Lemme see if I've got this CB wiring straight

[Clinton]

Okay, I've been searching and looking around and I'm almost ready to hook up the CB. (BTW, CB searchs will frustrate you to no end, but what can you do).



Seems most agree with the TSB that the best way to go is directly to the battery with the hot wires (both the constant and the ignition 'on'), fused close to the battery. There is some variance about what to do with the ground and wheter to fuse it or not. Also, it seems 10 guage wire is preferred as it is reported that it is large enough to prevent voltage drop.



Questions: For the hot wires, do you want to keep the in-line fuses that came with the CB and fuse it again at the battery? Or cut them out and just have the one fuse (at the battery)? For the ground, what is the benefit of fusing? For the wire, it looks like the CB has 12 guage wire, is running 10 guage to it poor practice? As you can tell, I'm a little short on good electrical practice and theory. (I didn't realize the pun, but I'm keeping it). Thanks.

 

[kluther]

myself, i would run a 10 gauge wire from the battery with a 30 amp fuse(no fuse is a FIRE hazard!)inside to your cb mount . still use the factory fuse for the cb. then later on you can tap into the 10 gauge to power something else. i don`t think a fuse serves any purpouse on the ground

 

[Clinton]

and another thing

The CB has the primary, which is meant for an ignition ON source, then the other hot wire, which they recommend for a constant source (like the cigar lighter). I believe that constant source is for memory of last channel and being able to operate when the ignition is OFF. If I go to the battery for power with the primary wire do I even need to use that 'constant' wire. Wouldn't I have uninterrupted power by going to the battery? Thanks.

 

[kluther]

my c/b has only two wires pos-grd. i assume your is digital that needs a memory. if you hook both together (to the 10 gauge wire)you will need to make sure you turn off your c/b by the switch on the c/b or dead battery. if you hook the acc. wire to an ignition source it will turn off with the ign switch. and yes to using the fuses on factory wires off the c/b. you need both hooked up to work correctly.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Originally posted by kluther

i assume your is digital that needs a memory. if you hook both together (to the 10 gauge wire)you will need to make sure you turn off your c/b by the switch on the c/b or dead battery.

I'm sorry but I have a ::cough:: modified ::cough:: CB and I leave it on A LOT and it has never caused one of my batteries to drain all the way down to dead. It never caused this in the Toyota I had before my CTD either.

 

[RON'S RAM]

Hey Clinton; I'm not an expert at this, but I used to install a lot of CB's in the 70's & 80's at my father's CB. shop. We usually wired them to a power source at the fuse box, and found a gound under the dash. We used the inline fuse that came on the cb, which is only 2 amps. Unless your running a linear amp, you shouldn't need wire any heavier than 12 gauge. Very rarely, we would get engine noise, getting power through the fuse box, then we'd install a noise suppressor (available at radio shack). Hope this helps.

 

[kluther]

ok so lets not talk about draws off batteries from stuff being left on accidently and let him find out for his own out camping 70 miles from nowhere RIGHT I DONT THINK SO

 

[DIESELMAN]

As for a fuse in the ground line, dumb idea, many manufacturers supply them, but no one has positive ground electrical anymore, clip it off.



If a ground lead is installed with a fuse, and the fuse blows, your radio will get a ground through the antenna mount, case contact, mounts or wherever. It will still light up but may be noisy and work like crap.



As for power source. Always as close to the battery as possible, and all dodges make it simple at the outside fuse block power lead bolt. Wire size, for a CB, anything over 14 ga. is sufficient, you are only drawing about 2 - 3 amps max, unless you have a linear, then you need to carry about 18-25 amps for a 100 watt amp, 12 ga. up to 6 feet, 10 ga. up to 20 feet. Bigger never hurts, just dont overfuse.



Fuse block taps, the little blade clips, are a bad idea, especially with fords. If the power flickers on the ecu, it assumes you are a theif and scrambles the nvram, requires a dealer trip, and voids the warranty. Even Ford Crown Vics, sold as police cars, specifically say "Installing Radio Equipment to the Cars Electrical System will Void the warranty", unbelievable.



