Quote:
Originally Posted by crakarjax
I used the same tape on my loom! Got it from amazon though and it's about the same price (36ft roll here http://amzn.to/2EPji4Z). I have also used it to seal coax cables when I didn't use sealed connectors and several other things... works amazingly well 
I'm going to have to re-read your info on relays, but quick question -- you mention using ground switched relays except for positive switched for the lights. Could you just use ground switched for everything instead, or is it more difficult to wire up or something? |
I could have done all ground switched, and initially planned to do it that way. But when I started looking at what it would take to switch over the headlights to ground switch, I either had to completely redo the headlight switch/circuit or put a second relay in to flip to ground switching. I've done the latter situation before when you don't have an option to rework a relay box and you have an incompatibility.
When I started digging in to the light circuit, it quickly got messy as the park lights feed through the headlight switch so you have to have 12V coming in meaning I'd need to replace the headlight switch with something different and still be able to trigger the park lights (or do a complete redo of all lights). I did seriously consider this as it isn't as hard as it sounds. The hardest part would be picking out a headlight switch. You then just drive the park lights off a relay in the cab that feeds the 12V and the headlight switch becomes a "dead" switch just switching grounds. I'm actually saving this for a future project where I integrate an arduino based micro controller to do things like auto headlights, delayed exit lighting, interior lighting, etc. Painless used to make a box that did this stuff but it was $500. I can get a 32 bit Teensy for like $25, build a box to put it in and then drive a bunch of micro relays to do the same thing and more. Probably be under $100 all said and done. That's a project for after I get this thing driving though, so I just gave you all the thought I've put in to it right now.
So when phase 1 is done, don't worry, there is a phase 1.5 behind that (bed/bed floor, possibly roll bar inside the cab), then phase 2 which is the interior with more fancy electronics (like bucket seats, in-dash nav and that gismo from above). Phase 2 is a couple years down the road at this point, well the major stuff anyway.
