigger it using any convenient
source of switched power. For example the ignition wire, or the +12v
line of the cigarette lighter. (Probe around a bit with a multimeter to
find a switched source.) This way you don't pull the actual power for
your accessories from these circuits (which is generally a bad idea
since it is easy to overload them), all the existing circuit needs to
do is to power an extremely low current draw relay, which provides the
actual +12v power directly from the battery to your accessories.
: 3. The O/D off button on the end of the gear selector is sticking very
: badly and I was thinking of rewiring the switch to an on/off toggle
: switch mounted on the underside of the dash. Where is the wire that
: controls this and what color/number is the wire?
It might just need to be disassembled and cleaned; I'd check that out
first before cutting into the wiring. If the button is indeed broken,
I'd check at the dealer to see how much a new one costs (as was suggested
by somebody else), or visit a junkyard for a replacement. If you do end
up wiring up your own switch, the posts from some other DMLers saying that
it needs to be a momentary switch are correct; you'll need to use either
a momentary pushbutton or a toggle switch that returns to center/off.
: 4. Without using a vacuum gauge, is there anyway to tell if the lower
: intake gasket is blown? If so how do I do it, if not, how do I tell?
Yep, here ya go: http://archives.dakota-truck.net/0603/0481.html
--
-Jon-
.- Jon Steiger --- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
| 67 Dodge Coronet, 70 Plymouth Barracuda, 76 Peugeot TSA |
| 78 Dodge B100, 90 Dodge Dakota Convertible, 92 Dodge Ram 4x4 |
| 96 Dodge Dakota, 96 Suzuki Intruder 1400, 96 Kolb FireFly |
| 99 Jeep Cherokee 4x4, 01 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD |
`--------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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