Thread: 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee: tapping into power help

Originally Posted by Gunn

Hello all, I'm trying to hook up a DVD/CD/mp3 player into my '02 Jeep Grand Cherokee and need to find the constant +12 power and accessory position +12v power connections. In looking under the dash, there is a fuse box loaded with fuses and a couple of huge bundles of wires that are barely visible. Has anyone made any of these connections on a '99-'04 Grand Cherokee that can offer me some tips? I'd like to have some advice on where best to make the connections.

Thanks,

OOOOO, OOOO, OOOO, I got it, I got it, that is simple,

Constant 12 volts goes to the battery. That is the safest place to get it. Use appropriate gauge wire, and Fuse.

Accessory is available in the fuse block. No need to find wires.

Just buy yourself a Test Light (or a multimeter if you are actually gonna do carputer stuff) and see which one has no power with the car off. Then, after you know which ones have NO POWER with the car off, turn the Key to the run poosition (The car need not be running, just the key in the run position) and see which one of the previously found fuses NOW HAVE POWER. VOILA, you have switched power.

Just use one of these http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...ct_id=270-1204 to connect your wire to the fues.

Michael

Originally Posted by Gunn

Thanks for the quick reply! I don't really want to run a wire direct to the batter terminal...is that what you are suggesting? Surely there is a constant 12v power source somewhere under the dash I can tap into. Or is there a reason why that is not a good idea?

Well, it depends on the draw of your device. For low power devices (say under 5 or so amps) constant power can be taken from the cigarette lighter. Also remember that your cigarrete receptible may not be capable of 5 or 10 amps of current (Though it probably can) but, you will not have the receptacle available for other high power devices. Anything over an amp or 2 should not be taken from the fuse boxm, and I have a feeling that your DVD player is probably really close to that, if not over. The fuse box is meant to protect the circuits on the fuse. Drawing extra current was not intended. You could overload the circuit, and that can be dangerous. Also, it is possible that the circuit will "trip" more easy, and that can be a pain in the butt. The best, and safest place, is straight to the battery.

I do have a multimeter (and a test light actually). How do I tie into the fuse block though? I see all the fuses in the fuse block under the dash. There does not appear to be any extra space in there; everything it taken up. Is there some sort of connection to tie into an existing fuse?

Thanks again for the reply,

Follow the link in the post. That is for a "Fuse Tap" basically, the tap fits over one of the prongs of a fuse that you pull from the fuse box. You then push the fuse and the tap into the fuse box where the fuse used to be, and then push a female quick disconnect crimped to a wire onto the other end of the Fuse Tap (The part sticking out from the fuse) and you have made your connection.

Michael