Additional video on this topic. *Anatomy of An Automotive Fuse Tap* ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YNc0FfeL6rw.html 🔷Most fuse taps come with a 16 awg or 14 awg wire (smaller wire awg number is a bigger wire which can carry more current) to supply power to the new accessory. The awg wire size / gauge will be a limiting factor as to the max amperage that can be supplied safely via this fuse tap. In most cases, this means a 10 amp fuse is likely to be the maximum fuse amp rating you can use for the new accessory. If the wire from the fuse tap is quite long, the maximum fuse amp rating may be reduced even further. 🔷If you need to add a high amp draw power circuit to supply power to a new accessory, you may want to consider using a fuse tap to supply power to a switched power relay (with a fuse in the relay or in the other power circuit where the relay gets the power for the new accessory). The fuse tap power (switched power or switched with RAP) can supply power to the control side of the new relay. When the fuse tap supplies power to the relay, the relay closes the circuit and the relay then supplies power to the new accessory from the power source the relay is connected to with an appropriately sized fuse and wire awg being used for that power circuit. 🔷At 5:43 in the video I mentioned that you need to have the ignition switch in the appropriate position to make sure it provides the required power type (switched, switched with RAP or unswitched). To find a switched power fuse socket, you must start off with the ignition switch off and locate the candidate fuse sockets that don't have power, then turn on the ignition switch to see if the fuse socket does receive power at that point. If you need a switched power with RAP capabilities fuse socket, you would need to turn off the ignition switch leaving the retained accessory power feature still active and then test the fuse socket again to make sure it was providing that type of power.
Thank you for your suggestions, they are very helpful.. Not only BlackVue B-124X battery pack does not provide Low-profile Mini fuse taps with the battery , but also in the user manual does not talk about as to what gauge of low profile mini fuse tap one should buy separately... There are different websites selling low profile mini fuse taps, but all of them have different awg... for example: BlackVue provided fuse taps(Ato, Micro2 & Mini) have this awg: 14awg 600v 1015 105'c awm other seller #1: 16awg 600v 1015 105'c awm (low profile mini fuse taps) other seller #2: 18awg 600v 1015 105'c awm (low profile mini fuse taps) Gauge - depicts the amounts of load/current a wire can handle safely.. could you tell me, what gauge of a low profile mini fuse tap i should get....out of these three given below 14 gauge fuse tap wire can safely transmit 15-18 amps 16 gauge fuse tap wire can safely transmit 10-13 amps 18 gauge fuse tap wire can safely transmit 7-10 amps In my vehicle's interior fuse box, these are the switched accessory fuses I found.. would you please help locating a fuse that is not critical to the power... can't figure out which one is the right one.. 1) [20A - WIP RR(RearWIndowWiper)], 2) [10A-EPS IG], 3) [15A-WASHER RR(RearWindowWasher)], 4) [20A-WASHER(WinshieldWasher)], 5) [10A-ECU IG NO.3], 6) [10A-HTR-IG(AirConditionSystem)], 7) [7.5A-GUAGE NO.2(Guages&Meters,MultiInformationSystem)], 8) [15A- S-HTR FL(SeatHeaterLeftSide)], 9) [15A- S-HTR FR(SeatHeaterRightSide)], 10) [15A- P/VENT(PowerQuarterWindows)], 11) [7.5A- WIP ECU(WindshieldWiper&RearWindowWiper)], 12) [15A- STRG HTR], Thank You for all your help..
The wire gauge (awg) governs two factors - amperage it can carry for a particular distance. I would recommend getting the lowest awg value possible. A lower awg number is a thicker wire that can handle higher current loads. Of the three mentioned, the 14 awg can carry the most current/amps for the longest distance. The fuse sockets you listed have a few potential sockets that can be used. Stay away from any fuse socket that supplies power to an "... ECU". The "EPS IG" fuse appears to be for the electric power steering so stay away from that one. Any of the "SeatHeater....." fuse sockets might be a fuse socket that can be used. The "STRG HTR" fuse socket looks like a heated steering wheel so it too is a decent candidate. All of the heater fuse sockets have a 15A fuse in them so the max fuse I would recommend is a 15 amp fuse for the new accessory (B-124X). This is assuming there are no empty fuse sockets available in the fuse box that have switched power.
@@RetroCarGuy530sorry for bugging you with questions... Just noticed that I Do not have Heated Seats in my vehicle, but there are already fuses(15A fuse in each slots) for them in my interior fuse box. just wondering why these fuses r there when my cloth seats have no such options or buttons to turn them on on my dashboard/instrument panel.. As per your suggestion and as far as the orientation of fuse taps go, S-HTR FL & S-HTR FR are both viable candidate for tapping fuses into them without blocking fuse box cover in the way... Since i have heated seat fuses 15A each & they are not operational (No Current Draw).. so Should I go with 15A fuse(Bottom Slot of the fuse tap) WITH 10A? OR 15A? or 20A? (Top Slot of the fuse taps)... Thank You!!
Sorry I didn't reply sooner, RU-vid doesn't present replies to comments in a manner that is easy to see. If there is a fuse in the fuse socket, it would suggest that something is being powered by the power from that fuse. It is certainly possible that those fuses/fuse sockets are leftovers from a version of that vehicle with the seat heaters. The "safest" approach would be to put the 15A fuse in the bottom slot of the fuse tap and up to a 10A fuse for the new accessory powered by the fuse tap. I like to limit the max draw from a blade fuse style fuse socket to 25 amps (some say 30A is ok). If you're 100 percent sure there is nothing being powered by the pre-existing 15A fuse or fuses, you could simply leave the 15A fuse out of the bottom socket of the fuse tap and you could in theory put up to a 20A fuse in the top slot (if the fuse tap and other wiring to the accessory will support 20 amps). There are three main factors that go into the max fuse amperage size for the new accessory (amperage already supplied by the fuse socket, wire gauge of fuse tap and wiring to the new accessory including its ground wiring and the length of the wiring used for the new accessory). If you haven't watched my FAQ video I created in the past week or so, you might want to check that out where I try to identify the questions / answers that one needs to figure out when trying to size the max fuse amperage size for a fuse tap. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html I hope this answers your questions.
Damn, finally. I’ve been trying to figure out for days what to do with the lower portion of the fuse tap, since the fuse box socket had no original fuse. Thanks man, great work!
Thanks for explaining the difference between tapping into a fuse that’s already there and tapping into a open slot that may have power and how not to put a fuse in the bottom of using a open slot. I couldn’t really find information on that.
Amazing video. I think most of people (me included) thought the add-a-fuse could go either way while orientation is key. Otherwise you will have both devices on the lower fuse shoulders and likely to blow. My tip to check the orientation (might be easier). Plug the add-a-fuse ONLY with the top fuse inserted (leave the bottom slot empty). Plug it in. If you have 12 output from the red cable you are good. Otherwise you need to twist the add-a-fuse upside down. Once orientation is correct add the bottom fuse if needed. Should make sense.
This has come up a few times in the comments since I released this video in Dec 2019. I totally agree with your recommendation. I've updated the video's description section with this approach and there's a brief demonstration of this method at 11:00 in the video where I'm testing for power, but that was after testing with the 1/2 fuse. Thanks for the suggestion!
Best video about this and it’s not even close! You’ve earned my like and subscription for prompt responses to ALL of your viewers you really are amazing
This is literally the only video I could find that actually left me feeling confident by the end. The density of knowledge here spares no expense to the thoroughness of it. Thank you, you got me over a major hurdle here.
I have watched dozens of videos about fuse taps. Yours is the most concise, logical and easy to understand. Thank you for posting this excellent presentation.
The fuses can be inserted in either direction in the fuse tap. The fuse tap is the only part that requires that it be inserted into the fuse socket in the correct direction. It's very important to get the power from the fuse socket supplied to the left leg of the fuse tap since that is the side of the fuse tap that supplies power directly to both fuse sockets within the fuse tap.
