Ideas for connections to aux switch wires INSIDE the cabin

[ShadowsPapa]

Last time around, I fed my snow plow control by connecting it to the 12v outlet harness extension I had. Worked perfect, and was a screw-type connection. Insert wire, tighten screw, hidden behind center cluster.
The 25 center cluster - don't even want to think about taking that apart!
I found the 6 aux switch wires - 1 bat, 1 acc, and the 4 for the switches, next to the center by the passenger's left foot area.
That has a acc feed perfect for powering the plow remote control.
I fed the last bit of plow wiring - that single wire - behind the center stack and over to where the aux switch wiring is.
I didn't want to crimp connect, I wanted a simple/easy, way to disconnect if needed or even connect other things to those wires, so I got the bright idea (yet to be seen!) of using a 6 position terminal strip. In the end, all 6 aux switch wires would go to terminal screws like I've done under the hood for the 4 aux switch wires there.
The feed for the snow plow control would go to the terminal in the strip where the aux switch acc power wire is connected.
However - no place to mount the terminal strip!
Right now I have the terminal strip behind the glove box, zip tied to the wires that go to the CANbus connector to keep it from ratting around.

What are other people doing to connect to those factory aux switch wires? Or does anyone ever use the inside wires?

I'd love to find a way to use a terminal block, have it attached somewhere to something, and be able to easily connect or disconnect, like I've done in the engine bay.

Ideas? Or, just trying to hard to make it neat and tidy and easy?


This is what I've done under the hood -

This is the strip I want to use to the right of the center "stack" or whatever, to connect wires to - maybe just screw it to the right side of the tunnel - screw it to the carpet ?

This is what I have zip tied at this point, to the CANbus junction wires to prevent rattling.
Aux switch wires to this then accessories, such as my plow remote control to this block.
6 position is perfect - ACC/BAT/AUX1/AUX2/AUX3/AUX4

Where to place it?
Or better ideas?

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[SanTan38]

Wait… what?
There’s a connection inside!?

 

[JTdiRtyD]

Wait… what?
There’s a connection inside!?

If you have factory AUX switches then yes there are wires both inside and in the engine bay for connecting accessories.

Some claim the harness is there even if you dont have the AUX switches, but I could not find the harness anywhere so I'm not convinced thats a true statement, unless it's only certain packages without AUX switches.

I needed ACC supply inside, so I ended up running a relay controlled lead from the battery through the clutch piston weather plug on the drivers side to a 6 circuit fuse panel off Amazon, and mounted the fuse panel to the wall kind of above where your left foot sits. Not an ideal spot honestly, you have to be a contortionist to access it, so I'll be relocating at some point.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I use Deutsch style connections everywhere on my truck since they reliable and easy to assemble / take apart. That's not as easy to digest for folks that don't do automotive electrical regularly like I do, though.

 

[SanTan38]

Maybe I’ll finally get around to install ing the CB and A GMRS radio…….
Learn something new every day.

 

[NULL POINTER]

I have a GMRS radio crimp connected to AUX 3, which is 15 amps. According to Midland, max draw at 50 watts transmit is 10 amps. If it fails, I'll go to one of the two 40 amp switches. I had wanted to solder the connection, but I was already badly contorted and so no way to get into a position to solder the power wire to the aux wire. I used a bar under the glove box for the ground. Works great. For my Ham dual band radio, I went direct to battery with both positive and negative and used double shielded coax on both of the antenna runs.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Wait… what?
There’s a connection inside!?

 

[NULL POINTER]

If you have factory AUX switches then yes there are wires both inside and in the engine bay for connecting accessories.

Some claim the harness is there even if you dont have the AUX switches, but I could not find the harness anywhere so I'm not convinced thats a true statement, unless it's only certain packages without AUX switches.

I needed ACC supply inside, so I ended up running a relay controlled lead from the battery through the clutch piston weather plug on the drivers side to a 6 circuit fuse panel off Amazon, and mounted the fuse panel to the wall kind of above where your left foot sits. Not an ideal spot honestly, you have to be a contortionist to access it, so I'll be relocating at some point.

Key word here is "factory". Factory has 6 wires inside the cab and 4 in the engine bay next to the battery. If the aux switches were added later via the Mopar kit, then there are the same 4 in the engine bay and only 4 inside the cab. The Mopar kit only has wires for the 4 aux switches, no direct to battery and ACC switch. The Mopar kit also adds a relay box and 4 fuses under the hood separate from the PDC. The RTFM warns for each AUX, use only one of the two available connections at a time. For instance my AUX 4 controls my Warn Winch Solenoid using the AUX 4 wire next to the battery. My AUX3 controls my GMRS radio using the AUX 3 wire inside the cab. The RTFM says not to use the same AUX for both.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I use Deutsch style connections everywhere on my truck since they reliable and easy to assemble / take apart. That's not as easy to digest for folks that don't do automotive electrical regularly like I do, though.

