Batboard

I recently finished my install of lights, siren, and radios and wanted to brag a bit if you'll indulge me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ftsR5yW4U

Never!!!!! run anything through the door jam from the engine compartment, it will compress and short the wires out after time. Drill a hole in the firewall and use a gromet or run it through a existing gromet. Other then that mounting looks good i would of got the pop in console designed for that truck. I would put everything in wireloom but thats just me im a stickler for bare wires.

Yep. I wouldn't brag too much if I were you... you've got several serious issues with that install that need to be rectified before you have a fire.

1) The wires going through the door jamb don't get compressed... they go through an existing factory raceway with wires going to the power windows, which has a factory plastic bushing to prevent it from rubbing. I prefer to use an existing factory channel for wiring instead of your option becuse I don't like drilling holes in my truck and putting wire in grommets. Reason: I did that on another truck which rubbed through the grommet and wire and shorted out.

2) The entire operation is fused in at least 2, some in 3 places: at the battery, at the switch, and in some cases at the component.

The issue with the wiring isn't going through the boot - it's the path from the underhood area into the door jamb area. It will eventually rub on something and you'll have a problem. The proper method is a hole in the firewall (you can likely find an existing hole, such as the hole for a clutch cable on a manual transmission truck), with the wire protected by split-loom.

Fuses in multiple places afford you no additional protection, and make troubleshooting a pain. When something fails, you get to figure out which fuse in your rat's nest failed, and then figure out why. The proper way is to fuse at any point where the downstream wire can't handle the upstream fault current. For instance, I have a 200A ANL wafer fuse under-hood for the main 1/0ga. power run coming back. The breakout from 1/0 to 4ga is unfused, since the 4ga leads are only 6 inches long and could thus handle the 200A fault current before the upstream fuse goes. The breakout from 4ga to individual power leads for each radio/sense/etc. are fused with typical automotive blade fuses.

tvsjr wrote:The issue with the wiring isn't going through the boot - it's the path from the underhood area into the door jamb area. It will eventually rub on something and you'll have a problem. The proper method is a hole in the firewall (you can likely find an existing hole, such as the hole for a clutch cable on a manual transmission truck), with the wire protected by split-loom.

tvsjr is correct, I have been installing proffesionally for many years and would never give you the wrong advice. The information we are providing is the Factory standard, look through fords upliffter manual on there fleet vehicle website it will tell you exactly what we told you. We are giving you some sound friendly advise to keep from a expensive annoying head ache. I consider installing and art form that gets better with practice. I recommend looking through the board for other installs and read the threads there is pleny of knowledge to be gained here. My pm door is always open for friendly advice.

First tip: split loom everything, no matter how short or triveal. Murphy will always find something to rub against a wire to short it or cause a fire.

Second tip: Take some time and reroute your power from the engine compartment through the factory grommet up under the dash on the passenger side.

Third tip: Beg/Barrow/Buy the automotive chargers for the motorola portables and take the time to mount them correctly. The desktop charger for the HT1000 isn't even good enough to hold that radio should you end up in an accident and the other one in console will become instant missile material as well.

Fourth tip: get rid of the excess fuses. One at the main distribution under the hood, one for the Spectra at the power fed for it, fuse for each light circuit at the power feed/switch for them.

Take it as constructive criticism from three guys, that combine probably have of 40 years of install experience with lights and radios.

Dan
KA8YPY
Slick Top Solutions

BTW, How about a video of it lit up?

Thanks for the tips guys. I am by no means a professional installer... just a regular guy with (probably) just enough knowledge to be dangerous. I take pride in what I do relative to others like me who sometimes have wires running across floorboards, piggybacked circuits, components attached with velcro and not a single fuse in the entire operation. I thought it was pretty good for someone who doesn't do it for a living, but I will give some thought to all of the above. This is my second install, which was much better than the first one, and the next will improve on this, thanks to you guys. Thanks again. KA8YPY, check the other vids on youtube.. day and night vids are there. Opinions on the overall effect of the final product?

kb9suy wrote:Never!!!!! run anything through the door jamb switch from the engine compartment, it will compress and short the wires out after time. Drill a hole in the firewall and use a gromet or run it through a existing gromet. Other then that mounting looks good i would of got the pop in console designed for that truck. I would put everything in wireloom but thats just me im a stickler for bare wires.

hi i have also installed one on a 2006 silverado with this method, didn't know it was this dangerous and i have looked thru some videos on youtube. as the original poster said i would like to thank to people who have given insight on this matter and stay safe guys!

kevinlvy wrote:

kb9suy wrote:Never!!!!! run anything through the door jamb switch from the engine compartment, it will compress and short the wires out after time. Drill a hole in the firewall and use a gromet or run it through a existing gromet. Other then that mounting looks good i would of got the pop in console designed for that truck. I would put everything in wireloom but thats just me im a stickler for bare wires.

hi i have also installed one on a 2006 silverado with this method, didn't know it was this dangerous and i have looked thru some videos on youtube. as the original poster said i would like to thank to people who have given insight on this matter and stay safe guys!

yeah currently i have that mistake and now have rewired it so it would be much of a hazard.