New Powerline Through Firewall

JeepHI · Apr 3, 2006

I need a ham radios power line to go through the firewall. Pretty much the same as running an amp with a 25-30 peak amp usage. Regretfully the battery side of the cable is easiest to go through but I haven't taken time to look for a spot from inside the car. It's thunder and lightening right now like lots of the last 43 days of rain. Anyway I don't see me going from inside past the a/c on the passenger side unless there is enough space for a feeder line to be able to drop down behind the a/c to the floor after poking it in from the engine side. I've also wondered about the throttle cable lines hole for a power line. I don't know right now but just wonder if any other hams have gone the route already feeding their rig. It's a Yaesu FT-100D I'd like to run some times for ham and MARS.

telam · Apr 3, 2006

I have a ham in mine. I ran the power cables from the battery up the passenger side to the base of the windshield. I ran it under the plastic there to the driver's side then through the grommet in the fire wall. I mounted the hidden base where my passenger side air bag was. I know, I know... later on that. Anyway it's been great. I want to do it cleaner when I can afford the brackets but it'll do for now. It was obviously easy.

JeepHI · Apr 3, 2006

Thanks for the answer. I just got the jeep a little while ago. I guess I'll try digging out some leader line from my fishing gear and try dropping a line behind the A/C and see if I can do the old siliconed wire through the firewall game. I'd really like to have the shortest run possible using the stock power line. Then I can go the remote head from more options of a place. Weather man forecasts sun in a couple of days. Hopefuly I wont be lazy and can find the leader line of get more by then. Come to think of it I better find the silicone also. Oh well.

For the ATAS-120 I bent a ...... KD-40 or something like that mount. You know the lid mount that has 4 alen screws to grip a trunk? Then it fit the bend of the top of the rear hatch. That keeps me clear of the vehicle body and not drilling holes through the roof. In that position you cant go to far towards the roof or opening and closing the top rack will cause the rigid base of the antenna to hit or just the mount securing point will hit the edge of the roof. Then the mount and its alen screws have to bent just right to keep the alen screws from hitting the rubber seal for the rear hatch. It was a fun rigging for sure. I figure I'll go for a grounding strap from the antenna mount to the roof keeping it as short as possible. Anyway I'm ready to go after the radio mounting next.

Gud DX to you.

RSL · Apr 4, 2006

I am trying to put my FT-100D in my ZJ as well. Think I'll try to find the separation kit to make my mounting choices a little easier.

I'll probably build something at work( I work in a plasma/laser cutting welding shop) to mount the antennas off the roof rack. Still not sure what to run for an HF antenna, might go screwdriver or get one of the SGC tuners and just run a long whip.

I found out the hard way you can't run a mag mount on the roof without giving the compass fits.

VE5 RSL
Russ

JeepHI · Apr 5, 2006

I looked at the roof rack but didn't like the Cherokee non grounding plastic and wind load weakness. I also figured if I were going mobile with stuff loaded on top for any emergency type routine the antenna would be in the way going through the roof in the rack region. Just another excuse of sorts but I do also have through the vehicle skin mounts but eh. Being lazy right now.

Not sure where I got the YSK-100 separation kit but it was either Burghardt, AES or HRO. Burghardt has the kit for $79 right now. I got the 300 Hz CW filter from HRO for real cheap when the FT-100D was no longer offered. Something like $20 and I checked prices and clicked buy that real quick. With the receive characteristics of the radio I constantly wish they still offered the radio. None I've seen for years have the no gaps receive across the bands. The stability is better than lots offered today it seems. A real jewel of a radio. Take good care of it.

I haven't been on the ham bands for over a year since I just got back from deployment. Good luck on the install.

