CB Power Supply

[Bryan1]

Just wondering where everyone gets power for your CB? I have a Uniden 520 I will be installing where the ashtray use to be. Looking at the CB wires the red power wire doesn't look like it will be able to reach the battery or the fuse box in the engine bay. Has anyone had issues with this?

 

[4x4mike]

I have a 6 slot Blue Sea aux fuse box behind the dash. It is fed from the battery and makes installs of accessories safe and easy. I'd look into something like this if you plan om future mods. My 6 slots are full with gps, phone usb, rocklights, driving lights, ham and cb.

With a low draw device you can tap into the radio harness or power outlet. You need to decide if you want constant power or switched. You need to also tap in and ground well to insure both devices work well.

 

[Bryan1]

I have a 6 slot Blue Sea aux fuse box behind the dash. It is fed from the battery and makes installs of accessories safe and easy. I'd look into something like this if you plan om future mods. My 6 slots are full with gps, phone usb, rocklights, driving lights, ham and cb.

With a low draw device you can tap into the radio harness or power outlet. You need to decide if you want constant power or switched. You need to also tap in and ground well to insure both devices work well.

If it is tapped into the radio it will switch off with the truck correct? I'll look into the Blue Sea fuse box, I do plan on future mods like aux lights.

 

[4x4mike]

Not necessarily. There is a constant power leg to your stereo. This is what keeps you memory programs and the clock. One issue that may come up with a stereo harness is it's size.

A cb doesn't draw a lot of power but it may be too much for that harness. I've seen a lot of CB wired into the harness because you have accessible constant and switched power as well as clean power. Static, background noise, hum ,etc can be the result of dirty power and the stereo is usually pretty clean. YMMV.

Like I said, I use the Blue Sea. I know I won't max it out, it's fused and easily reversible. Some of the items off my Blue Sea are constant while some are switched. The switched items have a signal to the relay from a switched source. In the end it's way easier.

 

[JWaldz]

My Cb is on/off switchable and since I did the constant power mod which gives all my ac inputs power even with the truck off, so I tapped into it. That way I can run the Cb with the truck being off. My Cb is the size of a single din radio (fits perfectly underneath my actual single din radio). I've left it on over night many times with no ill effect.

 

[Bryan1]

thanks for the ideas! not sure what I'm going to do yet but ill follow up after with regard to what I did.

 

[4x4runner2002]

You could use an add a fuse and get power from a blank spot in the fuse block in the cabin. They have them at auto zone for like $6. I've had it on one for about 6 months no problems.

 

[Snowy21]

I just tapped into the switched power wire for the radio on my install. No issues at all