# Good 12V Source? **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [July 13, 2006, 11:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904 "2006-07-13T11:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy240sx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/happy240sx/32/5515_2.png) [@Happy240sx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Happy240sx)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 11:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/1 "2006-07-13T11:36:13Z")
Hey guys, when you install your gauges, switches, doo-hickies, where do you draw your 12V power from? I am looking for a good source (that is live with ignition)…any help? THX ---
**Author:** ![Gonad](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gonad/32/5481_2.png) [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 11:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/2 "2006-07-13T11:41:18Z")
I run everything off the stereo +12V ign source on mine. And I run multiple grounds. Nothing’s burned down (yet). :dunno: Click to enlarge [![http://www.my240.com/240sx/2006%20SR%20Swap%20Gallery/mar28/img_0015_t.jpg](http://www.my240.com/240sx/2006%20SR%20Swap%20Gallery/mar28/img_0015_t.jpg)](http://www.my240.com/240sx/2006%20SR%20Swap%20Gallery/mar28/img_0015.jpg)[![http://www.my240.com/240sx/2005%20SR%20Swap%20Gallery/sept6/img_0003_t.jpg](http://www.my240.com/240sx/2005%20SR%20Swap%20Gallery/sept6/img_0003_t.jpg)](http://www.my240.com/240sx/2005%20SR%20Swap%20Gallery/sept6/img_0003.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Happy240sx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/happy240sx/32/5515_2.png) [@Happy240sx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Happy240sx)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 11:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/3 "2006-07-13T11:47:18Z")
Where do you tap it G? At the box or downstream somewhere? Edit ps - that’s some crazy shiet you got there. ---
**Author:** ![Hurricane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hurricane](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hurricane)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 11:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/4 "2006-07-13T11:50:18Z")
For gauges I use my interior Dash lights as the 12v source that way all my shit dims together instead of just the OEM lights. Anything under the hood I draw directly from the fuse box source with a fuse per 12v line. ---
**Author:** ![Happy240sx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/happy240sx/32/5515_2.png) [@Happy240sx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Happy240sx)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 11:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/5 "2006-07-13T11:55:52Z")
> [@Hurricane](#): > > For gauges I use my interior Dash lights as the 12v source that way all my shit dims together instead of just the OEM lights. Anything under the hood I draw directly from the fuse box source with a fuse per 12v line. So you tap after the dimmer switch? ---
**Author:** ![Hurricane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hurricane](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hurricane)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/6 "2006-07-13T13:16:10Z")
Yea, I’m tring to remeber where I tapped in. I think it was from the lead that goes to the head unit. Its purple I belive… been a while. ---
**Author:** ![Gonad](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gonad/32/5481_2.png) [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/7 "2006-07-13T13:43:39Z")
I have it so that it’s ```auto 12V+ ------------ SPLIT ------------ STEREO | | | GAUGES ``` ---
**Author:** ![robbbby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@robbbby](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/robbbby)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/8 "2006-07-13T18:55:44Z")
How many gauges do you have and what source of 12V do you need? For the illumination or for electrical senders? If it’s just the little lights for a couple gauges you can just use the power in parallel from the place the guys above mentioned. If it is more than a couple gauges I would be using a relay. It may not be necessary but i’m anal when it comes to electrical so I like to do everything neatly. ---
**Author:** ![alesserfate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@alesserfate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/alesserfate)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/9 "2006-07-13T20:03:38Z")
i dont like to overload my ignition so I got a relay thats hooked to ignition (ACC) which draws power from battery directly, so when I turn my key-\> relay switches battery source on ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/10 "2006-07-13T21:13:14Z")
haha I just run it off my Lighter, hell that thing is never being used and it is made to handel some current ---
**Author:** ![Bero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bero](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bero)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/11 "2006-07-13T22:40:58Z")
i run shit from teh fuse panel in teh driver side footwell. i use the A/C fuse block usually because i dont have ac in my car. seems to be decent and my volts gauge gets teh same voltage reading as my safc2… ---
**Author:** ![Happy240sx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/happy240sx/32/5515_2.png) [@Happy240sx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Happy240sx)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/12 "2006-07-14T06:50:47Z")
I just tapped off my ciggy lighter. It’s only a switch so it’ll be fine. Thx all. ---
**Author:** ![luka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@luka](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/luka)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/13 "2006-07-14T07:37:45Z")
I bet the relay uses more juice than all the flashy LEDs in your gauges ;/ it takes a considerable amount of current to keep the coil primed. just touch the relay, it’s probably nice and toasty warm, LEDs don’t get warm, unless you have an insane low resistance inline with the LED, but if that was the case it would have a very short life. if you were anal about electronics, you’d want to use optic isolation, not a relay. ---
**Author:** ![alesserfate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@alesserfate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/alesserfate)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 10:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/14 "2006-07-14T10:09:42Z")
> [@luka](#): > > I bet the relay uses more juice than all the flashy LEDs in your gauges ;/ > > it takes a considerable amount of current to keep the coil primed. just touch the relay, it’s probably nice and toasty warm, LEDs don’t get warm, unless you have an insane low resistance inline with the LED, but if that was the case it would have a very short life. > > if you were anal about electronics, you’d want to use optic isolation, not a relay. lol nissan uses relays ? you can get nice relays too, I have alot of stuff on there not only to light up my guages so I thuoght better safe than sorry ---
**Author:** ![robbbby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@robbbby](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/robbbby)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-12v-source/97904/15 "2006-07-14T13:42:04Z")
> [@luka](#): > > if you were anal about electronics, you’d want to use optic isolation, not a relay. Yes, very cheap solution. I don’t think it takes much to hold the coils in, a few milliamps? Regardless, for a couple little leds it wouldn’t make sense to use a relay solely for that, but trying to power everything in your car off the radio and cigarette lighter can get a bit nasty.