wiring shift light, interior glow, radar detector

[03SiBlack]

Ok when i installed my shift light i discovered where the power source is. Above the dead pedal the green wire is where the shift light hooks up to the positive side. Today i bought some leds to wire in my vents, i tested to see if the leds worked, i put positive to green wire and black to grounding in the car. It worked but i dont understand how it works? I always though that stuff needed to be hooked up to positive and negative parts of the battery how does this work? Also it will only turn on when key is on. This is great but i just want to know how this works? Also can i keep wiring more stuff? I want to wire my interior glow to this when i buy it and a radar detector

[denmah]

Originally posted by 03SiBlack
Ok when i installed my shift light i discovered where the power source is. Above the dead pedal the green wire is where the shift light hooks up to the positive side. Today i bought some leds to wire in my vents, i tested to see if the leds worked, i put positive to green wire and black to grounding in the car. It worked but i dont understand how it works? I always though that stuff needed to be hooked up to positive and negative parts of the battery how does this work? Also it will only turn on when key is on. This is great but i just want to know how this works? Also can i keep wiring more stuff? I want to wire my interior glow to this when i buy it and a radar detector

its a 12v ignition line. only works when the ignition is on, great for when you leave your car and you always leave stuff on it will shut off. and your question about how it needs to be connected to the battery, well. it is. thats how your getting power.

its safe to add things to this sure, just dont go overboard. youll blow fuses.

[03SiBlack]

i already put some stuff on it i got the shift light two led lights and two glow rods. Im planning on getting 3 more glow rods do you know where i can get another power source that will turn it on when the cars on? I dont want to add to many more things to this.

[Speck]

If you take off the center panel (where your shifter is) and use a long screwdriver or something similar, you can pop out the piece with the 12v plugin. You can wire items to this and they will turn off when the car is off and not in acc mode :)

-=speck=-

[03SiBlack]

what does this 12v plug in look like what color wire?

[oogy-boogy]

Basically, the reason it's working is because your battery ground connects to your frame. The 12 volt power is coming from that 12 volt switched source. You end up getting power when you touch the ground (frame, metal touching or connected to the frame) to a power source. The source you've tapped into is switched on and off by the ignition.

Instead of constantly splicing into different wiring, you can buy a small item at your local Autozone (or on-line at www.partsexpress.com) called "Add-a-Circuit". Make sure you get the the one for the smaller blade type fuses. What it is used for is exactly what you want to do. It is also a ton more friendly on your electrical system. It's much easier to change a fuse than frying a circuit from overload.

Basically, you find and take out a switched fuse (meaning it goes on and off with the ignition). You then replace it with the add a circuit. It will piggyback a fuse next to the stock fuse and has an outlet wire for splicing into. One of the best automotive inventions to date :D.

[Speck]

12v Plugin is the cigarette lighter :)

-=speck=-

[03SiBlack]

Originally posted by Speck
12v Plugin is the cigarette lighter :)

-=speck=-

if i tap into the cigarette lighter will i blow fuses how many things can i run?

[Speck]

You won't blow fuses as long as you make sure to disconnect the "-" on the battery before playing with things. As far as how many things? I dunno.... I think I wired 4 sets of neons once... but not in the EP, that was a '00 Beetle.

-=speck=-