I would suggest to not use the fuel pump fuse for an amplifier (or any other accessory). Why I say that is the fuel pump is a critical system of your vehicle and I recommend against using a fuse tap in a socket that is obtaining its power from a module, sending its power to a module or critical system. This is to be a as safe as possible to not introduce a problem by adding a fuse tap to the circuits for those types of critical systems. I would also assume the amplifier might pull a non trivial amount of amps as well. In my FAQ video, I discuss more in depth about my 25 amp maximum for the original max power draw (fuse amp rating) along with the amps for the new accessory. This is the link to that FAQ video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html
YES, this is the video! To all of the people who had already watched several other tutorials on fuse tapping and still have questions. This video will answer all of them👍
This is a well done video. Thought out well and is very easy to understand. I have a Amp for a speaker system. I went into it to make a few gain adjustments and found that the Alpin light on the Amp has been on, charged, for 6 years. I did find the proper fuse that only foes on when the ignition is turned on. all is well now. TY. Never knew they had piggy back fuses ...:)
Great info on this video. many thanks! Question: Are there any available tapping fixtures for J-case and M-case cartridge female terminal fuses? Thanks again.
I have not come across any J-Case or M-Case fuse taps. If the accessory's power demands are beyond that of a blade style fuse and fuse tap, then you might consider using a blade fuse tap to supply the control circuit power to a relay that would then supply power of sufficient amperage to the accessory.
@@RetroCarGuy530 Thanks so much for your quick response. I'm gonna try to AC compressor relay. Seems all fuse points are all time hot in my truck (2017 F150 lariat). Haven't tried w relays so far but i see no other option. Thanks again.
The lower fuse socket in the fuse tap holder is for the original fuse in the fuse box fuse socket (if one is present at all). The upper fuse socket in the fuse tap holder is where the fuse for the new accessory is to be placed. Never install a fuse in the upper fuse socket of the fuse tap that grossly exceeds what the new device/accessory requires. If the new device/accessory only requires 1 amp (or slightly under 1 amp like most dash cameras) then the fuse for the new device/accessory should be in the 2.5 or 3 amp range. The fuse is to protect the circuitry (wires) and the device so never use too large of an amp rating for that fuse. There are 1 amp fuses, but I've found that the precision of 1 amp fuses is not as good as one would hope. A very general rule of thumb is that electrical circuits/wires providing the power to the fuse box fuse sockets have the ability to handle an additional amp load of about 10% more than the fuse in that fuse box fuse socket. That extra capacity is a built in safety margin for those circuits. That means a fuse socket with a 10 amp fuse will most likely be able to handle an additional 10 percent (or 1 amp) of load. For the dash camera example where it can consume up to 1 amp (for the 12-volt supply for the dash camera), you should find a fuse box fuse socket that already has a 10 amp or higher amp fuse in the fuse box fuse socket. That way if both the original device/accessory that is powered by that fuse box fuse socket reaches its full amp draw of 10 amps, there should still be around 1 amp of extra capacity available to handle the extra load of the new device/accessory. If there's a 20 amp fuse box fuse socket and you need 1 amp for the new device/accessory, that leaves a little extra breathing room (capacity) for that circuit. To know if a fuse box fuse socket can provide more than the 10% extra amp load capacity (again a general assumption), you would have to have wiring schematics and knowledge of how power is routed within the fuse box to make an informed decision that more than 10% of the original load was available for the new device/accessory. Without that additional insight into the wiring and fuse box internals, never assume that more than 10 percent of the original fuse amp rating is available for the new device using a fuse tap.
So I have a VIOFO a139 dash cam with hardwire kit and fuse tap,fuse tap already has a 3amp fuse.if I have an unused fuse slot,that would be ok to use as long as there’s power?also will I need to put another fuse in the empty fuse tap with the 3amp?
A dash camera is a low power demand device so that’s why they’ve supplied the 3 amp fuse. If the fuse box fuse socket is unoccupied and it provides the power required, then yes you should be able to use that fuse box fuse socket. The rule is that if the fuse box fuse socket did not have a fuse in it before installing the fuse tap, the fuse tap should only have a fuse in the top fuse socket of the fuse tap leaving the lower fuse socket of the fuse tap empty.
I know this video is a year old now but I wanted to say thank you. I've hardwired many things in the past but never with a "tap a fuse". I hardwired a dash cam with motion sensor and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. I had one of the "tap a fuse" facing a different direction than the other for wire tidiness reasons. After seeing this video I slapped my forehead. Duh of course the power is only coming from one side or the fuses would be pointless. Thank you for saving my sanity.
Thanks for a great video and for taking the time. I need to add a fuse tap to supply as much as 20A to a power window circuit. I will be abandoning the original wire because it has an open. Where can I get a fuse tap that is rated for up to 20A for the add on circuit because all I seem to be able to find are ones with a #16awg wire and 10A maximum rating? I guess I'd need one with a #14awg wire? Thank you.
The blade style fuse taps that I can find all have 16 awg or at best 14 awg wire. One fuse tap with 14 awg claims to support up to 30 amps, but that would only be for short distances (4 feet or less). Some research I did a while back about wire gauge and max amp loads suggested that a 14 awg wire could carry 20 amps for up to 6 feet. A 12 awg wire could carry 20 amps for up to 10 feet and a 10 awg wire could carry 20 amps for up 14 feet. It also depends on what fuse type you need, but here's an affiliate link of mine to a ATM/Mini fuse tap with 14 awg wire: amzn.to/3CyTLKY There are inline fuse holders with 10 awg and 12 awg, but you'll need to source the power (I assume switched / accessory power) for that from a relay. Although, finding a relay wiring pigtail with thicker wire is difficult too. The relays usually can support up to 30 amps, but the wiring pigtails tend to have 16 or 14 awg wires as well. I wish I could help with a specific solution to your question. I hope this helps in some way.
@@mikeestrada933 the limiting factor is the 16 or 14 awg wire from the fuse tap as well as making sure the fuse socket the fuse tap is plugged into can provide the 10 amps required. If the length of the entire wire run from the fuse tap to the device and from the device through its ground wire (yes including the ground wire) is no more than 6 feet (16 awg fuse tap wire) or 12 feet (14 awg fuse tap wire), then in my opinion you should be able to do it. The 6 feet (16 awg fuse tap wire) and 12 feet (14 awg fuse tap wire) are the max lengths that a circuit made up entirely of that wire gauge should be able to handle 10 amps based on some very conservative electrical automotive wire amperage charts I've used in the past. I'm not a fan of using a thicker wire in part of a circuit than the thinnest wire in that circuit. It gives anyone that comes after you the impression the entire circuit is made up of that thicker gauge wire which will give the false impression that the circuit could potentially handle more amps than it truly can.
If a device requires 10 amps to operate, that's the power level I start thinking about using a relay to power the new accessory. A fuse tap is a great way to get power to operate circuits that don't demand to much more from the circuit the fuse tap is plugged into in the fuse box. Here's another approach you might want to consider: A four terminal relay can be used to supply switched ignition power as well. Relay terminal #30 of the relay would be connected directly to the vehicle's battery with an inline 10 amp fuse (in this example) to protect that circuit. Relay terminal #87 would be connected to the new accessory to supply the power to the new device/accessory. Relay terminals #85 and #86 are used to control the relay (on / off). A fuse tap can be used to source the switched power to control the relay. The power required to power the control side of relay is usually well under 1 amp making it an excellent candidate for being used with a fuse tap power source to run the control side of the relay. Most relay wiring charts show terminal #86 is connected to the switched power source (from the fuse tap) and terminal #85 is connected to ground. This moves the higher power demand for the new device/accessory directly to the battery (using proper gauge wire and inline fuse) and the power demands on the fuse box power circuit the fuse tap is installed into is very minimal. I've used the relay wiring approach when I've installed dash camera battery packs into my vehicles. One of them requires 9 amps (directly wired to the car) or 5 amps when using the power port adapter. To allow it to charge more quickly, I hardwire the power input for the dash camera battery pack, but I use a four terminal relay to supply that power.
