The Tomey Build Thread

[MattJakobs]

I've attached a PDF of my personal configuration. You can see how I ran my setup. It is just one of infinite possibilities. In summary, the switches have 3 terminals.

Negative (neutral): permanent connection to negative terminal on FuseBlock (if you have multiple switches you can jump them all together like I did. See attached PDF.

Positive (power in): permanent connection to positive terminal on FuseBlock

Accessory Power (power out/acc): permanent connection to terminal on TerminalBlock

<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/mikey9025/Switch/IMG_1274.jpg" border="0" style="width:640px" alt=" photo IMG_1447.jpg"/>

You can see in the drawing above the direction of current in red. The battery is hot on the positive. The fuse block connects to the battery (acts as an extension of the battery but separates the voltage into parallel circuits) and has fuses on each circuit for protection. Now the switch is connected to the fuseblock's positive and negative terminals creating a loop. When you activate the switch, you are creating another loop between the positive in the switch and the "Power Out" aka Accessory power. That is the power that turns on and off your lights. ie. when the switch is off, no power; switch on, power. You must complete the loop by then connecting the light back to a negative source. Either the battery or the negative on the fuseblock (all the same).

Each terminal block has 6 circuits. Now why I truly advocate the terminal blocks: You have the ability to prewire multiple switches and land that Accessory wire somewhere. It will sit there quietly and neatly and wait for its mate. Without the terminal block, you have a loose wire with no home. Then you have to install butt connectors for you lights and stuff. Its just not as clean

Now I understand the use of the terminal block, thank you for that in depth explanation. Of course, one more question: Where is the ground for each accessory?

 

[michaeljtomey]

Now I understand the use of the terminal block, thank you for that in depth explanation. Of course, one more question: Where is the ground for each accessory?

Ground vs. Negative (Neutral)

Ground aka Earth: Think of the ground as a reference point. The earth has no current going through it. It is important to establish a reference point when talking about electrical. This is because your positive (hot) wire is carrying a voltage. Our vehicles use +12V. Now when we say it is +12V, what is that in reference to? Imagine you are driving in a car at 60 mph, the car next to you passes you up going 70 mph. In reference to you, the other car is going 10 mph. Relative to the earth, the car is going 70 mph. The same principles of relativity apply to electrical circuits. Ground is your established baseline of 0V and no current going through it.

Negative aka neutral: This is your return line that carries current back to the battery. You can follow the red arrows in the drawing above to see that current travels in a loop back to the battery.

You'll notice that your battery's negative terminal is connected to the vehicle's body. This is what establishes the vehicle's ground. The larger the surface, the better the ground. A vehicle's body acts as a sufficient ground for its battery.


Now to answer your question, it is completely up to you where you decide to connect the negative (return) wire on the accessories. It just needs to get back to the negative somehow. Many people connect it to the vehicle's body; some to the battery. Take a look at the PDF that I attached in the previous post. It shows exactly how I did mine. I jumped all of my switches together and ran one Negative wire to ONE Negative terminal on the fuse block (this left 11 others open for the negatives on the accessories). You can see where I terminated "LIGHTBAR-NEG" and "SIDELIGHTS-NEG" on the Fuseblock.



Oh, and another thing I learned. There are a lot of misconceptions with wire color. The color of the wire tells you a lot about it.

China (the place we order majority of our stuff from) does not use a consistent color code for wires which is why we get products with a red positive and a black negative.

United States:
Black: Primary Positive
Red: Secondary Positive (if applicable)
White: Neutral (Negative)
Green or Green/Yellow: Ground

 

[MattJakobs]

Ground vs. Negative (Neutral)

Ground aka Earth: Think of the ground as a reference point. The earth has no current going through it. It is important to establish a reference point when talking about electrical. This is because your positive (hot) wire is carrying a voltage. Our vehicles use +12V. Now when we say it is +12V, what is that in reference to? Imagine you are driving in a car at 60 mph, the car next to you passes you up going 70 mph. In reference to you, the other car is going 10 mph. Relative to the earth, the car is going 70 mph. The same principles of relativity apply to electrical circuits. Ground is your established baseline of 0V and no current going through it.

Negative aka neutral: This is your return line that carries current back to the battery. You can follow the red arrows in the drawing above to see that current travels in a loop back to the battery.

You'll notice that your battery's negative terminal is connected to the vehicle's body. This is what establishes the vehicle's ground. The larger the surface, the better the ground. A vehicle's body acts as a sufficient ground for its battery.


Now to answer your question, it is completely up to you where you decide to connect the negative (return) wire on the accessories. It just needs to get back to the negative somehow. Many people connect it to the vehicle's body; some to the battery. Take a look at the PDF that I attached in the previous post. It shows exactly how I did mine. I jumped all of my switches together and ran one Negative wire to ONE Negative terminal on the fuse block (this left 11 others open for the negatives on the accessories). You can see where I terminated "LIGHTBAR-NEG" and "SIDELIGHTS-NEG" on the Fuseblock.



Oh, and another thing I learned. There are a lot of misconceptions with wire color. The color of the wire tells you a lot about it.

