Switch/Gauge Template

[Copasetic]

Well I got my dual battery setup finished and I'm going to start hooking up my lights and what not. I bought all the switches I think I'm going to need and drew it out before I started cutting anything.

The 6 on the left are for all of my aux. lights and have an amber LED. The pushbutton and red toggle are for my in cab winch controls. The one above that is for my 2nd electric fan once I get them installed. The gauge is for my aux. battery. The 2 switches above the gauge are for my line locks (1 front and 1 rear) and are red LED's.

The 3 squiggly lines on the border are room for a 3/4" aluminum strip, actually a 90 degree angle, to help tie it all together. This will be made out of 26 gauge sheet metal and be bolted together using the aluminum angle since I can't weld.

This is going to be bolted on the front of my console facing up. Let me know what y'all think!

 

[ryoken]

Should be cool... What switches are those?

And dual volt gauges rules all!!!!! It freaks people out when they see em in my dash...

 

[dremu]

I'm not a big fan of left-to-right switches ... is left on, or right? For A-B stuff like a gas tank or battery switcher, where switch left is the left tank and switch right is the right, it's great.

For lighting and other on/off stuff , though, I prefer up=on. In your case, I'd do a 3x3 grid of switches on the left, with the winch controls and gauge to the right. Anyway, that's just my opinion, which doesn't mean there's anything WRONG with your setup, just I'd do it different

What does the pushbutton do for the winch? Power in, 'cuz you don't have power out? (Warn 5867 or something?)

-- A

 

[Copasetic]

I'm not a big fan of left-to-right switches ... is left on, or right? For A-B stuff like a gas tank or battery switcher, where switch left is the left tank and switch right is the right, it's great.

For lighting and other on/off stuff , though, I prefer up=on. In your case, I'd do a 3x3 grid of switches on the left, with the winch controls and gauge to the right. Anyway, that's just my opinion, which doesn't mean there's anything WRONG with your setup, just I'd do it different

What does the pushbutton do for the winch? Power in, 'cuz you don't have power out? (Warn 5867 or something?)

-- A

That's the whole reason I went with cardboard first so I could change it up and see what I liked better.

The pushbutton is to apply power to the 3 way switch under the red flip (out/off/in). I open the flip and push the toggle up, mash the button and it goes out. Flip it the other way (back), mash the button and it goes in. I have an 8274 going to go up front but I'm going to rebuild it first. For now I'm going to stick my M8000 up front. When I decide to mount the 8274, the M8K will go on the back with a hitch mounted receiver.

 

[dremu]

That's the whole reason I went with cardboard first so I could change it up and see what I liked better.

I tend to doodle in Paint Shop Pro, but yep, it's a good idea however you do it!

The pushbutton is to apply power to the 3 way switch under the red flip (out/off/in). I open the flip and push the toggle up, mash the button and it goes out. Flip it the other way (back), mash the button and it goes in. I have an 8274 going to go up front but I'm going to rebuild it first. For now I'm going to stick my M8000 up front. When I decide to mount the 8274, the M8K will go on the back with a hitch mounted receiver.

Ahh, didn't get that the covered switch was on-off-on... on mine I have the covered switch as the on-off, 'cuz it came that way, and the in and out are a spring-return-to-center beside it. Come to think, your setup might make more sense ... set the direction once, then chug it on and off with the momentary, huh.

Course I gotta put my winch back together ... just had the motor rebuilt.

Rebuilt 8274, mmmmm. Good stuff, that.

-- A

 

[lectric80]

It looks like a sweet setup, just be sure to post up pics once you get it mounted. I do however agree that I prefer the up/down orientation for lighting switches and such.

 

[Copasetic]

Well since I'm more or less stuck at the house, I redid my switch panel and just about have it done. I have to do some fine filing to make the switches sit flush on the metal and make up my sides once I get it ready to bolt in. I also got my 8274 mounted and wired up too.

Let me know what y'all think!

