# Electrical help...



## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Alright guys - I know about electricity and stuff. But I haven't done much with actual wiring. I'm outfitting my plow truck and need to put a rechargeable flashlight in my bed toolbox. It's got a 12V direct wire charger with blunt cut ends. I know I can just go to radioshack and buy an inline fuse and wire it straight to the battery (+) and ground. But I only want it to charge when the ignition is in Accessory or On (either or both will work). What's the best way to wire this? How can I tap into an unused fuse in either the door panel or the underhood fuse blocks? Should I use the upfitter plug in the MBEC and go back out through the firewall and back to the toolbox?

Let me know...


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

What truck? 

Since you mentioned the MBEC I'm assuming 99-up GM correct?


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Wow I forgot the most important part!!

2005 and 2006 2500HD Extended Cab/Short Bed


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Ok if you want it to only charge when the key is in the run position you can either connect in the MBEC (top left hand corner, tough to do reliably without the correct wire end) or use an EZ-Tap fuse tap and connect it in the interior fuse panel to the fuse labeled "SEO ACCY 10amp" (should be there). Using the EZ-tap keeps the original circuit protected while also protecting your added circuit. They can be purchased at most auto store for $3-$5.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Ohhhh - I think I get it now... The SEO ACCY fuse in the door panel goes straight to the MBEC ACCY pin, right then? If that's the case, I'll just buy the packard terminal and crimp my wire into that and feed it out and back to the toolbox. As for the ground, should I ground the charger into the packard terminal too, or go straight to the frame?


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Q101ATFD;569137 said:


> Ohhhh - I think I get it now... The SEO ACCY fuse in the door panel goes straight to the MBEC ACCY pin, right then?


 Correct as long as you use the run/accesory pin in the connector, as there's also a pin thats fused by a fuse marked "SEO IGN 10amp" thats powered in the run/start position.



Q101ATFD;569137 said:


> If that's the case, I'll just buy the packard terminal and crimp my wire into that and feed it out and back to the toolbox. As for the ground, should I ground the charger into the packard terminal too, or go straight to the frame?


Grounding through the MBEC would be the most reliable way to go.

Be forward though the MBEC connector w/ the pigtails isn't cheap for all it is. :realmad:


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

B&B;569146 said:


> Be forward though the MBEC connector w/ the pigtails isn't cheap for all it is.


Does GM sell the SEO connector with pigtails?

I can get everything, including wire from Mouser for under $15 and crimp myself in 10 minutes... I guess that's my way of sticking it to the man . I had to redo the Packard 480 connector on my salt spreader last season - wasn't too bad...


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Q101ATFD;569157 said:


> Does GM sell the SEO connector with pigtails?


 Yep, to the tune of $40.



Q101ATFD;569157 said:


> I can get everything, including wire from Mouser for under $15 and crimp myself in 10 minutes... I guess that's my way of sticking it to the man . I had to redo the Packard 480 connector on my salt spreader last season - wasn't too bad...


You have a source for the C-8 connector housing? Never been able to find it myself. Terminals are no problem but the housing..no. Where?


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

$1.05 each from Mouser

In the "Series" box, scroll down to "Metri-Pack 280 Unsealed Connectors," and select "6" for the number of positions...

From the data sheets provided, it looks as if the housing includes the terminals, you just push the stripped wire in through the back and insert a plastic piece to hold them in place - but maybe I'm wrong...


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Actually if you have the upfitters manuals, they show the manufacturer part numbers and connector type for each connector in the whole truck, along with the pinout.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

U da man of the day Q!

I've been searching for a supplier for that connector housing for nearly 2 years (including Delphi) that would sell me *less than a 1000 at a time*. 

Here's the correct one: 6 way 280 metri-pac

Made my day.. :salute:


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Q101ATFD;569175 said:


> Actually if you have the upfitters manuals, they show the manufacturer part numbers and connector type for each connector in the whole truck, along with the pinout.


I do, and I know. It's been the order quantity thats been the trouble.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

B&B;569178 said:


> I do, and I know. It's been the order quantity thats been the trouble.


