How do I tie accessory wire into fuse box?

[Vanhalen1985]

On my original 72 fuse box. I need to run a hot wire (hot when key is on) for my electric choke on edelbrock. What is the right way to do this? And how to I do it?
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[jdalexa84]

With a fuse Tap like this one

[mgore68]

There should be a male post that is hot only with the key on. You can get a cheap tester and find the correct one or it may be marked. You can crimp a female connector on the wire and it will just slide on the flat post. I have my choke and stereo on this one line.

[jdalexa84]

You can get these at O'Reilly auto parts

[swamp rat]

Learn something new every once and a while....

[ray_mcavoy]

Originally Posted by mgore68

There should be a male post that is hot only with the key on. You can get a cheap tester and find the correct one or it may be marked. You can crimp a female connector on the wire and it will just slide on the flat post. I have my choke and stereo on this one line.

^^ Yes, here is a pic of a fuse box (borrowed from elsewhere on this site) that shows the original labels:



Either of the 2 terminals marked "IGN. UNFUSED" would be suitable for powering an electric choke. However, since they are unfused, I would recommend adding an inline fuse to the circuit being added.

[jondancer]

Good info

[70STOVEBOLT]

I ran a wire from the IGN unfused terminal on the fuse block to the firewall bulkhead connector behind the fuse block in a spot that was not being used and then ran a wire from the bulkhead connector on the engine side of the firewall in the corresponding unused spot to the hot terminal on the choke. I also put an inline fuse holder in the wire between the fuse block and bulkhead connector. If somehow the hot wire gets melted and shorts out, I don't want to burn my truck to the ground. I just ran the ground to a valve cover bolt. I can take pics if you want to see how I did it.

[jondancer]

Could I use the radio or cig to power some gauges that light up?

[70STOVEBOLT]

the cig lighter terminal is hot all the time so your gauges will ways be lit. You can use the radio fuse or the panel lights fuse. Those wil only be hot with the key on.

[jondancer]

Thank you

[custom10nut]

Not meaning to eavesdrop, but which terminal would be best to power my courtesy lights with the door jamb switches? Constant hot or key on hot? I haven't installed them yet, but will be soon. I'm thinking constant

[70STOVEBOLT]

The door switches wire into the done light circuit. They piggyback onto the connector below the fusebox. The white wire connected to the jamb switch actually grounds the circuit.

[custom10nut]

Thanks for the info. These fuse taps are available at o Reilly's, but you have to order then . Napa also has them, but they keep them on a display in the store. Four in a package for $4. Hope this helps

[davepl]

I like to ground mine through a relay triggered by the oil pressure sender. That way it won't heat & open the choke just because the key is on, but rather, needs to be actually running for the choke to heat.

I probably wouldn't go to that length JUST for the choke, but if you've already got an idiot light sensor (doesn't work with a gauge sender), it's a simple mod.