12Volts up front?

If a guy were to want 12 volts for a CB installation from somewhere in the dash area, what would you suggest, besides the cigarette lighter plug?

radio power wire could be an option.

Any brown wire its hot all the time. Butif you go into the radio wire it will turn off with the ignition switch and work on the accessory function of the switch.

When I install a two-way radio in a vehicle, what I do is run a fused line from the battery for power and ground. I've found that it reduces the amount of incidental noise that might be present in the vehicle from all of the other sources, such as motors, and I also know that the circuit is capable of handling the demand of the radio, especially when the transmitter is keyed.

Wray might have another idea since he does a lot more of that stuff.


dave
W0LIV

Absolutely what Dave said. I know CBs don't put out much power (can't remember how much now) and don't pull that much current compared to some of the radios Dave or I probably have used, but your safest bet is to connect directly at the battery with an inline-fuse there (at the battery) to protect the rest of the car. Radio Shack's twin-lead red/black battery/power wire would work well in your case.

Scott
N4GVA

A CB pulls about 3, at the most 4, amps on transmit. Most units probably less than 4. Pulls almost nothing on receive, less than 1 amp.

Professionally, I always run direct to the battery with a cord at least as thick as the one supplied with the radio. If you need to have it switch with the ignition use a relay that is controlled by a switched line (say the radio line under the dash) that then makes/breaks the red lead going to the battery. Also place a fuse in the red lead as close as possible to the battery.