2016 Tacoma question

justjames

justjames

Adventurist
I'm installing a switch and relay to power my compressor which is mounted under the hood. I want to power the switch with a switched source to prevent any possibility of the compressor coming on without the engine running. Where is the best place to access switched power under the hood?
 
justjames said:
I'm installing a switch and relay to power my compressor which is mounted under the hood. I want to power the switch with a switched source to prevent any possibility of the compressor coming on without the engine running. Where is the best place to access switched power under the hood?
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You want it controlled by the “keyed ignition” circuit. Typically, something like the radio circuit or HVAC circuit only works with keyed ignition in ON or RUN.

But compressors are loud so it’s not like a dome light or something unobtrusive that could be left on by accident. They make safety switches that are good enough for most anything up to and including missiles... I prefer stand alone wiring that leaves the OEM harness unmolested.

;)

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Repeating the same advice I got from @Mitch

"I would recommend staying out of the fuse block for power.​
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A good general rule when adding accessory wiring is to stay out from between the vehicle and its battery. If you ever have a failure, it's one less thing you have to inspect. And if the something on the accessory side causes a failure, you've not severed any links between the vehicle and battery.​
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You're talking one wire to the battery post that is fused, and then all your accessories into the new fuse block. It can be done without being invasive.​
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Thanks Dave. You're right in that my compressor is very loud so there would be no chance of it being on and not knowing it provided I'm in or around the truck. I'm using a 100 amp continuous duty relay which is fused with a 150 amp ANL fuse to handle the load. As an additional layer of protection, I would like the switch circuit to be supplied by a "keyed ignition" source. If the worst case scenario happens and all this gets shorted while I'm not in the truck, I won't return to a burnt pile of metal.
 
Thanks Greg. That is an excellent thread and I'm using much of Mitch's advice. I too have a 31MDP battery with Slee terminals. My plan is to have one wire feeding a Blue See fuse box and all accessories except the compressor will be supplied from it. The compressor will be wired directly to the screw terminals on the battery through the relay and fuse I mentioned above. My extra layer of security will be to power the compressor switch from a keyed ignition source.
 
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