China (the place we order majority of our stuff from) does not use a consistent color code for wires which is why we get products with a red positive and a black negative.

United States:
Black: Primary Positive
Red: Secondary Positive (if applicable)
White: Neutral (Negative)
Green or Green/Yellow: Ground

Understood, I think. I just ordered the parts plus your bracket and I'm sure having everything in front of me will definitely help. Thanks for your help and detailed explanation. :cheers:

 

[CPT2nr88]

Rather than clog up the thread about the bracket you made I figured I'd ask some follow up questions here. Also I'm really impressed with the wiring schematic, not many people go that far, But I have lots of respect for those who do.

I noticed that your whole setup runs the individual wires from the fuses directly to the switch and you don't utilize any relays. This potentially limits how much power you can run. Most automotive rockers tend to be limited to 20amps. and some are even as low as 10A.

When you were designing your setup, did you ever consider using relays? Its something that I'm leaning towards myself. Specially since the BAJAdesigns light bar I'm looking at would draw over 30A. However it is only one of the things that the switch would control and it might be overkill for all the other items.

But I do know it makes running the wires to the switches much easier. Did you run into any issues with the thickness and number of wires you had to run up your A-pillers? Using relays you could run much thinner wires or a single multi conductor cable and have the relays back under the hood.

 

[violation]

6-Switch Overhead Control Panel
July 2015
<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/mikey9025/Switch/2ae892c1f318d096513bd9d4d3025902.jpg" border="0" style="width:640px" alt=" photo 2ae892c1f318d096513bd9d4d3025902.jpg"/>

I used SolidWorks to design a model and went to work.

would you mind sharing the SolidWorks file with me? I love that switch box and the location, and would like to see if it will be possible to 3D print it so it'll be plastic instead of wood.

and big thanks for all the explanation on wiring the fuse box. i'll be ordering your bracket.

 

[michaeljtomey]

Rather than clog up the thread about the bracket you made I figured I'd ask some follow up questions here. Also I'm really impressed with the wiring schematic, not many people go that far, But I have lots of respect for those who do.

Thanks! I keep the prints in my tool bag not only for my own reference but for when somebody has questions.

I noticed that your whole setup runs the individual wires from the fuses directly to the switch and you don't utilize any relays. This potentially limits how much power you can run. Most automotive rockers tend to be limited to 20amps. and some are even as low as 10A.

Yes it does put a limitation on the power per circuit. My switches are 20A and the Blue Sea Systems Fuse block is limited to 30A per circuit. I use these switches for the lower power drawing applications and would definitely question using a compressor or other high power accessories before blindly plugging them in. For my setup, I opted for no relays in my pre-wired 6 switches leaving the other 6 circuits open for future applications.

When you were designing your setup, did you ever consider using relays? Its something that I'm leaning towards myself. Specially since the BAJAdesigns light bar I'm looking at would draw over 30A. However it is only one of the things that the switch would control and it might be overkill for all the other items.

I did! That's exactly why I ultimately did not go with it. Attached is a PDF that shows my initial design. As a matter of fact, I ordered all of the parts and they are sitting in a box in the garage. One reason I didn't do the attached design is because I honestly couldn't find a place to mount it under my hood that made me happy. Plus I found it to be quite an overkill.

But I do know it makes running the wires to the switches much easier. Did you run into any issues with the thickness and number of wires you had to run up your A-pillers? Using relays you could run much thinner wires or a single multi conductor cable and have the relays back under the hood.

It definitely makes running the wires easier. I initially ran 12 gauge from the fuse block to the switches. It is an 8 foot run. So I spec'd out 12 gauge for 20A. http://www.glasswolf.net/papers/wiringdiagram.jpg I was dumb at the time and ran EIGHTEEN 12 gauge wires up the A-Pillar (shown in the post in this thread)! it did fit but it was tight. Since then, I made an attempt to simplify the system. I designed the attached PDF so that it would require less wires to run up the A-Pillar. I designed it all with molex connectors and it was going to be great. Then, after all that work, I changed my mind. I couldnt find a place to mount all the relays. I tried some different designs for brackets and ended up reverting back to my original design with simply 20A circuits going straight to the fuse block. Now I have thirteen 14 gauge wires going up the A-Pillar. I'm happy how it came out. I made a more robust design for the bracket that I now have for sale on my website. MJT 4Runner Grille Fab

There are so many ways to do it. I personally did what I found to be combination of simple, feasible, robust, customizable, and unique. With regards to circuit breakers, relays, terminal blocks... there will always be somebody who suggests doing it another way. Electrical is hard for many because though there are rules, there are infinite ways to accomplish the same result each with pros and cons. My overall design is my attempt to simplify a system that doesnt need to be so complex but also has the ability to accept multiple configurations.

Intelligence guided by experience. Cheers!

-Michael

 

[michaeljtomey]

would you mind sharing the SolidWorks file with me? I love that switch box and the location, and would like to see if it will be possible to 3D print it so it'll be plastic instead of wood.

and big thanks for all the explanation on wiring the fuse box. i'll be ordering your bracket.