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Hi i love the video. Very informative. I have a project that id like to do that i didnt know i needed to do. After buying 2 led lighted usb cables to use for powering my phones from connections in my center console. I learned that unlike the usb port, which shuts power when ignition is off.. my center consoled 12v cigarette lighter does not.. power continues to flow to the 12v cigarette lighter so im looking to somehow get my 12v cigarette lighter shut off when the ignition is off... Kinda like the usb port does. Any suggestions on how to do this specifically? Any videos thst covers this particular prroblem? I saw a video using a AAF holder and 2 fuses in an ignition switched socket and the AAF holder wire going to the the 12v unswitched socket tapped using that sliver of metal taped/shrink wrapped to a broken or blown fuse. Not sure if this is safe or correct and if it is not sure what side the metal silver tap connected to the burnt/broken fuse in the unswitched 12v socket .. the hot side or the unpowered side? Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated
You can achieve something like you want using one of two methods. Both methods require the same method of sourcing power from the fuse box fuse socket that has switched/accessory power. Sourcing Switched/Accessory Power: I would suggest finding a fuse box fuse socket with a 15 to 30 amp fuse in it already to act as the power source. You don't want to overload the fuse box fuse socket that is providing the power so make sure the original power load of the fuse box fuse socket and the additional load for the two LED lighted USB cables will not exceed the capacity of that fuse box fuse socket. Pick a fuse box fuse socket that does not provide power to a critical system or module in the car. You place the original fuse box fuse into the lower fuse socket of the fuse tap and the upper fuse socket of the fuse tap would have a fuse sized appropriately to the power required for the two LED lighted power cables Option One - Sending Power to Fuse Socket For Cigarette Lighter: You could connect the wires of the first fuse tap providing the power to a second fuse tap sending the power to the cigarette lighter socket. The power coming in the wire on the second fuse tap would be sent through the upper fuse in that fuse tap and down the left leg of the fuse tap. You would leave the bottom fuse socket of this fuse tap empty. You must identify the side of the fuse box fuse socket that does not have power and that's the side of the fuse socket you plug the left leg of the second fuse tap. Option Two - Sending Power to Fuse Socket For Cigarette Lighter: Instead of using a second fuse tap as noted in option one, you would find a male spade connector of the correct size that matches the thickness/width of the style of fuses used in the fuse box. You would connect the male spade connector to the wire coming out of the first fuse tap. You would insert that male spade connector to the side of the fuse box fuse socket for the cigarette lighter socket that does not have power. The power provided by the first fuse tap will be fed to the cigarette lighter socket.
11 месяцев назад
@@RetroCarGuy530hi sorry for the delay in responding. But based on my learning and understanding from RU-vid videos and your very precise instructions I still wasn't able to get this to work. Here is my 2023 Mazda cx5 fuse box layout. 3rd down top left is 25a 12v label. From another video I saw using 2016 Mazda cx5 the fuse box layout was somewhat similar (12v 3rd down from top left) and he selected the bottom most fuse to tap (switched fuse) this is his video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FRz8nWmWvp0.htmlsi=LcldBJa8JidShO1A Since the fuse box layouts were somewhat similar (except the fuses have increased was 15a & 7.5a back in 2016 now my 2023 Mazda it's 25a & 15a) I used the same "UTILITY" fuse socket which is "SWITCHED" to insert/house the fuse tap holder with the orig 15a fuse in the bottom slot and a 25a fuse in the top slot adjacent to the wire. Ran the wire to the "UNSWITCHED" cigarette lighter fuse socket (3rd down from the top on left) and inserted into the cigarette lighter fuse socket (3rd down from top left) a male Spade connector along with a live un-blown 25a fuse into the side of the fuse socket that does not have power. My result no change.. still with the engine off ... Lighted USB phone charging cable remains illuminated and does not turn off as I would hope. I'm not sure if I followed your instructions precisely enough but it seems to me (as a non electrical guy) that the male Spade wedged into the non-powered side of the cigarette lighter fuse socket can't due what it's intended to do (get power) from the alternate fuse box socket so long as the 25a fuse in the cigarette lighter fuse box socket is live/not blown/not-broken etc. Am I missing something in your instructions? Please advise P.S. I sent you a pic of my car fusebox layout via DM on IG. And just as an FYI.. I believe I tried to follow your option#2
10 месяцев назад
Thank you so much! I want to thank you again for all your help. You were right and I have only you to thank for finding me the interior fuse box layout guide that you sent me.. that along with your comprehensive, logical, very detailed and knowledgeable instructions I was able to get the project done ! YAY. Fuse #9 was the one under the ac under the dashboard that shuts off with the ignition and #11 was the 1st rear cigarette lighter (center glove compartment) the one I was trying to fix that was UNSWITCHED. I put the tap on #9 with the hot side on the correct leg and male Spade connector on non power side of fuse #11 and it all worked. Thank you again for finding that fusebox socket guide and sending it to me. Your the best! .
Thank you for the informative video. I have one dumb question...where is your black probe connected from your multimeter when testing for available power?
You connect the black probe / ground connector to an available ground point or a bolt / screw connected to the body of the vehicle or bare piece of metal and that should give you a grounding point for the test.
by far the most informative video, the visual demonstration is easy to follow (everything focuses correctly!) for beginners like me. Thank you so much for teaching!
Super helpful explanation of how to determine which side of the fuse slot has 12v to make sure the tap is oriented correctly. I also learned that fuses have the exposed metal on too for probing. I have never noticed that before!
Rather than cut a fuse in half to create a tiny test probe, why not purposely blow a fuse of any amperage you have on hand you're willing to sacrifice by shorting it on the car battery? Now you won't need to cut the fuse in half and it'll be easier to plug in because it's normal size so you can use the fuse puller to remove. Plus you only need to plug it in once. Both metal taps on the top of the fuse are now accessible for testing. Good video, Explains well how fuse taps work and how to properly hook them up.
Hey there so I cut my DC12v extension cable male to female 5.5mm x 2.1mm (The male plugs into my 10w LED Light box) I cut the female end off and I was expecting 2 prong red and black wires but there was 2 prong red and white wires ? Did I buy the wrong extension cable or something ?
I have no way of stating one way or another whether that extension cable is the correct one or not for your LED light box. I would suggest using a multimeter to check which wire / color connects to which part of the male connector. That way you should know which color wire in the extension cable is for power (likely red) and which is the ground wire. That assumes you have documentation of which connector/pin on the light box end is power and ground.
Sorry it's hard to explain without pictures. So I have this : 10w Light box with female port built in 1m Power cable with male port and 12v cigarette lighter port on other end I want to hardwire this lightbox to my car by using a fuse tap instead of having cables running across my car and having my cigarette port used up so I want to make my own modified wiring I bought a 3m Power cable extention 5.5mm x 2.1mm male to female (CCTV / LED/DVR/PSU) So I can plug the male end into the light box Then the female end which would be the cigarette lighter port I cut off and I am left with 2 wires Red and White (I expected Red and Black) I wired the fuse tap > red wire White wire > SPST switch > Ground eyelet (to metal chasis) And the red / white wire is still connected on the male end which plugs into the Lightbox. Is it possible to email you some photos to help explain
Most of the time, red and black wire colors are used for a power cable, but the company that made the 3m extension cable may not follow that convention. I did find a few barrel connector cables on a LED website with a red / white wire combo. I would suggest checking which part of the original barrel connector that is part of the cigarette power adapter provides the positive/ground. Test using a multimeter. I tested an AC-to-DC 12-volt power adapter I have in my office and the center was the +12 volts and the outer part of the barrel connector was the ground. When I had it reversed from what was provided by the power adapter the voltage showed a -12 volts and when I had the red/positive multimeter lead on the positive power connector the multimeter showed a +12 volts. Using the +/- voltage indicator will help you get the correct leads from the multimeter on the correct connector of the barrel connector. Use a multimeter to map out the power on the original power adapter for your LED light box. Next, confirm which wire has continuity to which part of the barrel connector on the new 3m extension cable. White = Outer part / Red = Center - or - Red = Outer part / White = Center Then you'll know which wire should get the +12 volts from the fuse tap and which one should be connected to your SPST switch / ground. I hope that helps.
Thank you so much for your time and reply, This is way over my head all I want is a simple Ground eye/fork > Spst switch > negative wire > Negative wire on 2.1mm x 5.5mm male jack Fuse Tap > Positive Wire on 2.1mm x 5.5mm Male Jack 2.1mm x 5.5mm male jack plugs into LED Lightbox and hey presto! Simple in theory but in practice i cant stop worrying if its correct Im about to lose my mind spent over 18 hours today on this its driving me up the wall I have wired it as if the red was positive and the white wire in the extention was negative If this is wrong will my car blow up? Can I pay someone to create a safe harness for me ?
