This is a direct call-out to Guino for help (and for others that may be interested or that can assist as well); I need help on getting a rocker switch mounted into one of those dummy panels by the DSC OFF and dimmer switch. I am asking Guino directly because I know he's done it (I bought the exact same switch, too):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...76607046759088
(@ 0:56 & 1:54)

Guino, I am wanting to know exactly how you got those panels out, where you stuffed your wiring, where you got your power, and if you used the ground pole on the switch (if so where'd you ground to?).

My intent is to have a master power switch for my Opus 120W DC converter feeding the two +12V power lines going into the device. I have already tapped the cigarette lighter power line for ignition (is this okay to do?), however; I want to be able to cut the main power as to avoid any sort of parasitic drain on the battery. I don't know how familiar you might be with the Opus, but it has two input lines for power -- see the "wireing example" at the bottom of the page here:

http://opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=23

Would I be fine branching both power lines from the switch, or should I use another switch to keep both power lines separated from the battery? (this seems a bit dumb to do, but I recall the instructions for the Opus stating to use separate wires from the battery, which is what concerns me).

Any other tips anyone could give me for routing power to the DC converter would be greatly appreciated as well. As far as this thread is concerned, it is really only about the switch; as I will continue the discussion of my carPC work-in-progress in my main thread:

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-interior-audio-electronics-24/carpc-jdm-nav-work-progress-113678/
I know it hasn't been updated in a while, however since I recently got a lot of stuff put into the dash with wires routed and whatnot (thanks to help from the local guys here in St. Louis), that will change.

And Guino; I am starting to tinker with RoadRunner... I love what you've made! Many kudos for this! Thanks a bunch!

 

I don't like to mess with the car's wiring (myself), so I did what is the simplest of the things I could to do to get my CarPC to work...

I must say, if you have an Opus, you should use its shutdown controler and have it directly connected to the ignition switch.. that way, you won't even need that power swith I have -- I only need it because I use an inverter which is under the hood. I have a Relay hooked up to the inverter and two thin wires coming from it onto the switch you see in the video. So that button on my dash simply controls the relay, which throws the 12V of the batter onto the inverter under teh hood, from there, I have AC power running all the way back to the trunk where my CarPC is at. As I said, I do not like to mess with the car's wiring, so both the AC power and the wires for the relay are running across the hood (behind the padding of the firewall (which easily comes loose), then through under the left-front side door, into the car (and the space between the door is the only place where you can see something different (with the door opened), then the wire for the relay goes under the dash, while the AC is ran under the door's trim all the way to under the backseat, where it reaches the trunk. The door trims also simply pop-off... so honestly, I only took one of the empty slots of the switches by the DSC button, made a hole in it, and put the switch throgh it. The empty ones come off easily by getting behind the dash, and pushing the outer locks (top & bottom) inward... if you want it to light up, then it's a bit more work -- I ran 12V from the monitor onto the Power terminal of the swith -- so I'd see the light when the monitor is ON (the monitor is hooked on the computer and then this light is on when the computer is on)... that's basically it... feel free to ask more.

 

Hmm, I am having second thoughts on this afterall... If anything, the first hint that I get of a near dead battery experience, I am installing the switch, as much as it's going to kill me to do it. In your opinion, is tapping the cigarette lighter for the ignition wire to the Opus a bad idea at all and if so why? I am a little curious if there would be any excessive heat produced on the wire (or excessive amperage ) if one were to use the lighter (I don't smoke, but I could find a time where I need to use it).