 

[TroyBiltK5]

That rocks !!!!
I like the gauges on the switch panel too. Threw a tranny temp on there while you're at it I see. I'm still not exactly sure where you're mounting it. Still trying to envision it mounted. Be sure to post pics of the installation! Looks really cool. Keep up the good work!

 

[lectric80]

That looks sweet, and the 8274 looks right at home on that bumper. Love to see more pics once you get it mounted up.

 

[RootBreaker]

That rocks !!!!
I like the gauges on the switch panel too. Threw a tranny temp on there while you're at it I see. I'm still not exactly sure where you're mounting it. Still trying to envision it mounted. Be sure to post pics of the installation! Looks really cool. Keep up the good work!

yeah I too was curious as it threw me off also... however I think I get it... since it is a blazer... he says

This is going to be bolted on the front of my console facing up.

so id say on the console between the seats... and facing up......

get us some pics once your done!!!

 

[BUDDY]

I think it looks really good, but I have one suggestion. It's simple to say but, hard to make happen.

Why not use an electrical enclosure & cut the holes in the cover for the switches & gauges?

Then you have an enclosure for the all of the wiring & such as well as a clean little box to hide all of the wires in. Just a thought.

Later,
Buddy

 

[Copasetic]

I think it looks really good, but I have one suggestion. It's simple to say but, hard to make happen.

Why not use an electrical enclosure & cut the holes in the cover for the switches & gauges?

Then you have an enclosure for the all of the wiring & such as well as a clean little box to hide all of the wires in. Just a thought.

Later,
Buddy

Thanks for the input! I see what you're saying. One reason is that box is a little too big for what I'm going to be needing. If the fit and finish of this switch plate is going to be like I'm expecting it to be, I'll be able to mount a cb on the back side of it and it not obstruct my reach for my transfer case shifter. All of the wires will be hidden when I put the sides on and I'm going to make them contour with the angles on the front of the console. I'm going to try and get it finished by some time Thursday since I'm off and I'll be sure to post plenty of pic!.

 

[vortec]

I'm not a big fan of left-to-right switches ... is left on, or right?

Is right on or left on? Yes...when you set it up like it did for my reverse lights. Right is always on, left is on in reverse, and middle (off) is...big surprise, always off. With 2-position switches, it's even easier. Is the thing on? No. Then that switch position isn't "on" .

Then you have an enclosure for the all of the wiring & such as well as a clean little box to hide all of the wires in. Just a thought.

I did something like that, but I didn't mount the switches in it. I have my junction block and relays inside the box and it's screwed to the tranny hump. then, my wires run into and out of it. It's not that beautiful, but it works, and some beautification is on the to-do list.

 

[BUDDY]

I wasn't talking about that one specifically. Just the idea in general. There are a million different sizes of those things.

Later,
Buddy

 

[Copasetic]

Here's where and how it's going to mount. It's just mocked up right now but so far everything is within easy reach and nothing is in the way of anything else.

I'm going to mount my fuse block inside my console right on the other side of this that way I'll have easy access to the fuses if need be. I'm also going to fab up some sides so it will be enclosed and to give it some structural integrity. What do y'all think?

 

[drop the hammer]

HAHA HOOTERS

 

[BKinzey]

So there will be a fuse block on the inside? That would be a great use of the space.

Why not hinge the top plate (switch panel, face plate) so you flip up the plate to get to the fusebox underneath?

 

[lectric80]

That is going to be really nice. It wouldn't work in mine with the 205, since it would be in the way of the shifter, but it has given me some ideas for how to do mine.

 

[Copasetic]

So there will be a fuse block on the inside? That would be a great use of the space.

Why not hinge the top plate (switch panel, face plate) so you flip up the plate to get to the fusebox underneath?

That's a good idea! I was going to put it inside the console so if I needed to get to it all I had to do was pop the cup holders out. But now I see an aluminum piano hinge in the future. Even if I have to unscrew it where it attaches at the cup holders. Thanks mang! The relays I'm going to use will be in there as well.