I've never used a fuse tap and just assumed you would just plug it in and go but I never thought about orienting it for the power to always go through the fuse for the fuse to do its job. Makes perfect sense. I'm glad I watched this video.
Which one of the four common fuse types does your vehicle use? I show them at 02:01 in the video. Based on my findings, you would likely need the low profile mini fuse tap to work with your Honda Fit.
I have an 02 s500, best car in the world, but yeah if you cant source parts or do ALL your own work on one of the most complicated cars even today, then its a horrible idea. I work for mercedes and id say im crazy for what ive done to mine, how kuch tome and money ive put into restoring it and upgrading it...🤦🏾♂️😬 I got it suuuper. Cheap and it was hella neglected so ohwell but im forsure at least like 3x what i got it for😅👀💀
What a superb video. Great step by step explanations with detailed close ups of the procedures needed to perform this task. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This helped me.
Thank you. You have cleared up most of my questions but two. 1. How do you know the wiring behind the fuse socket can sufficiently carry the current for both devices? 2. If you happen to find an active empty position, again, how can you be sure you will not overload the wiring there? Thanks again. Lance
The power bar that blade style fuse connects to on the back side of the fuse socket (inside of the fuse box) are capable of carrying a decent amount of current/amperage. There are times that even the vehicle manufacturer will overtax the current draw on the power bar for a portion of a fuse box. I had a 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 that had just that situation and FCA issued a recall to have a couple of fuses / circuits moved from one fuse bar to a different fuse bar within the fuse box. The only sure way to not exceed the available power on the fuse bar(s) within the fuse box sockets is to have a full understanding of which fuse sockets are tied to which fuse bars within the fuse box and how many amps are available on each fuse bar. That is not something that is usually available from a vehicle manufacturer. Most (if not all) vehicle manufacturers will not look favorably on the customer adding a fuse tap to any fuse socket in the vehicle. That's why I strongly suggest that the fuse socket must source its power directly from the battery or from a switched battery power source to be assured of sufficient power. It is possible that a fuse socket in a fuse box can obtain its power from a module within the vehicle (like the body control module - BCM). You don't want to select a fuse socket that is sourced from a module or supplies power to a module since those type of fuse sockets will often be sensitive to the amount of power present or consumed via that fuse socket. For example, the BCM provides power to a large number of items / accessories in the vehicle like the interior lights of the passenger compartment. There will be a fuse in a fuse box (likely inside of the passenger compartment) for those items that receive power from the BCM. Adding a fuse tap to a fuse socket that sources its power from the BCM, may place too much of a load on that circuit from the BCM and it may cause issues with the thing being powered by the BCM or the BCM itself. A fuse tap is also limited in the amount of amps it can safely supply as well since the wire gauge (awg) of the wire coming out from the fuse tap will often be limited to 10 to 15 amps max. Blade style fuses range in amp ratings from 1 amp to 30 amps. Fuse sockets that need to supply more amps are often a different style of fuse (not a blade style fuse). I have a follow up FAQ video that tries to discuss some of these questions. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html I hope that helps.
Good Vid but, the one question to ask is what is the amp value behind the panel that feeds that circuit ...for light stuff you'll be ok, but if you want to supply a sub panel you need 30A and i don't think any of these taps will handle more than 10A....newer vehicles TIPMs have sensitive solid state boards in the PDP making issues worse. I like to always in stall 2 fused sub panels one full/hot and one run/Acc, this makes future add-ons a breeze, but it needs to be done properly.
Excellent information and product. I want to hard wire my trailer camera monitor as well as my dash cam because, who the heck still uses cigarette lighters for power except to charge our cells. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for this. Was trying to install a hardwire for a dashcam in the interior fuse box of a 2022 honda accord and I have blown 2 multi block fuses when just using a test light probe to find which side the power was on. The second time I was very careful, but once I touch one side of the contact, it arced. Not sure what I'm doing wrong but I like the idea of using the half fuse for a testing.
The fuse tap just looks like a bit of a bodge job. I want to make one of the spare slots look like the factory ones - how are they wired from the back and how would one do that for a new circuit?
Glad you liked it! I show an alternative approach in another fuse tap video on my channel where I use the entire fuse in the upper fuse tap fuse socket. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YNc0FfeL6rw.html
I'm glad it helped! I created a couple of additional videos to help further/better explain this topic. Anatomy of An Automotive Fuse Tap: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YNc0FfeL6rw.html FAQs - How To - Adding a Fuse Tap to Your Vehicle: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html
My # 1 fuse slot in my van which is labeled ""horn"", although my horn works, does not have power to either side from in the fuse jack. Can I take the wire from that fuse port and use a fuse jack to power it? Thank you
I like your videos, they are very informative. I do have a question I hope you'd be kind enough to help me with. I am using an Add-A-Fuse tap to power an Amazon Fire Stick. However, the Amazon Fire Stick only requires 5vdc 1.5amp not 12vdc. I have purchased a 5v 3amp(max) transformer with USB 3.0. (1)Can I hook up the Add-A-Fuse then tie the Red(+) wire from the transformer into the add a fuse Red (+), ground the Black (-) wire to the car body and simply put a 1.5amp into the Add-A-Fuse spot? (2)Or because the transformer is 3amp (max) will I have to put a 3 amp fuse in the Add-A-Fuse and then add a 1.5amp line fuse to the end of the Add-A-Fuse and then tie in the transformer 5vdc 3amp(max) transformer. It seems as though option one should work, correct. If it is saying 3amp max it seems there should be no problem running less amperage through it. And hooking up (1) Add-A-Fuse>reinsert existing fuse> insert 1.5amp fuse> wire 5vdc 3amp transformer and bang, correct? thoughts? Thanks
The 5V 3amp (max) rating of the transformer equals 15 Watts. Converting the 15W load to 12V equals 1.25 amps. There might be a spike in the load when the unit is first turned on, so a 1.5A or 2A fuse in the fuse tap would seem appropriate (option 1).
Please recommend - a link to a Fuse Tap Kit 4:52; the diagram now makes it clear to me how things should go. I've created a screen shot of the diagram on my computer for future reference & printed out the screenshot. I'm considering hard-wiring a dashcam. Yes, I've subscribed & rang the notification bell. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada
I'm glad you found the video helpful. There are a large number of fuse taps available, that I don't have one particular one/brand to suggest. If you search Amazon you should find some for your purpose. Just make sure you know what fuse type your fuse box contains, so you know the correct type of fuse tap to purchase.
OK so my cigarette lighter fuse under my hood burnt up and melted the spot where the fuse goes because(I'm guessing).. I had one of the defroster heater things plugged into my cigarette lighter instead of the the 12 bolt power outlet? Or because that heater thing is just a piece of garbage? Not sure... however, I need to reroute that fuse to an empty fuse port on the panel... what if I don't have a empty fuse port that has power to it??
If the fuse box melted around the fuse socket for that cigarette lighter (aka called a power port), then it's likely the fuse installed in that fuse socket was not the correct amp rating for the wiring and/or power demands of that cigarette lighter port. There could be other reasons and other damage in that fuse box, but it's impossible to tell without an in person inspection of the wiring and the fuse box. If you can find an unused fuse box fuse socket that provides the type of power (switched or unswitched) you might be able to use a fuse tap in that fuse socket. But please be aware that a fuse tap is limited in the amount of amps it can supply due to the wire gauge of the wire coming out of the fuse tap. Most of the time the wire gauge is 14 awg or 16 awg which greatly limits the amps that can be safely delivered over that wire and the length of the wire also impacts that (as discussed in my FAQ fuse tap video). A fuse tap cannot provide more than 10 or 15 amps max due to the wire gauge limitation. The other approach to supply higher amp power is to use a relay with a direct connection to the battery (with an inline fuse to protect that circuit) and a fuse tap can be used to supply power to the control circuit of the relay. I discuss that in my FAQ video as well. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html
Awesome video! Thank you so much! I do have a question in regards to adding something to the fuse. In this case i have an under glow kit, the kit has a positive and negative wire, how to i add that to a use like you showed? Thanks so much for your videos! I’m a subscriber now.
