I'm wanting to wire up a small 12 inch light bar on my 2002 Explorer. I'm not the greatest with electrical, but I was told to wire the toggle switch into a fuse under the dash, but have no clue which one to use. Don't wanna melt down my vehicle.
Is this a good question?
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Hi @papabear_of5 ,
I don’t know the vehicle but looking at the owner manual on the Interactive pdf manual (p.234/of 336 - pdf numbering) it shows the engine bay power box.
In there are two fuses #7 & #9 shown as Power Point#2 and Power Point #1. I assume that these are used for power sockets in the cabin somewhere. You may be able to safely connect to one of these. If they are for power sockets then you can prove which fuse is for which socket by removing the fuse and checking if there is still power there or not when plugging something into the socket. You can then connect to the socket wiring rather than the fuse.
Whatever fuse you decide to use there may be a problem if there is no power available without the ignition key turned to Acc, in case you need the light to work without the key being operated, as they may be wired via the Accessories relay or fuse. I don’t know which ones are and those that have power all the time. I think that the Interior light fuse might be powered all the time as the light works without the ignition key being operated.
Also don’t forget to get a suitably rated switch for the light i.e. that the switch contacts can handle the current when the light is on and not burn out. Simple method is use Ohm’s Law power formula P=E x I so if you know the voltage (E) and the Power (W- Wattage) you can work out how much current it uses therefore I (Amps - current) = P/E e.g. 50W light @12V = 4.16A so get a switch rated at 12V 5A
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It is generally not recommended to wire a toggle switch directly to a fuse in an electrical circuit. Toggle switches are typically used to control the flow of electricity to a particular device or appliance, and wiring them directly to a fuse can create a potentially hazardous situation.
Instead of wiring a toggle switch directly to a fuse, it is generally safer to wire it to the device or appliance that you want to control. This can be done by connecting one terminal of the toggle switch to the device or appliance and the other terminal to the power source.
It's also important to keep in mind that toggle switches are designed to handle a specific amount of electrical current, and wiring them to a circuit that exceeds their rated capacity can cause overheating and other hazards. Make sure to select a toggle switch with a rating that is appropriate for the intended load and consult a qualified electrician or the National Electrical Code (NEC) for guidance on proper installation.
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