The basic rules to wire accessories.

[Darkam]

Hi all

I'm a complete noob on wiring, does somebody can explain the basic rules to make a safe wiring to avoid puting the Lude on fire ?
I've got 2 after market heated seats for the rear to wire on something that turn on with the ignition, any idea?

Thanks.

[frenchnickers]

Did the same on the front seats, and used the power window wires, left and right.
High amp, wire, which is ignition switched, so won't drain the battery if left on.
I assume your heated rear seats are a kit, and is already pre-wired and in line fuse etc with it?

[Froidas]

How I do:
* never use existing wires. They have their purposes, their thickness and their fuses. Positive or ground, doesn't matter.
* always take a fresh positive from under-dash fuse box
* fuse every positive
* use a correct amperage fuse
* always solder connections and isolate with heat shrink
* use good ground connection, I usually apply copper grease to the screw
* all extra wires are going along original wiring paths, secured, tightened, use plastic pipe, if there's enough room
* no direct wires from, for example, dash to main loom or door to main loom - use original connectors. Most of the times you can use empty wire places in existing connectors or just extra OEM connector.

I think it's tidy and secure way.

[Darkam]

Thanks Froidas it's what I was looking for.

@ Frenchnikers : Are you french ?! Yep there is a complete harness with relay, 10amp fuse etc.

Is there a rule to calculate if you can or not wire something on a existant wire ? I mean, How are you sure to not burn a fuse ?

[Thebusofwoe]

If you want to switch a high load system such as heated seats or a power window for example, then you need to have it switched with a realy, fuse, and switches. If you do not use relays then you run a big risk of over loading the switch(s) and/or any smaller wiring. Always switch a big current with a small current, as a general rule.

[wurlycorner]

By knowing the existing current draw on that wire (how many amps), what the current draw of the thing you want to add onto the circuit (how many extra amps) and making sure the total of those two, is less than the rated current of the wire (how many amps it can safely carry) and the fuse.

So if you had an existing circuit that had a 10 amp rated wire, fed off a 10 amp fuse, feeding something that draws 5 amps and you wanted to add something that draws 2 amps, that would be fine (total of 7 amps is 3 amps less than the rating of the fuse and wire). If you wanted to add something that draws 10 amps, that would not be fine (total of 20 amps is 10 more than the rating of the fuse and the wire). If you wanted to add something that draws 5 amps, technically it would be ok (you'd be drawing 10 amps which matches the rating of the wire and fuse) but in reality it wouldn't because current draw won't be constant, you will get spikes and particularly if the voltage drops only slightly from nominal, then the current draw would go up above the nominal rating and you'd just blow the fuse and/or wire.

In reality you'll find the wires are always rated higher than the fuse feeding them, to make sure it is always the fuse that blows first.

[K30DPC]

How I do:
* never use existing wires. They have their purposes, their thickness and their fuses. Positive or ground, doesn't matter.
* always take a fresh positive from under-dash fuse box
* fuse every positive
* use a correct amperage fuse
* always solder connections and isolate with heat shrink
* use good ground connection, I usually apply copper grease to the screw
* all extra wires are going along original wiring paths, secured, tightened, use plastic pipe, if there's enough room
* no direct wires from, for example, dash to main loom or door to main loom - use original connectors. Most of the times you can use empty wire places in existing connectors or just extra OEM connector.

I think it's tidy and secure way.

It sounds very sensible. I vould just add one thing. Sometimes as for example with heated seats I do all wirings as honda oryginaly did. You can find all colour coded wiring diagrams in manual. It is good for future fault finding and in case you will sell your car next owner will have easier life.

Another time if you installing something which honda never did just follow what Froidas wrote and you will be fine

[Darkam]

Thanks Wulryconer that's well explained

I've find some electrical diagrams of the power windows but it's too much for me I can't tell where it is powered, does somebody know the color of the wires ?

[Bludge]

Can someone explain to me about taking a fresh positive from the under dash fusebox?

[lewd lude lover]

Heated rear seats? in a lude?

Can I ask why? and how are they fitting? Interested.