The fuse tap is used to obtain positive power for the new device/accessory and the negative/ground wire from the device/accessory is connected to a ground point at or near the new device/accessory. The location to connect the negative/ground wire from the device/accessory could be any pre-existing vehicle ground point (a bolt or stud where other ground wires are already connected). Any metal location on the body/frame of the vehicle can serve as a ground connection point as well if you can get a clean/bare metal connection at that location. I hope that helps.
I'm 100% more knowledgeable about this now, thank you. However, I'm still a dunce on this topic, mostly from lack of experience. I intend to use this information to install some marker lights by tapping them into the DRLs so that they turn on together. Is this more or less the same concept for that application?
Yes, the concept is the same. If you want marker lights on all of the time the taillights are on, then using the DRL power may not necessarily achieve your goal. I'm assuming the fuse for the DRL lights/feature is only powered during the day when the headlamps are off. You may want to see if there is a taillight fuse to source your power from for your new marker lights. Just a thought.
Hi I have question. I want to power supply 12v for remote cable from active subwoofer alpine SWE-815. But don't know how big fuse I should use? I want to install adapter in cigarette socket if I don't find any other free hole with ignition power.
I cannot state how many amps a subwoofer will require to operate. It’s best to review the labels on the subwoofer itself or any product documentation to see if a maximum amp value is stated. The other approach would be use observed data such as using an amp clamp to monitor the startup amp draw along with the continuous amp draw to see what the maximum amp value is for that device.
Thank you! 1. Always a new fuse in the top or wire side for the new accessory. 2. The bottom slot or opposite wire side only for existing fuse. 3. Positive (+) blade on the add-a-fuse is the left or furthest from the wire. Did I understand this correctly?
Great video! Two questions came about. 1) If i am using an existing fuse (5Amp) and placing it into the bottom AAF slot, does the upper AAF slot need to carry the same amperage fuse or can that vary? 2) Can I mix 12 awg and 16 awg between installs - my light pods come with 16 awg, but i will be extending the length with 12 awg, then connecting it to a 16 awg quick disconnect and then back to a 12 awg - the light pod is only 3.5 Amp. Thanks in advance.
Sorry, I didn't see this question before seeing your other question I responded to. RU-vid posts are hard to follow/respond to in volume. The lower fuse socket in the AAF holder is for the original fuse in the fuse box fuse socket (if one is present at all). The upper fuse socket in the AAF holder is where the fuse for the new accessory is to be placed. Never install a fuse in the upper fuse socket of the AAF that grossly exceeds what the new device/accessory requires. In the case of a 30 amp fuse for the wipers, the 30 amp fuse goes in the lower fuse socket of the AAF holder and the light pod fuse (5 amp for the 3.5 amp load) goes in the upper fuse socket of the AAF holder. If the light pod only requires 3.5 amps, the 16 awg wire should be sufficient for its power needs. You can intermix wire gauges AS LONG AS the wire gauge number is lower than (bigger wire) the wire it's being spliced together with in the circuit. Meaning, you should not use a 18 awg or 20 awg wire in that circuit since the larger awg number is a smaller wire. You should also minimize the amount of wire in the circuit. No need for a bunch of extra wire in the circuit. There are a couple of different trains of thought on this topic of using a fuse tap (AAF) to obtain power for a new device/accessory. What I demonstrate in this video is the "in parallel" approach of routing the power through the fuse tap. The power obtained from the fuse box fuse socket is directly routed to both the lower and upper fuse sockets in the fuse tap. There's another approach which would be labeled "in series" power routing approach. That's where the power from the fuse box fuse socket goes up the right leg of the fuse tap, through the lower fuse in the fuse tap and then down the left leg of the fuse tap to the original fuse box fuse socket and it also goes then up to the fuse tap's upper fuse socket. All of the power load runs through the lower fuse in the fuse tap. Which approach is best to use will result in spirited discussions/debates. The "in series" power routing method can be seen as the absolute safest approach, but it may also lead to blowing the original fuse in the lower fuse tap fuse socket since both power loads are being run through the lower fuse. For dash cameras, radar detectors and similar power demanding devices (usually 2 or 3 amps and very often dash cameras use less than 1 amp), the "in parallel" power routing approach is very safe. It will only be adding 2 to 3 or often less than 1 amp to the circuit that is supplying the power to the fuse box fuse socket. I have another video that tries to explain the "in parallel" approach a little more in depth. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YNc0FfeL6rw.html
Help, I'm a little confused. Earlier in your video, you state that it might be unwise to use a "blank" fuse holder (location) as there is probably a good reason that the blank was left there during factory assembly; and it might be wise not to utilize that 'blank'. But, later in the video, you actually use a 'blank' slot, next to one of the Relays, and you were succesful in connecting your new accessory fuse! My new accessory is going to utilize a relay as it needs a high amp draw. I would like to use a 'blank' fuse slot for my new accessory, but I'm concerned that I might otherwise cause some damage to my existing wiring in my truck. Can I use a blank spot for my new fuse tap? Please advise, and thank you for this video. It was very informative.
Using an unused fuse socket is okay especially when you're only requiring a small amount of power (about 100 mA in your case powering the control circuit/side of a relay). My caution about unused fuse box fuse sockets (in the video) is to make sure you do not install a fuse into the lower fuse tap fuse socket when installing a fuse tap into an unused fuse box fuse socket. There's no need for a fuse in the lower fuse tap fuse socket when the fuse box fuse socket did not have a fuse originally. I've seen some fuse tap installations where the installer incorrectly added a fuse to the lower fuse tap fuse socket to get it to "work". They did not check which side of the fuse box fuse socket provided power and when the fuse tap was installed, the new accessory/device/relay did not have power. To "solve" it, they incorrectly added a new fuse to the lower fuse tap fuse socket. That makes the fuse tap power to the new device "work", but now power is being fed back into the fuse box fuse socket load side and depending on how that fuse box is internally wired, there may now be power fed to things that did not have power before adding the fuse tap. If the fuse box fuse socket did not have a fuse before the fuse tap, then no fuse is installed into the lower fuse tap fuse socket. If there was a fuse in the fuse box fuse socket, that fuse is installed into the lower fuse tape fuse socket.
Excellent video!! Question, how do you know what size fuse to add, especially if adding to a blank/ unused slot? I’m looking at connecting x4 3W LED down lights to my roof header of my van. Thanks
If each 12-volt LED light consumes 3 Watts, that converts to 0.25 amps per LED light. A total of four LED lights will consume in the range of 1 amp, so a fuse the 2.5 amp to 5 amp range would seem sufficient.
I too watched multiple videos and multiple web sites with no answer to my questions. THANK YOU , THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! My questions were: 1. Which side is the hot side on a fuse tap. Others glossed over it. You were very precise with pictures and typed out what is what. 2. If I could use only one fuse for the cb add on I wanted to use. 3. That I could use on open slot. And how to use it. Thanks again!
Thank you for making this video. It was very informative. I have one question though. If I were to use a fuse tap in a spare slot, then what amp fuse do I use for the top slot on the fuse tap. The device I'm installing is a dash cam
Most dash cameras consume in the 2 amp to 5 amp range. I would suggest checking the dash camera's documentation to see if there is a specification chart/page that lists its power consumption info. I hope that helps.