Looking for simple - one wire at a time, sort of thing.
Landing all 6 of the factory aux wires, and want to be able to connect anywhere from 1 to multiple wires to each of those 6.
I may want to connect another feed to the ACC wire, for example, so not wanting something that is for one to one, or that limits moving things around or restricts anything.
The Deutsch type means you only have one to one, and it's not changeable and you can't simply disconnect ONE of all of them for troubleshooting and so on.
I may want to later connect another accessory to the same source as I'm connecting the plow control to. Those won't allow that without starting all over again.
So that's not even in the running.
Looking for flexibility - and so far, only a terminal strip allows that flexibility - adding or removing one or more connections or even moving them around easily.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Looking for simple - one wire at a time, sort of thing.
Landing all 6 of the factory aux wires, and want to be able to connect anywhere from 1 to multiple wires to each of those 6.
I may want to connect another feed to the ACC wire, for example, so not wanting something that is for one to one, or that limits moving things around or restricts anything.
The Deutsch type means you only have one to one, and it's not changeable and you can't simply disconnect ONE of all of them for troubleshooting and so on.
I may want to later connect another accessory to the same source as I'm connecting the plow control to. Those won't allow that without starting all over again.
So that's not even in the running.
Looking for flexibility - and so far, only a terminal strip allows that flexibility - adding or removing one or more connections or even moving them around easily.

TBH I didn't read your whole original post as I was also listening in on a meeting

Terminal strip is pretty much your only option then. If I remember I'll look at my truck this afternoon some and see if I come up with any cool ideas. I wired new emergency vehicles for years but they have way more space to use than a Gladiator.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

had wanted to solder the connection, but I was already badly contorted and so no way to get into a position to solder the power wire to the aux wire. I used a bar under the glove box for the ground.

I'm hoping to do inside very similar to what I did under the hood......... Don't want to solder - that means you can't change things easily, or move things around, and, with my tremors and dizziness, soldering up under the dash is a no-go these days. But I can load a terminal in the crimper, reach up under, guide the wire in (after 3 or 4 tries), and then crimp it on, and use heat shrink.
Then it's a matter of slipping the terminal under a screw and tightening the screw. Need to disconnect - loosen screw and pull the terminal off. Want to connect something else - same thing.
So a "all wires in one end" isn't going to work.
At this point, I have 1 thing connected under there.

The RTFM says not to use the same AUX for both.

They have to say that because people will get stupid and connect different TYPES of loads to the same terminal and blow something. You'd never connect certain loads together even if not on a Jeep. But - DEPENDING - I'd have no issues connecting two lights of the same type to the same source IF the total load was low enough.

In my case, it's a non-concern. I'll probably use all of the switch connections under the hood, but unlikely to use anything other than the BAT and ACC leads inside. (key word - "unlikely", didn't say I'd never ever use them)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

TBH I didn't read your whole original post as I was also listening in on a meeting

Terminal strip is pretty much your only option then. If I remember I'll look at my truck this afternoon some and see if I come up with any cool ideas. I wired new emergency vehicles for years but they have way more space to use than a Gladiator.

I hope you didn't take my reply wrong - I'm a believer in using quality connectors in many circumstances. Just not going to fit my needs in this case.

(There's a reason I have about 6 different crimp tools and that's not always what I need)

 

[ChrisNLA]

I hope you didn't take my reply wrong - I'm a believer in using quality connectors in many circumstances. Just not going to fit my needs in this case.

(There's a reason I have about 6 different crimp tools and that's not always what I need)

No worries here - I totally get the various use cases.

I feel ya on the tools. Every couple months I order a new crimper to keep covering all the new things I come across and do

 

[brsnow2585]

I have a GMRS radio crimp connected to AUX 3, which is 15 amps. According to Midland, max draw at 50 watts transmit is 10 amps. If it fails, I'll go to one of the two 40 amp switches. I had wanted to solder the connection, but I was already badly contorted and so no way to get into a position to solder the power wire to the aux wire. I used a bar under the glove box for the ground. Works great. For my Ham dual band radio, I went direct to battery with both positive and negative and used double shielded coax on both of the antenna runs.

I tapped my truck mounted gmrs to the line for my cigarette lighter, which was then replaced with the factory brake controller. Haven't had any problems with it, I keep at least 1 handheld handy all the time, if not one for every seat. Also have my modest light bar hooked up to my aux 1 button, but I pulled that from the factory aux button lines that run under the passenger hood side. I had to peel back a lot of that goo tape to get to the aux ends

 

[brsnow2585]

https://a.co/d/cO8G7bL

I went so long using the old blue splice cubes until I found these. They're next level, nearly tool free, you can solder the blade connector if you want in open space, then it's just plug and play.

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