The proper choice in power selection will eliminate all alternator whine in a good electrical system. If you have whine, a filter is generally like aspirin for cancer, feels better but you gonna die. Fix the problem. Generally a poor battery, alternator, regulator, grounds between block and frame, or all of the above. Whining is not normal.



Make sure the fuse is no more than twice the load and less than the entire length of the wire could dissipate in a short.



If you use a 14ga. wire, a 10' length dead shorted may not blow a 15 amp fuse but will melt down, and your truck goes with it. A 10 ga. wire can have a 50 amp fuse and will still blow that fuse if shorted at the end of a 10 foot run.



If you draw multiple components from one power line, add all accessories currents X 2, and fuse or breaker for that level. Then add a fuse where you 'tap' this line for each accessory.



Remember, the fuse protects the wiring, not the equipment. If the fuse blows its because something else has already failed and is beyond protecting, it just prevents the total meltdown. Fix the problem, replace the fuse. Fuses rarely blow for spite.



The ground should be made under the dash or hood to a 'green' screw. You will notice multiple grounds attached at various points. These are good grounds. The dash frame is not always a good ground and can cause noise and voltage drop or current loops.



Hot all the time?, if your battery is good, a CB radio left on in a 350 AH battery is good for 180 hours or more and will still crank the truck at 70 degrees. If your battery goes completely dead more than two or three times, such that it will not crank the truck or clicks the relay, it is generally junk even if recharged. Lead Acid Starting batteries don't respond well to deep discharge events.



And yes, I've yelled these very same things to my installers for 20 years. I have installed hundreds of commercial radios, and supervised thousands of installs, my recall rate is less than one in a thousand.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Originally posted by kluther

ok so lets not talk about draws off batteries from stuff being left on accidently and let him find out for his own out camping 70 miles from nowhere RIGHT I DONT THINK SO

Ok first of all don't get "SARCASTIC" :-laf ,



2nd don't get mad just because you mention something and someone contradicts you.



3rd we're all here to help each other.

 

[Clinton]

Yeah Dieselman, thats what I'm talking about. Thanks.



Can anyone recommend a good basic automotive electrical reference book? My next round of BOMBs are going to electrical accessories. The CB is first, but I'm thinking of a few more. I'm not planning anything out of the ordinary, but I would like some type of manual that will keep me out of trouble and demonstrate good practice.

 

[DIESELMAN]

Not sarcastic, just posting while someone looks over my shoulder. Besides, I LIKE WIRES!!! I LIKE TO HELP!!! I HATE REPAIRS!!!!!!



OH,,,,, you weren't talkin' to me, your welcome

 

[kluther]

as far as being an auto tech you must know what its like to find an amp draw on a battery after something aftermarket is added. granted a c/b only draws a small amount of power. what if an am( linier) never got a signal to turn off how long would it take to drain a fair battery(s). i did not mean to come across as sarcastic just cautious, i appologise

 

[RON'S RAM]

Clinton: if your planning on more wiring projects, you might want to consider the 7 circuit painless wiring kit from geno's garage. It's less than $50. 00 and would make adding a cb. or other accessories much easier.

 

[RON'S RAM]

Dieselman; sounds like you know your stuff when it comes to electrical in auto's. I hope your around if/when I have an electrical problem that I can't figure out.

 

[Clinton]

Yeah Ron's Ram, I've been considering that. As soon as I get a better idea of what I want to add I'll decide. I'm going to the battery with the CB because I want it functional now. This will most likely be a temporary install. I've been thinking about getting a fuse block out of a late model wreck to give more options, but I'm at the very beginning of the process and have a fair amount of homework to do. Thanks to all.

 

[jerrethomas]

Originally posted by kluther

ok so lets not talk about draws off batteries from stuff being left on accidently and let him find out for his own out camping 70 miles from nowhere RIGHT I DONT THINK SO

i've left my galaxy 88 turned on in my little toyota celica car for a week and a half and when i got in it i hit the switch and it fired right up. now the dodges have two batteries let alone one like my car. the only time it's gonna draw any significant amp is when you key up or talk on it.