Hi on a previous videos i saw someone just pulled out the same amp fuse (15 amp) and plugged in the new one with the cable attached to the 15 amp fuse that came as is with the cables. This means the one 15 amp fuse runs for the new camera and the original 15amp fuse in that box location. Can you do that or do you have to put a fuse splice and add 2 fuses of 15 amps? Please let me know. Video below: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cFoxS8zLUrc.htmlsi=X2wZC_mwv6Vl2MbT
I watched the video you provided a link to in your question. There's quite a few things in that person's description and installation that I do not agree with. That type of hardwiring kit that uses fuses already made part of the wire the provides the battery (constant) power and switched/accessory power has some limitations/issues. The first problem is if the fuse blows, I don't believe you can replace the fuse since it's molded into the assembly that has the wire attached to it. The larger problem is that a dash camera hardwiring kit will never, ever require 15 amps. His statement about locating a pre-existing fuse box fuse socket with a 15 amp fuse is so the car's original circuit still has a 15 amp fuse, but that does not properly protect the wires for the hardwire kit and/or the dash camera if a short occurs. A dash camera only consumes less than 1 amp on the battery power wire and the switched/accessory wire there is usually a near zero amp load. The dash camera is always powered by the battery power. The accessory power is only used by the hardwire kit to know when to enter/exit parking mode. The next problem in using that type of pre-attached fuse for the accessory power wire is that if the unused fuse box fuse socket not only has a power side but the other side of the fuse socket has connectivity to a circuit, the insertion of a fuse in that socket may send power to things in the car that may not expect it or it might possibly create a parasitic power drain in the car (I've seen that happen). The fuse socket might be empty in that car, but that same fuse box may be used in other models which does have something on the other end of the wire. In summary, I would never recommend using one of the pre-attached fuses for a hardwiring kit. I would recommend cutting off the pre-attached fuses from the ends of the two wires and use two fuse taps to provide power to those wires. With an "Add-A-Fuse" (aka fuse tap), you install the original fuse box fuse (if present) in the lower socket of the fuse tap, thus providing power to the original device. You place a fuse in the upper fuse socket of the fuse tap with an amp rating appropriate for the new accessory/device being powered. For a dash camera, I would recommend a 3 amp or at most a 5 amp fuse. If you want to use an unused fuse box fuse socket, you must leave the bottom socket of the fuse tap empty and only place a fuse in the upper fuse socket of the fuse tap to provide power to the new accessory/device. That avoids the potential of supplying power to things in the vehicle that may be wired to the other side of that previously unused fuse box fuse socket.
As I mentioned in the video, you can use a multimeter or a 12V test light to test for power that remains on when the ignition switch is turned to the "Off" position. There are some fuses that continue to receive power for up to 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off via a feature called retained accessory power (RAP). RAP will remain only for up to 10 minutes or until the driver's door is opened. Some vehicles will also turn off RAP when the front passenger door is opened. Make sure the ignition switch is in the "Off" position and make sure that RAP has been turned off before testing with a multimeter or test light. You would connect the negative lead on the multimeter or test light to a vehicle ground location or a bolt that is exposed / near the fuse box that has good connectivity with the vehicle body. You would use the positive lead for the multimeter or test light to search for a fuse which has power in those conditions.
Thanks for teh good and detailed video! But i haev one question: the "add a fuse" only provides power, so i still would haev to connect my device with the negative to the nearest ground (or earth). i want to install an auxillary digital clock besides my cigarette lighter, so could i just use the existing ground on that, when i am also tapping into the cigarette´s fuse? i hope i could explain my problem clearly. Thank you already! Greetings
Correct, the fuse tap only provides the power to the new device/accessory. You will need to connect the device's ground wire to a good ground location to complete the entire power circuit.
If the fuse I’m adding the tap to is switched power (headlights) will the new fuse only have power when the lights are on? This is what I’m trying to do.
In most cases, the answer is yes to your question. Why I say "in most cases" is that a power circuit can be controlled on the power side (before the device/accessory) or the ground side (after the device/accessory) of the circuit. The most common way is to control when power is provided to the device, but the "switch" could be on the ground side of the circuit with the power being supplied 100 percent of the time. Even if the switch is located on the power supply side of the circuit, it could be located before the fuse box or after the fuse box in the circuit. I would recommend using a 12-volt test light or a digital volt meter to confirm when power is present at the fuse you've selected for your fuse tap. If the "switch" is in the power side of the circuit before the fuse box, you should be able to see the power only when you turn on the headlight switch.
Hello. I have a 2017 Infiniti. Tried to do this hook up (before I saw your video), for a parking lot power dash cam. I found an ACC and a continuous and hooked it up. Both had a fuse already installed. I thought all was well but when I tried to start my car after install, it would not start. Cranked once then dashboard needled "jittered" and then stopped. I have roadside assistance so got it towed to dealer. They called me and said the battery was bad and replaced it under warranty. Was this a coincidence or did I somehow damage my battery? Thanks.
Hi Ken. Adding a dash camera to your vehicle should not be the root cause of your car's battery going bad, but it could be why it was drained downed to a low charge level. A dash camera with parking mode support requires the two connections you mentioned continuous (unswitched) power and ACC (switched) power. The continuous power connection will draw on the car's battery indefinitely to power the dash camera's parking mode operations with the potential to fully discharge the car's battery unless it has a device or internal logic to cutoff power to the camera when the car's battery reaches a minimum charge level of no lower than 12.0 volts (or so). Some cameras have this power cutoff logic right in the camera (like the BlackVue "X" series of cameras), but most rely on a dash camera hardwiring kit or the use of a dash camera external battery pack to perform that power cutoff function. I have a few VIOFO cameras with their hardwiring kits installed and their hardwiring kit has a power adapter which converts the car's 12-volt power to 5-volt DC power for a USB powered camera. That power adapter also has a car battery charge level cutoff feature which is configured by a slide switch on the side of the unit to cutoff power to the camera at one of the various voltage level settings (12.4, 12.2, 12.0 or 11.8 volts). If your installation has no car voltage level cutoff feature, you need to obtain a product that supports the shutoff of power to the dash camera when the car's battery charge level goes below a predetermined voltage level (again 12.0 volts would be my recommendation). If your installation has a car voltage level cutoff feature, make sure it was configured with a minimum voltage level of no lower than 12.0 volts (IMO). Also confirm this feature works by setting it to shutoff the power to the camera at a higher voltage level (for a test) like 12.2 volts and confirm that it truly cuts off the power to the camera. You can use a voltage meter (one that plugs into a power port that has continuous power or a digital volt ohm meter to check directly at the battery) to check the car's voltage level while the camera is in parking mode. If you see the charge level drop well below (at least 0.2 volts below the selected voltage cutoff level) then you might need to replace the hardwiring kit with another one that properly cuts off the power at the selected voltage level. Many hardwiring kits with a power cutoff feature will have a tolerance of plus or minus 0.1 volts, so that's why I suggest that if it goes 0.2 volts or more below your selected voltage value, it may be defective. Make sure that your installed fuse taps are installed correctly. Make sure the left leg of the fuse tap (the side opposite of the side where the wire comes out of the fuse tap) is inserted into the fuse socket on the side that provides the power. Having the fuse tap installed the opposite way (meaning right leg receives the power) will cause the power to improperly go through the lower fuse fuse before going to the new fuse on the top. That won't drain the car's battery but it will potentially cause a blown fuse when it shouldn't. I hope that helps.
@@RetroCarGuy530 Thanks for the explanation. This is a Garmin Parking mode cable that does have the voltage features you spoke of. Also, after installing, the first time I went to turn of the ignition, the battery failed. All fused checked out ok so none blown. I will rewatch the video and attempt to connect correctly. I guess battery was "going bad" and I pushed it over the edge trying to install?
If it's the original battery in the car (2017 model year), then it could have simply failed due to age. Most car batteries will last four to six years (on average). With the current health situation going on, many cars are not being driven to keep up the charge level in the car's battery. If you leave your car parked for extended periods of time, you may want to consider getting a battery charger/maintainer to keep the battery fully charged while its parked for extended periods of time (more than 5 days at a time). If your car wouldn't start immediately after installing the dash camera, it's not very likely that your dash camera installation caused the battery failure. Just make sure the fuse sockets you're using are for non critical circuits (they don't power the engine control module, srs (air bag) control module, body control module, etc). I have a FAQ video as well that talks about fuse sizing, wire gauge and length restrictions. It might be helpful to clarify a few things. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html
The second and third locations both suffer from the same non-viability, and so the final selected location is no better than the second Yoiu mention a problem and then do not provide the solution, just an equally problematic third alternative. Wouldn't it be better to bring the load wire through the back of the fusebox so that the lid can be refitted without the issue you refer to? But then, by the time the fusebox is disassembled in this manner you might as well just modify an unused spot with a load side and skip the fuse-tap arrangement. Additionally with the fuse-tap (add-a-circuit etc.) used in under-dash locations there is often a problem with the lid, where it's not like here where there are taller items. All fuses may be the same height and the lid is close fitting just above the fuses, so the fuse-tap is too tall to allow the lid to go back in place. These fuse-taps are really a bit "quick and dirty" and the professional way is to use a spare fuse slot and set it up properly by routing the wiring against the existing looms under the base of the fusebox, and even labelling the slot use on the lid notice panel.
