CB installation

[lizzyhermit]

I've seen it, read it and can't find it now. I'm looking for the wiring suggestions for a CB. I remember reading wiring directly (fused) from the battery but not the wire size. Also something about forcing wires (multiple pairs) through the grommet. H E L P !

 

[PMalin]

Wiring

I would suggest, going to Home Depot or similiar place that sells single, stranded wire. Get 2 different colors such as red and green, each 20 feet or so in length. Be sure it's the GAS and OIL resistant insulated stuff. I got 10GA copper stranded which may be a little heavier than actually needed, but that depends on just how much current you plan to draw from the battery. Get some cable ties while there, and get some High Quality electrical tape at least, I would prefer heat shrink tubing though to insulate connections. You need at least 1 inline fuse holder, from a decent radio shop but 2 may be better, in which case you can put 1 on each lead. Most of us "Ham" guys do that. You prepare the inline fuse holders to go near the battery, such that when they are open, the fuse is not in the piece connecting to the battery, mainly you dont want exposed connections while changing fuse that when you let go of the wire, could short out. So solder the connections with 60/40 rosin core solder (electrical) and insulate it well with heat shrink or High Quality electrical tape with adequate # of wraps. Leave disconnected from battery until complete wire run and connections are ready. Wires run under side of truck and appx under cab passenger seat is a grommet you can poke a hole through or push it part way out and pass the wire up into the cab, through carpet. Take advantage of running along frame rail and use existing holes and such to creatively fasten wires in place with cable ties. Keep wires away from hot engine parts and cable tie it well. Check wiring with a Voltmeter once connected to battery for correct polarity at the radio input before powering up the radio, to be sure there is no mix up. For a small CB 1A fuses should be more than adequate, but if you have a bigger rig P=IV or P/V=I and then add a bit more to the fuse size to account for efficiency of equipment which is not 100% efficient. If soldering inside cab, be sure to put cardboard or something down to protect carpet and whatever from any drips, splashes... Just my suggetions. .

 

[swamp rat]

I've used 10 ga. monster cable speaker wire to bring that fire into the wire from under hood or more accurately from the battery box of the big rig. Just be sure to put a fuse inline as close to the battery as possible, and run some black wire loom most of the way to decrease the likelihood of rubbing through the insulation from excess vibration. Its not very likely you would, but it doesn't hurt for added insurance. Besides the black loom looks better than the transparent monster cable anyway. You can even power up to a TX Star 400 along with the radio on the same lead.



One of my fellow truckers used to run a TX Star DX666 off the 10ga. until the linear got so hot that it melted the quick disconnect and plastic strain relief on the back of the amp. Then he had a radio tech rewire it for two 10 ga. quick disconnect power leads.



The Monster Cable remains fairly flexible down to rather low temperatures, single digits and lower, and each side is plainly marked + or - to keep from crossing polarity.