I, like many others I suppose, have always considered auto electrics a no go area and always paid others to do the dirty work. However I’d always promised myself one day I would give it a go.
Recently whilst sitting in the Patrol there occurred a perfect storm of too much time, the need to conserve money, minor things that had always annoyed me and overconfidence.
The positioning of the switches on the Patrol had always annoyed me as had charging cables weaving around the gearstick. So in a moment of madness I resolved to –
A) Move the subtank switch.
B) Move the radio aerial switch.
C) Install a hardwired 4 port USB hub.
D) Install an illuminated on/off switch for abovementioned USB hub.
Not being a total idiot I researched, read articles watched Utube videos and generally primed myself for the task ahead.
Finally all the gear was purchased and the day arrived.
Stage 1 involved dismantling the centre console, gearbox surround and centre dash from airvents and pocket down to the panel holding the switches and cigarette lighter.
Stage 2 was to remove subtank switch and reposition it to the aerial switch position. Not really auto electrical I know but hey, we’ve all got to start somewhere.
Stage 3 was to take now homeless aerial switch and reroute the wiring so that it could go into the blank switch positioned on the centre console opposite the hand brake lever.
Stage 4 was to remove centre pocket, fit USB hub and in a rash moment decide the Scangauge could go in there as well.
(Pauses to reroute Scangauge cable)
Stage 5 consisted of running cable from the auxillary battery through firewall, under carpet, up through dash and into the general area of the radio and connecting everything up.
Stage 6 and we fit an inline fuse and connect the cabling to the battery.
Stage 7 the moment of truth. Turn on ignition and test subtank switch – all good, haven’t broken anything there. Test the aerial switch – again all good. Test the Scangauge – once again all good. And then we flick the switch for the USB hub.
In a silence broken only by the soft hiss of a rapidly deflating ego I briefly contemplate sacrificing a goat to the gods of auto electrics. Opting to check everything from go to whoa instead I eventually wind up back at the battery having found no flaw in my planning and no explanation for failure.
Standing with multimeter in hand looking into the engine bay I contemplate the battery. Nah couldn’t be, could it ? I’ve done three return trips to Newcastle from Port Macquarie in the last fortnight it must be charged. The multimeter begs to differ however showing a mere 1.25 volts.
Bugger. Off to the battery place. They confirm my diagnosis, fit new battery and lighten my wallet.
Stage 7a – moment of truth part 2. Flick switch and eureka it works.
Load up the USB hub with tablet (switched on and Hema maps running), phone (also switch on and emails downloading), GoPro (recording) and Garmin GPS (switched on and calculating a route).
Stage 8 the really tedious bit of reassembling everything.
OK so it wasn’t an earthshatteringly exciting installation but I’m happy with how it turned out (eventually). And I’m confident enough to do some more simple autoelectrical work (winches etc I will leave to the professionals).
But I’m left with the uneasy feeling there is an unwritten law of autoelectrics that states –
“Amateur installations no matter how well researched and planned will always fail at the most expensive component .”
For the “This thread is worthless without pictures” brigade I offer my humble apologies for lack thereof (a bit of a communication lapse with the wife regarding which pictures she can dump from the Canon memory card) and offer up some after photos
Subtank switch now gone
The new illuminated and working on/off switch
The aerial switch in its new home
The Scan gauge and USB hub- just ignore the ghost in the machine
Subtank switch in its new home
Up and running
