Thread: Cables runs electrical connections Noob with no electrical experience

I read a post on this board to run power up to the front of the car from the trunk you cut a 5V and 12V extension molex plug from the motherboard then run what ever length you need between the now cut molex plugs reconnect the plugs at the new length.
Then you have a 5V and 12V plug up front to connect stuff.
Is this correct?

Yes. This is EXACTLY what I have done. I power a 4-port USB hub, slimline dvd drive, and my Xenarc LCD off the Opus.

How did you connect the powered USB hub, DVD etc on the device end? to the molex connector?

Originally Posted by -zip-

If so the power adapter has 2 wires and the 5v molex has 4?

Just to clarify for you, the 4 pins on the standard molex connector carry both 5V and 12V, and two grounds. The red wire carries 5V, the yellow 12V.

Originally Posted by -zip-

How did you connect the powered USB hub, DVD etc on the device end? to the molex connector?

The dvd drive used a floppy power connecter so I clipped one of those off an old power supply I had and used that. Itsimply connected it to the end of the 5v wire I ran up from the Opus. The USB hub came with a power adapter. I clipped the power adapter plug off and connected the 5v to that as well. For that ground I just connected a wire to some metal inside the dash with a screw.

Thanks guys that really helps. It is getting clearer now.
the colors help a lot and I did not know both were on the same connector.

With the USB hub do you have to cut the wire before that brick thing or can you cut the wire after and just run the 5v into the hub?

Also the ground - you ran the 5v wire into the adapter one wire then grounded the molex? sorry im such a noob.

Originally Posted by ppgt94

The dvd drive used a floppy power connecter so I clipped one of those off an old power supply I had and used that. Itsimply connected it to the end of the 5v wire I ran up from the Opus. The USB hub came with a power adapter. I clipped the power adapter plug off and connected the 5v to that as well. For that ground I just connected a wire to some metal inside the dash with a screw.

Did you ground your +5V regulated HUB to the chassis of the car!!! This shoulndn't be right!!!!!!