A professional auto tech may decide to modify the fuse box to accommodate the new circuit. The average car owner does not necessarily have that level of expertise. The vehicle may still be under a manufacturer's warranty so physical modifications to a fuse box may void any warranty coverage for electrical systems in the vehicle. A fuse tap is a reversible modification (if no fuse box housings are modified) if you want to remove the device or remove it for testing purposes. The point of the searching through the fuse box fuse sockets was to locate one that might best accommodate the fuse tap in the fuse box. I agree that there are always other ways to do something like this, but this can be a valid solution depending on the power needs of the new device.
Great Vid!!! Question: 1. So... Adding a fuse to one of the open spots in the fuse panel is ok? I won't accidently get power to something that wasn't meant to be powered before...? 2. Is it safe? It's been a while since this video was posted and I hope you're still taking questions on this...
You should be able to use an open fuse socket assuming it provides the type of power you need - accessory/switched or constant/unswitched power. The other thing that's nice to confirm (if possible) is that the fuse socket obtains its power directly from the battery (constant/unswitched) or directly from the ignition switch system (accessory/switched). Auto manufacturers will tend to use one fuse box design in multiple vehicles and depending on the features in the vehicle some fuse sockets may not have fuses in them because the feature that normally uses that fuse socket is not present in the vehicle, but the power routing within the fuse box still provides power to the fuse socket. An unused/open fuse socket can "safely" be used if the fuse tap is installed with only a fuse in the top fuse socket of the fuse tap. The rule is that if the fuse box fuse socket had no fuse in it before the fuse tap was installed, the fuse tap's lower fuse socket must not have a fuse in it. I have a couple of other videos on this topic. One that discusses this topic a bit more in depth. My anatomy of a fuse tap video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YNc0FfeL6rw.html I have a FAQ video as well that tries to answer some of the common questions and it also discusses wire gauge and how that limits the max amp rating for any fuse tap / fuse in a fuse tap. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DnZ5wb_A5vE.html As I mention in my FAQ video, I tend to recommend to use fuse taps to provide low amp power for accessories like dash cameras, radar detectors, etc. Those items only consume 1 to 5 amps. If you're trying to power some high amp draw device (like off road lights, electric motor, etc), using a fuse tap to provide the power directly to the new accessory is not the best approach in my opinion. I suggest using a relay to provide the power and use a fuse tap to obtain the power to control when the relay turns on/off. The relay's control circuit is usually only drawing less than one amp so a fuse tap is a great way to get the power for the control circuit side of the relay. You can get the high amp power directly from the vehicle's battery (with an in-line fuse) and use the correct wire gauge to safely supply the high amp power to the new accessory. I hope this helps!
I've been collecting info from all sorts of fuse tap install info vids so I can make my own "complete" video to share with a friend. You just took care of that here. I need to do nothing more. I'm sending your video right over to him. Thank you, sir.
I'm 3 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.
If the power you're providing to the relays is the control power (turns relays on/off) then yes. If you're providing main power that is being sent to the raptor and ditch lights, then I would say no. The amount of current draw for the control power for the relay is very minimal so a fuse tap is a great way to provide that type of power. The "load" power depends on how much the lights draw at startup (inrush) and steady state (after startup). If you're using a relay to power these lights, I would recommend obtaining the "load" power (terminal 30 of the relay) directly from your vehicle's battery (with an inline fuse) and obtain the relay control power (terminal 85 or 86 depending on your relay's documentation) using a fuse tap.
I have a 15 amp fused circuit in my 1994 vehicle where the wire going out to feed some accessories melted up to a metal splice. The wire after the splice is fine. I am having difficulty getting the old connector out of the fuse box to replace the wire. Can I use this to reenergize the circuit after I have replaced the bad wire? If so, do I only need to put a 15 amp fuse in the lower spot on the fuse tap or do I need to put two fuses in it? Thanks.
First off, I hope you've identified the reason for the wire to have melted (short of some sort) and corrected (avoided) it. If you want to use a fuse tap to provide power from the original fuse box fuse socket to the same circuit after the metal splice, then yes you could do that (again making sure the reason for the short is corrected). The fuse tap would only need one fuse in the upper fuse socket. Insert the fuse tap so the left leg of the fuse tap is inserted into the side of the fuse socket that provides the power. Make sure the wire gage of the fuse tap wire and the wire after the fuse tap are sufficient to carry 15 amps of current as well. Most (if not all) blade style fuse taps have either a 14 awg wire or a 16 awg wire coming out of the fuse tap. A lower AWG rating is a bigger wire size which can carry more current. A 14 awg wire can carry 15 amps for about 10 feet (max) according to a few different amperage vs wire length charts. As with any advice I give about electrical circuits, any modifications you make are done at your own risk.
My Silverado does not have a sunroof, but has a 25 amp fuse in location marked sunroof. could this be a viable place to use a fuse tap? I'm trying to use the tap as a power source for my mobile ham radio. I was also wondering if a 10 amp fuse would be a good choice for that. It's a Midland MXT400, which is a 40 watt transceiver, or would a lower amp fuse be better. Thanks, glad I found your channel
You should be able to use an unused fuse box fuse socket that is normally rated for 25 amps if the feature is not present in the vehicle. Make sure you only use one fuse in the fuse tap (upper socket). Placing any fuse in the lower fuse socket of the fuse tap, might provide power to something in the vehicle that is not intended to receive power in your vehicle's configuration. It doesn't necessarily cause a problem in most situations, but to be 100 percent sure, only use the one fuse in the upper fuse socket of the fuse tap. I would think a 10 amp fuse would be sufficient for your ham radio, but you need to see if there are any specifications documented on the unit or in its product documentation that states how much power it draws while in use and while powering on.
great video!!! how you do to put a "switch on a fuse"... I go off-roading with my 4wd and I need to remove one fuse every time (traction control).. instead I was thinning to put a simple switch on the fuse... any idea?
There are "test leads" you can purchase that will replace the fuse in the fuse box with a length of wire with a remote fuse socket fuse holder. You could insert a toggle switch in that wire to allow you to turn on/off the power on that circuit. Something like this: amzn.to/3M1mewz
I’m sure this has been asked before, but how do I find a switched fuse? Would I test the box while the car is off? Would it be safe to assume windows or radio fuses are switched? I’m installing a gauge for boost pressure. I have it set up on a interior fuse box and in a dummy slot but the gauge doesn’t turn off when I turn the car off. Thanks.
I believe I mention in the video the various states the vehicle's ignition switch can be put in (Off, Accessory mode and Run mode). You would make sure your vehicle's ignition switch is in the off position and open the driver door to make sure any retained accessory power feature (if present) is turned off. Check the fuses with a multimeter and the ones with no power in that state are likely to be switched (accessory) powered fuse sockets. Turn the ignition to the accessory or run position and then check the fuse again and if it has power at that point, that confirms that the fuse socket for that fuse is providing switched/accessory power.
Hello, do you know of a Fuse to tap into that doesn't drop voltage when the engine is turned on? Also, I learned from your RU-vid why it is important to correctly orient your dual-slot-fuse-holder. Thank you so much.
As far as dropping voltage when starting the engine. There are two types of "voltage drop". Depending on how the fuse socket is powered, the power may shutoff when the ignition switch (or push start button) is placed in the "Start" position and that depends on the ignition switch and circuit design which is year/make/model specific potentially. The other voltage drop may be a circuit that keeps power while starting the engine, but there's a normal voltage drop that occurs when using the starter motor is used to start the engine. In an electric or hybrid electric vehicle there may be select circuits that don't have a voltage drop because there is no starter (electric) or a motor/generator (hybrid electric) may be used to start the ICE (internal combustion engine). The best I can say is use a multimeter to see which fuse sockets are accessory powered fuse sockets (hopefully not obtaining their power from a computer module or supplying the power to a module). If you want to really get detailed and you have an oscilloscope, you can monitor the voltage level with the oscilloscope to see how it behaves while starting the engine.