Glad I can help! I actually have quite a bit of experience with 3D printing and there are some design limitations when doing it that way. It is actually a goal of mine to design that switch box in a way that has proper supports so that it can be 3D printed and remain rigid and still be cosmetically appealing. One of the problems would be attaching it. The face needs to be detachable so a ratchet wrench can be shoved in there to bolt those two 10mm fasteners. I'll try to hit the sketchboard after work one night this week. I have some grilles I need to ship first. I think the design would be fairly simple actually.

 

[MattJakobs]

Glad I can help! I actually have quite a bit of experience with 3D printing and there are some design limitations when doing it that way. It is actually a goal of mine to design that switch box in a way that has proper supports so that it can be 3D printed and remain rigid and still be cosmetically appealing. One of the problems would be attaching it. The face needs to be detachable so a ratchet wrench can be shoved in there to bolt those two 10mm fasteners. I'll try to hit the sketchboard after work one night this week. I have some grilles I need to ship first. I think the design would be fairly simple actually.

I would definitely be in for one of these if you start to make them!

 

[FreshSeabass]

Glad I can help! I actually have quite a bit of experience with 3D printing and there are some design limitations when doing it that way. It is actually a goal of mine to design that switch box in a way that has proper supports so that it can be 3D printed and remain rigid and still be cosmetically appealing. One of the problems would be attaching it. The face needs to be detachable so a ratchet wrench can be shoved in there to bolt those two 10mm fasteners. I'll try to hit the sketchboard after work one night this week. I have some grilles I need to ship first. I think the design would be fairly simple actually.

Any progress on this product for the website, or would you be willing to share the solid works file? I am working on my own file however I am curious to see yours! Thanks!

 

[maxbrown11c]

Hey are you running any wheel spacers with you Methods? I don't have fender flares either and am wanting something that sticks out just enough for a little better look and track, but not so much to look odd. Thanks

 

[michaeljtomey]

Hey are you running any wheel spacers with you Methods? I don't have fender flares either and am wanting something that sticks out just enough for a little better look and track, but not so much to look odd. Thanks

Nope! No spacers. I love that look too. The methods have a nice offset to them


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[maxbrown11c]

Nope! No spacers. I love that look too. The methods have a nice offset to them


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Nice are they the 17x8.5 or 17x9?

 

[michaeljtomey]

Nice are they the 17x8.5 or 17x9?

17x8.5


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[maxbrown11c]

17x8.5


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Thanks. Love the 4runner especially the color. Looks like you get a lot out of it even with stock suspension. Motivates me to leave mine the way it is for now, suspension wise, and enjoy it.

 

[michaeljtomey]

Thanks. Love the 4runner especially the color. Looks like you get a lot out of it even with stock suspension. Motivates me to leave mine the way it is for now, suspension wise, and enjoy it.

Thanks man I appreciate it! If you check my first post, I have listed my suspension. I actually did quite a bit more trips when it was stock than I do now on the upgraded lift. If you don't sag, have decent struts, and what you have works for you, keep it as it! If it ain't broke don't fix it. I climbed the Top of the World MOAB trail on a saggy stock suspension. It can be done! I only upgraded cause mine were then shot lol


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[BrianSD_42]

Nice thread man. Came here looking for some pics of those protectors with panoramas lit up. I guess I'll have to subscribe and wait it out.

 

[stever1000]

LED Light Bar Waterproofing
April 2016

$900/$50=18. Eighteen: the number of Amazon LED light bars I can buy for the price of one Rigid bar.

So I bought two! First one for destruction testing and a second to be done correctly the first time.

You do get what you pay for. So I HIGHLY recommend modifying them to be waterproof.

I used the first bar for a few months and, as expected, it condensated inside the glass. I opened it up and first attempted to use silicone to seal it. Let that dry for a few days and tested it under a pressure washer. Filled with water once again. So I let it once again sit out and dry and then tried a different brand of silicone and attempted to cover more area. Failed again.

My solution: HOT GLUE. I put my eff it face on and decided to heavily fill the ends of the bar with hot glue. Not to my surprise, it worked flawlessly. So I then committed and hot glued my second "new" light bar for actual use.

No issues since!


I did some research on the different light bars available on Amazon and ended up committing to the one with the most/best reviews. What I like about it is that the lights are actually a very nice 6000K color temperature. I personally hate any tints of yellow, green, or blue in my lights. These are great! You do get what you pay for. So I HIGHLY recommend modifying them to be waterproof.

<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/mikey9025/LED%20Light%20Bar/Amaazonlightbar.jpg" border="0" style="width:640px" alt=" photo Amaazonlightbar.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/mikey9025/LED%20Light%20Bar/2016-05-27_001352000_2365C_iOS.jpg" border="0" style="width:640px" alt=" photo 2016-05-27_001352000_2365C_iOS.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc140/mikey9025/LED%20Light%20Bar/2016-05-27_001243000_DDBEA_iOS.jpg" border="0" style="width:640px" alt=" photo 2016-05-27_001243000_DDBEA_iOS.jpg"/>

How is the light working for you now?