Power for uhf radio install?

[Wilson1]

Hi All,
Have done searches' over the forum and haven't found a simple answer.

I will be installing a uhf radio in the cab soon and am looking for the easiest to access power source. The easiest I can think of is the electric brake controllers power feed which isn't acc switched but easy to access.

Any ideas guys and girls?

[vladguan]

Hi All,
Have done searches' over the forum and haven't found a simple answer.

I will be installing a uhf radio in the cab soon and am looking for the easiest to access power source. The easiest I can think of is the electric brake controllers power feed which isn't acc switched but easy to access.

Any ideas guys and girls?

Go to Jaycar and get a mini add a circuit fuse tap and a suitably rated mini blade fuse for the radio.

Find an acc fuse in the cabin fuse box and pull it out. Put it into the lower slot of the fuse tap and put the new fuse into the top slot and then insert the fuse tap into the empty acc fuse slot. Finally, connect the tail of the fuse tap to the radio +ve and ground it's -ve.

[aussieintas]

+1 to the tap add a fuse from Jaycar etc......cheap and easy to use.

[vladguan]

From memory, fuse 9 is ACC fuse.

[Wilson1]

Go to Jaycar and get a mini add a circuit fuse tap and a suitably rated mini blade fuse for the radio.

Find an acc fuse in the cabin fuse box and pull it out. Put it into the lower slot of the fuse tap and put the new fuse into the top slot and then insert the fuse tap into the empty acc fuse slot. Finally, connect the tail of the fuse tap to the radio +ve and ground it's -ve.

Cheers Vlad, good call, that will work perfectly.
Thanks for the help!

[Racer17]

For anyone doing an install in the center console.
Under the console you can easily splice into the cigarette lighter cable for ACC.

[_jp_]

For anyone doing an install in the center console.
Under the console you can easily splice into the cigarette lighter cable for ACC.

This is what I used for mine.

[vladguan]

I prefer to use a fuse tap and only splice when absolutely necessary, liked to get the dash illumination power for my switches.

[pajeromack]

I don't like splicing cables, I would use a fuse tap.
UHF radios only transmit at 5W, so your draw shouldn't be higher than an amp.

[Pajshomoneroguntero]

I don't like splicing cables, I would use a fuse tap.
UHF radios only transmit at 5W, so your draw shouldn't be higher than an amp.

Agree. I think my GME uses a 3A inline fuse. I used the add-a-fuse and tapped into fuse 9, middle row third from left, on the driver's panel as Vlad mentioned.

[fazza513]

Following advice here, I used a fuse tap. Very easy for this newbie. I used position 10 in mine as it was not used in my NW and only comes in when ACC at ignition (which is what I wanted).

I chopped out the inline fuse that came with my UHF and used a matching micro fuse in the tap. If something went wrong I didn't want to have to fossick around finding the inline fuse when on a trip.

fazza

[Amok]

Thanks for the info about the fuse taps in this thread! I was mucking around for ages last night trying to find a good wire to solder into.

Got a $5 fuse tap from Jaycar today and tapped the cig lighter fuse, saves heaps of time and hassle. Much easier than trying to solder in the drivers footwell.

My GME UHF is now up and running.

[James Webster]

Sorry for the Noob question but where did you pick up the negative from.....thanks in advance

[vladguan]

Sorry for the Noob question but where did you pick up the negative from.....thanks in advance

There are a few ground bolts in the cabin. One on the driver's kick panel, one in the passenger kick panel and one under the glove box.