I really liked your video, but I do have a question. I really don’t have a lot of choices to make on my fuse panel. I have one that has a 2 app fuse, & I need to use a 10 app fuse for my cam. Does it matter if I use this like this?
If the fuse in the fuse box is a 2 amp fuse, then you should assume the wiring providing that power to that fuse box fuse socket is restricted to a low amp amount. You should never use a fuse in a fuse tap for the new circuit/device that exceeds the original fuse. In fact, the general rule I go by is there is likely to be at least 10% additional amp load carrying capability for the wires providing power to the fuse socket in the fuse box. Without knowing the wire gauge of the wire providing power to the fuse socket, you cannot assume it can carry more than 10% over the original fuse amp rating. As with any rule there are exceptions, but that requires that additional knowledge of the power circuit / internal fuse box power distribution. You stated your camera takes a 10 amp fuse. Wow, that is way out of the norm for a camera. For instance, most dash cameras require less than 1 amp to power. Many times device/accessory companies will put grossly overrated fuses into a fuse tap they provide with the product. You should verify the true/correct power demands of the camera you're trying to install (user manual, product info on company website, label(s) on the product). You NEVER want to install a fuse to protect a device and its wiring that is rated for an amp value well over the requirements. A fuse with a too large of an amp rating is not really protecting the device or wiring like it should (or at all). If you truly need 10 amps to power your camera, you may want to consider using an alternative approach of sourcing the power for the camera. Recently, I reviewed three dash camera battery packs. In that video, I discuss the approach of sourcing power from the vehicle's battery (with an inline fuse) and if needed, you can use a 4-terminal relay to convert the power from the battery into a switched/accessory power source. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Gn3IoBjO_Vg.html
I agree. A fuse tap should never be used in a fuse box fuse socket that provides power to any computer module in a vehicle or receives power from a computer module (i.e. BCM). In my car (2014 Chevy Caprice PPV), my interior dash fuse box sources all of its power from modules (primarily the BCM), so I cannot use it for any fuse tap power source.
So do I need a fuse to put in my fuse tap or can I just put the fuse tap in and get power from the wire on the fuse tap? I’m trying to connect a remote turn on to my amp so it will turn on only when the car is on.
hello I have another question. I found an empty slot in my fuse box and it read 14.3 volt when the car is on, can I used for ACC ?, is safety use this empty slot with that voltage?
A voltage of 14.3 volts is somewhat expected while the car's charging system is actively providing power to the vehicle. The charging system will vary the output voltage (in most modern vehicles) based on inputs from one of the control modules (usually the engine control module). You can expect to see the voltage level float up/down between 12.5 volts to just under 15 volts while the charging system is actively charging the vehicle's battery and providing power to rest of the electrical system.
Hi. I'm installing some led raptor lights and they came with an add a fuse. The add a fuse will go into a 10 amp slot, but the other fuse to power the lights that came with the add a fuse is a 15amp fuse. Will this cause any problems or should I replace it with another 10amp fuse?
There are a few different opinions on the answer to your question. First thing to consider, can the fuse box fuse socket supply the 10 amps to its original circuit plus the 15 amps you would be asking it to supply for LED raptor lights? The answer depends on how the internals of the fuse box are setup and how that fuse box fuse socket obtain its power. With regard to using a 15 amp fuse as supplied with the LED raptor lights, yes I would use what the product manufacturer supplied. Unless you have other info that states the device/accessory uses less amps than 15 amps, stick with the 15 amp fuse for the new device/accessory. The LED raptor lights are potentially needing a large amount of amperage above what the current fuse box fuse socket is providing. If the wiring/power path supplying the power to that fuse box fuse socket can support an additional 15 amps is impossible for me to know and state with any certainty that it will work without overtaxing the wires / circuit powering that fuse box fuse socket. When adding a device like a dash camera or radar detector using a fuse tap, those items usually only consume 1 to maybe 5 amps at max. Adding that amount of extra load on a circuit is usually low risk. In fact, most dash cameras only consume 1 or 2 amps. That's why a fuse tap is a simple and safe way to power a device like that. When you start getting into 7.5 and above amps for the new device/accessory being powered by the fuse tap, that's when it starts to tax the pre-existing power path for that fuse box fuse socket. If the fuse box fuse socket is getting its power from an internal power bus bar (supplies power to multiple fuse sockets in the fuse box), then adding a slightly higher amp load device is likely not a problem. If the fuse box fuse socket is getting its power from a wire, then things get a bit more questionable. When a new device/accessory requires 10 or more amps, I tend to look for alternative ways of getting the power to the device. I tend to be a fan of using a relay to supply the power to the new device. The power source for the relay that is then powering the new device/accessory is obtained directly from the battery with an inline fuse of the proper amperage rating to protect the new device and its wiring. A fuse tap is still used, but it's used for the control side of the relay. The control circuit for a relay usually only consumes 1 to 2 amps (or less - back in that low load situation like a dash camera). The power from the fuse tap then controls when off/on state of the relay and the relay then supplies power to the higher power demanding device (like your LED raptor lights). Can the fuse box fuse socket you've selected supply the 10 amps (original fuse) and 15 amps (LED raptor lights), I just have no valid way to answer that with any certainty. I hope you understand why (based on what I stated above). When I add lights or even dash camera battery packs, I use the relay approach mentioned above to make sure I'm not overtaxing the fuse box fuse socket or its wiring/power path. I hope that helps in some way!
Hey goose, this was a fantastic video and a great overview at this process and or car topic - one thing.....would you be willing to tackle the debated topic of to use or not to use a oil catch can on a DI engine?! Always a hot topic and it would be great to see your thoughts n research on this!
Appreciate your explanation on fuse taps ! I am currently hard wiring dash cams on a couple of cars - one has an empty slot with power, the other one - I will have to pull the fuse, add the tap & reinsert the original & accessory fuse. I had no idea about the order these fuses went in - until watching your fine tutorial. Thanks again !!!
Greetings mate 1 question. I have a radio that already has an inline fuse already built into the positive wire. Using this method to get power means electricity will travel through 2 fuses now before powering the radio. Will this be an issue?
Having the power run through two fuses should not be a problem as long as both are sized correctly for the circuit load. You could remove the inline fuse if the power will be sourced from a fuse tap, but you could leave it in place.
I want to use a switched fuse socket and am having trouble finding one. Everyone ive tried has the usb charger on all the time. Ive tested ones that have no power to them when the key is off but they still keep the usb turned on. Any help?
If there is no power at the fuse box fuse socket when the key is off, then there should be no power provided to the item/load that's connected to that fuse tap wire when the key is off. I'm not totally clear on what you mean by USB charger, but if it's a 3-wire hardwire kit for a dash camera, there's a wire that requires constant battery power and another wire that requires switched/accessory power and of course the ground connection (not in the fuse box). The constant battery power to the 3-wire hardwire kit will provide power the dash camera with the key on or off. The switched/accessory power wire will be monitored by the 3-wire hardwire kit to know when to turn on/off the corresponding line in the USB connector for the dash camera. The dash camera will react differently to the presence or the lack of the accessory power in the USB connector based on how the firmware settings are configured for parking mode (is it enable or disabled). If this is not what you're trying to install/setup, please give a detailed description of what you're trying to power and how you're trying to power it using fuse tap(s).
Great video. Quick question? Is there fuse boxes that will not accept fuse taps. I have read that certain modular fuse boxes will not accept fuse taps. If so what do I do next?
I've not personally seen a car fuse box that doesn't at least have a few blade style fuse sockets. There are the traditional two leg blade fuse sockets and some newer cars have three leg (Micro3/ATL) fuse sockets. There are Micro3/ATL fuse taps available for those situations. Otherwise, you may need to run a wire with an inline fuse from the car's battery to source power for a new device/accessory. If it needs to be switched power, then the wire from the battery can feed a 4-terminal relay, but the control side of the relay would need to get a switched power source to drive the control side of the relay.