Just another AH6

Luken8r · Apr 5, 2006

What gage is the wire? I ran some 12 gage through the firewall near the throttle cable for a switch on the drivers side. That spot was low enough so you didnt need to feed it through the dash but still inside the engine bay. Besides, there is less of a chance of punching through another wire/harness if you can see both the inside and outside of the firewall where you are drilling

JeepHI · Apr 6, 2006

It's about 12 gauge. I was trying to go with just the factory made wire with inline fuzes but it is too short leaving me with just 2 options. Install under the drivers side dash using existing holes there or make a hole on the passenger side or dismantle passenger side covers and weave through there using the door hinge panel wiring boot hole. What ever is going to happen it looks like I'm going to go with a heavy gauge pair of wires from the battery to a hook up block inside the truck. The main things I can't do is reduce the amperage rating of wires, loose amps available due to wiring and heat due to heavy amp draws, have the radio in an easy to steal location, mount the radio where a good short ground isn't, not have the radio power supply + and - direct to a battery. I guess I'm going with heavy gauge wiring. Then we'll be seeing if the battery and alternator can keep up. I'm also looking at changing the battery terminal connectors to a better type that supports a solid connection of my radio. A little washer crimp on style connector isn't going to cut it for me.

Oh yah. If you are looking for a spot to go through I'm not sure if it's the same for all models but if you take a solid rod with thin wire taped to the end then stick a hand under the dash where the wires go through the firewall by the fenders you can poke the wire through to the engine compartment with the rod. I started with a fishing leader line then used it to pull through a weed eater plastic line to pull stuff through. Went pretty smooth till I laid the line out and didn't like where it was going to end up having the radio.

telam · Apr 6, 2006

On the aircraft I work on they run large wires from the battery to an ignition activated relay then to a power bus. All electronics are clustered onto that bus, or buses depending on how big the jet is. If you isolate it well you can create a positive bus and a negative bus and run all you present and future electronics of these. If you place them well it will make all other wiring jobs cake! and it will clean up any power feed noise you might encounter by running long lines.

JeepHI · Apr 30, 2006

Well I found the easy route was using the guys who installed my alarm. Had them install power and ground through the firewall. Had them run 8 gauge from the battery to the rear of the vehicle yesterday. Evidently the standard for car stereo amps is just the power line from the batery then a ground to the car where the amp end up getting put. Weird but they'll pay when I get on 15 meters probably. I didn't have them do anything but cut the hole in the firewall and run the wire. The car is an automatic so the clutch area was some what clear so that area got used for the hole. I can't believe the car stereo and alarm place isn't using rubber gromets but maybe my running 2 wires was too big for what they might of had. He put some hard plastic thing in there and today I saw it had fallen back out. Aint that great. Today I went down and got the max 60 amp fuse holders for the battery area and a couple packs of the 8 gauge gold plated battery connectors that are solid cups for the wire to go into. I just crimped them down on the positive and negative then made sure the soldering in place was done good and soaked into the wire and into the connectors for a good bond. Then I had bought 2 4 way splitters one for positive and one for negative. It was the most expensive parts for the fix but worth it I guess. Instead of the $75 for 2 splitters I could of had better at a local electronics supply place I use for around $10 but I was in a hurry. Actually installed things in reverse where I started at the rear of the vehicle so I could make sure I had wires all secured and nothing to go wrong in the back if I got cut short on my work and had to go with battery connected and the rear floating live wires around, So pretty much with the rough set up in place an receive tested I'm in my room with the hand mike rady to go downstairs and take the radio for a spin and test things out. I'll probably be yanking the wires from the battery after I find a good rubber gromet for th firewall. Car stereo places I guess don't even bother to zinc cromate paint the cut holes so that install wasn't really a good one. Anyway I've got a rough enough install for now.

Here are a few things you might need to know.
1. If your truck is an automatic and you want lossless voltage with 10 or larger gauge wire and you will be drilling the friewall the black mat has to pulled down to drill the hole low enough to miss the back of the power brakes drum. I'll try to post some pictures.
2. That clutch area ends up being 2 metal plates with a gap between them. I'll try to find something to work as a gromet during the week if I get off early enough one of the week days. Could end up being jury rigged rubber hose or something with that goopy antenna coax seal but I'll definitely be trying to make better fixing of things than that.

I'm out of here. Gotta go play..... I mean test the wiring.

New Powerline Through Firewall

JeepHI

telam

JeepHI

RSL

JeepHI

Luken8r

JeepHI

telam

JeepHI

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