Strobes and airbags and cables - Oh my!

jcobb · Post by **jcobb** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 1:00 am

OK, here's my stupid question (please excuse the brain f*rt):

I need to install 2 strobes up on the dash of the old faithful Bronco. It already has UHF, VHF, 800 meg Spectra and lo-band Maratrac heads on top of the dash.

I was going to run the strobe cables thru the gaping hole in the dash where all the control cables run - and keep them away from the "bang bag" on the steering wheel.

But I need to know if I will get any weirdness by running the strobe cables along side the control cables. I don't have any experience with strobes in this close proximity with control head cables.

Any suggestions? Or am I stuck with running the strobe cables along the windshield and down the passenger side - and making it look like an installation done in Arkansas?

Jack

KG6EAQ · Post by **KG6EAQ** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 2:10 am

Since you said Airbag and Bronco I'm gonna assume you have a '92-'96 model.

You got all those damn radios mounted to the dash!?!!? Yow! I'm surprised the dash can handle the weight being pushed around. What about going down near the center defroster vent? That dash isn't held on by many screws... you could always pop a hole, grommet it and route them as necessary. I also think properly grounded stroble cable wouldn't be that bad somewhat hear the control cables... I had a strobe cable running pretty close to my x9000 cable and never had a problem with it. Since I traded my Explorer into the insurance company and got a Bronco I've been having tons of fun with it. I'm about to mount a lowband antenna to the rear quarter panel. Outa come out pretty good

Have you ever visited http://www.fullsizebronco.com ? Check out their forum, good stuff

spareparts · Post by **spareparts** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 7:29 am

Jack,
My Bronco's dash did crack from stuff being fastened to it. I went to a floor console. Bought a salvage yard replacement for the dash.

If you are interested, I have a Troy Console mount for later Bronco's. It's new in the box, but a bit dusty. I bought it by mistake thinking it would fit my 1990 model. the Stock # is AC-CO6BKIT. E-mail me if you are.

BTW, I ended up bolting the console directly to the floor.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 1:34 pm

Just make sure you ground the power supply end ONLY of the cable's sheild/drain wire.

A self-drilling TEK screw in the floorpan is NOT a ground!

jcobb · Post by **jcobb** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 2:56 pm

Jim

Using the Whelen-type connectors (3 wire) that plug into the supply - you mean a "good" ground at/on the supply? Or pulling the ground wire out of the connector and grounding it separate? I just want to be clear on what you meant.

Jack

commtek · Post by **commtek** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 5:41 pm

Jack-

What Jim was referring to is to ground the drain wires in the strobe cables, not the ground wire in the three pin connector. We do this at the power supply end. Tie them all together and run a common wire to a GOOD ground.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 6:14 pm

jim wrote:
A self-drilling TEK screw in the floorpan is NOT a ground!

You keep saying that. What IS a good ground if a screw into the metal body isn't.

KG6EAQ · Post by **KG6EAQ** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 6:31 pm

I'd call a good ground a tie to the frame somewhere. Either using an existing ground, or an existing hole and sanding all the crap off the frame down to bare metal... that'd be a pretty good ground.

motor59 · Post by **motor59** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 7:12 am

jcobb wrote:I need to install 2 strobes up on the dash of the old faithful Bronco. It already has UHF, VHF, 800 meg Spectra and lo-band Maratrac heads on top of the dash.

I want to see a pic of this dash!

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 7:36 am

You'd drill a hole in the frame to ground a power supply and strobe cables???

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 8:20 am

The frame is a terrible ground. In fact, most vehicles no longer even use a ground strap to the frame. Some use a static strap only to eliminate noise in the AM radio and eliminate hash from PCM/BCM and other systems. The body is the ground member on just about any metal car today. Perimter-framed cars (Crown Vic) have their engine blocks grounded to the battery and the block is rubber mounted to the frame. The battery negative is also not the greatest place to ground equipment- no matter what the manufacturers say. They say to get ground and power directly from the battery only to eliminate warranty returns and equipment damage from these same "installers" tapping lightbar power from the turn signal fuse. By doing this, they are ensuring you get good power & ground. There's no substitute for a good #6 single power feed and a proper body ground for the equipment.

A good ground to the body involves cleaning the local area to expose shiny metal, drilling a hole and BOLTING the ground to the sheet metal. This will stay tight forever. Don't forget to undercoat.
All equipment should ground to a common point- within reason. The backflashers or wigwags, of course, get grounded at the units.
A #8 cable from the dash mount bolts in the A-post run into the console to a stud is a great way to do a common ground. If you mount the stud to the metal console, you are better yet since the consol body will be grounded. I even go as far as grinding the floorpan, console mount bottom and any other parts of the console to condict to the floorpan. No only does this give a good electrical ground for the equipment, it also bring the entire console body to the ground potential of the entire body, thus helping to keep RF/EMI out of the console from external sources such as SRS controllers mounted on the tranny humps on Crown Vics.

TEK screws hold their bond for about, oh, a day or so until they start to wiggle loose. Most internal equipment failure is due to "installers" using bad grounds. There is one electronics shop nearby my facility that tries to equip police cars where the "installers" (hackers, butt-splice bandits, arsonists or any other term for these guys) ground the lightbar to either the console or the body with a single #8 TEK screw! I get alot of service work because of this place. They need to stick to pager, Nextel and Cricket sales.

Take the time to ground properly and you'll avoid equipment failure, dim lights, radio noise and other side-effects that will ruin your installation.

As for the strobes, the ground or "drain" lead is the single uninsulated lead. This gets grounded only at the power supply end and not a the light head end.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 8:51 am

jim wrote:...the "installers" (hackers, butt-splice bandits, arsonists or any other term for these guys)

Hahahaha.

I'm still waiting for SOMEONE to try and use the shield drain for like Anode or trigger and see what happens.

Strobes and airbags and cables - Oh my!

Strobes and airbags and cables - Oh my!

Re: Strobes and airbags and cables - Oh my!