Now you can look them all up, and order them, on Mouser!

I spent at least 15 hours (spread over a few nights) trying to find their sealed connector that would take 10AWG so I could get my spreader back in service last fall. Looked through tons of PDFs on Delphi's site, and finally found Mouser - they saved the day big time!

I'm about to put an order in for 2 - in case a screw one up, or need another... Any idea about whether or not the pins are integrated into the housing, or if I need to keep searching to find those also?

Also curious if you know what gauge wire GM puts on there? No smaller than 12AWG for 10A, but there are 15A and 30A pins on there too... What do your pigtails look like?


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

The sad part is I've ordred from Mouser several times in the past. :crying:

The housing doesn't include the teminals as you need to purchase them for the wire dia your using. Go to the connector link and click on "related parts". There it lists all the connector dia in relation to the wire size (insulation dia) your using.

The GM connector/pigtail (p/n 15306107) has all the wires the same size but I've seen some that were all 12 gage, and some that were all 14 gage. Guess its whatever they feel like that day.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Here's a pic of the actual connector/pigtail assembly as GM sells it:


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

B&B;569177 said:


> U da man of the day


So I find you something that you've been searching for for 2 years and all I get is man of the _day_? And I only got to enjoy that title for 32 minutes! What's this world coming to?! 

Haha - anyways, thanks for the jumpstart of my brain - glad we could both help each other out!


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Q101ATFD;569200 said:


> Haha - anyways, thanks for the jumpstart of my brain - glad we could both help each other out!


Which is what this is all about.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Got my plug and pins in the mail today, but I can't find the part number for the plastic pin retainer that goes from top to bottom... Continuing the search...


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Should have come with the TPA lock. 

"TPA" is what Delphi referees to as the "Terminal Position Assurance" lock...some refer to it as a secondary lock. The one you want it GM p/n 12064753

Check here: TPA


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

I'm not sure that's the right one...

I can't find the one I'm looking for in Delphi's 280 catalog - I wonder if they've changed part numbers since the upfitter manuals came out. I'm looking for the inverted "U" piece that shows in post #15. I have the piece (blue) in my Tekonsha on my brake controller harness plug, but can't find a part number anywhere.

12064753 is listed as mating with 12064752, which is a different connector according to Delphi's data sheet (on mouser).


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Q101ATFD;570880 said:


> I can't find the one I'm looking for in Delphi's 280 catalog - I wonder if they've changed part numbers since the upfitter manuals came out. I'm looking for the inverted "U" piece that shows in post #15. I have the piece (blue) in my Tekonsha on my brake controller harness plug, but can't find a part number anywhere.


Ok you want the blue colored U shaped TPA. I've yet to find them available anywhere *separately* from the connector bodies either. :realmad: You can use the connector without the TPA if necessary.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Bingo!

12193931 for the blue TPA

Just started going up from 12193930 and I got lucky because I could have been at it for a while haha! The sad thing is that I just spent $6.75 to have 2x 20 cent parts shipped...argh...


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Excellent. Unfortunately by now it would have been cheaper and/or less hassle to just purchase the pigtail as a whole since you only needed a single quantity. 

Unless of course you like the hunt.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Haha, I do like the hunt!

But I've still only spent $20 for the parts for 2 connectors (including shipping). I also needed 18 feet of wire coming off of it and I doubt GM's pigtail is that long. I _do_ like figuring out some things on my own


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

I'm just about done installing everything - learned a few things already...

First off, I should have looked before I did anything - I already have an SEO plug in place for the blunt cut auxiliary roof lamp wiring harness.

Second, it sucks to crimp the connectors when you're upside down under the dashboard with the wrong kind of crimper.

Third, I still have to come up with a 'plan B' because the SEO ground wire is already in use. I'll probably just snip my ground somewhere along the frame and screw it on. I have to look, but it might be easier to snip just outside of the firewall and run it to the alternator or some other ground in the engine compartment. Any suggestions as to what works better?


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