Where to wire in new clock

Austin O.

Austin O.

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Sorry if this is a bit of a stupid question… I bought a small digital clock that I’d like to wire into the tj since my head unit doesn’t like to display the time when my phone is plugged in for music/charging/maps. Is there a good spot to wire it into, what do I do? I’m quite inexperienced when it comes to electrical stuff…
 
Austin O. said:
Sorry if this is a bit of a stupid question… I bought a small digital clock that I’d like to wire into the tj since my head unit doesn’t like to display the time when my phone is plugged in for music/charging/maps. Is there a good spot to wire it into, what do I do? I’m quite inexperienced when it comes to electrical stuff…
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Give us a link to the clock you bought so we can see how it needs to be wired up and give you better recommendations
 
This little clock has an internal battery and is powered by the power port, or rather the wiring that used to power it. That circuit now powers the covered USB and power ports you see at the bottom of the switch panel, the volt meter, and the clock. If your power port is still intact, a couple tap splices will be the simplest and and cleanest to work with.
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C.J. Roberts said:
This little clock has an internal battery and is powered by the power port, or rather the wiring that used to power it. That circuit now powers the covered USB and power ports you see at the bottom of the switch panel, the volt meter, and the clock. If your power port is still intact, a couple tap splices will be the simplest and and cleanest to work with.
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View attachment 503821
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Positaps are amazing too, OP. Just make sure they're good for the amperage you're pulling (just a general thing, a 20 mA clock is probably fine).
 
TJ Jim said:
Looks like it has temp too. T0 and T1?
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It does. One for inside temp, one for outside temp. I left those off and just use it as a clock.
LONGJP2 said:
If you tap in behind the power ports, make sure it's the one that has constant power and not keyed power.
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Not necessary. It has an internal battery that keeps the time. I've got the same clock in my truck, and sometimes it doesn't get started for a couple weeks at a time, and it keeps time better than the radio.
 
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C.J. Roberts said:
This little clock has an internal battery and is powered by the power port, or rather the wiring that used to power it. That circuit now powers the covered USB and power ports you see at the bottom of the switch panel, the volt meter, and the clock. If your power port is still intact, a couple tap splices will be the simplest and and cleanest to work with.
View attachment 503818

View attachment 503821
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So is this what you mean? What wires do I tap into? Thanks
image.jpg


That unplugged connector does not do anything as of now, was connected to one of the dummy spots for where you add switches if that makes sense (I don’t have any switches for anything)
 
Tap the wires off the cigarette lighter. Someone may now which wire is positive and negative but it may be faster to just grab a multimeter and check them. The other connector is probably the OEM wiring for the fog light and again someone my be able to bring up the wiring diagram but would be faster to just check the wires with a multimeter.
Also check behind the glove box, there may be some Aux 12v wires that you can use.
 
kmbarreiros said:
Tap the wires off the cigarette lighter. Someone may now which wire is positive and negative but it may be faster to just grab a multimeter and check them. The other connector is probably the OEM wiring for the fog light and again someone my be able to bring up the wiring diagram but would be faster to just check the wires with a multimeter.
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Okay, thanks. Is there a reason to do the cigarette lighter rather than the fog lights one? Thanks
 
Austin O. said:
Okay, thanks. Is there a reason to do the cigarette lighter rather than the fog lights one? Thanks
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Without testing them with a multi meter you don't even know if there is power there. At least with the cigarette lighter you know there is power there right now.
 
C.J. Roberts said:
a couple tap splices will be the simplest and and cleanest to work with.


View attachment 503821
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oh geez, please no.

A tap-a-fuse off the foglight circuit (constant 12V) is a much better option than those vampire things. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QJHXRN6?tag=wranglerorg-20. You'll have a clean circuit w/o molesting your wiring. You'll find no love for the vampire clips here. Of course most of us would also cut off that insulated butt crimp and use a non-insulated crimp. Leave it to us to turn it into a science project.

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kmbarreiros said:
Quick question is that 12 or 24hr?
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C.J. Roberts said:
It's a 24 hour clock.
I tapped into the cigarette lighter for mine. The USBs, Power port, and voltmeter are all powered by it. Using that wiring means that it's only powered when the ignition is on. No running down the battery. Plus there's nothing else being powered by it.
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I just got it installed. Thanks for y’all’s help. It is both 24 and 12 hour, you’re able to switch in between the two
 
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