How To - Add a Fuse Tap in Your Vehicle

If you add a new device in your vehicle, you must tackle the task of providing the correct type of power to the device and potentially supplying that power via a hardwired connection to your vehicle's fuse panel.

This video discusses what the various power source types are (switched, switched - with retained accessory power, unswitched), shows you the common fuse and fuse tap types on the market today and it has examples of locating a fuse socket in a fuse box to use with a fuse tap.

🔷Another "easier" way to test for fuse socket power and avoid using the 1/2 fuse testing approach is to use the fuse tap itself with a fuse in the top fuse socket of the fuse tap. In this approach, you test for power by inserting the fuse tap and then checking for power at the end of the red wire coming out of the fuse tap (as shown at 11:00 in the video). If you don't have power with the fuse tap in that position, rotate the fuse tap 180 degrees and test again. Once you find the correct orientation for the fuse tap in the fuse socket, you can install the original fuse from the fuse box fuse socket in the lower fuse socket of the fuse tap. If there was no fuse in the fuse box fuse socket then you should not have any fuse in the lower fuse socket of the fuse tap.

⏲ Video Chapters ⏲

00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Power Source Types
02:01 - Fuse Types
02:11 - Locate Fuse Socket for Fuse Tap
04:10 - Fuse Tap Overview
05:43 - Testing Fuse Socket Power
11:15 - Final Thoughts

✅ This information is provided as-is without warranty. This topic has a variety of opinions on how to use a fuse tap properly. Review all sources of information and make an informed decision.

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[RetroCarGuy]

🔷Most fuse taps come with a 16 awg or 14 awg wire (smaller wire awg number is a bigger wire which can carry more current) to supply power to the new accessory. The awg wire size / gauge will be a limiting factor as to the max amperage that can be supplied safely via this fuse tap. In most cases, this means a 10 amp fuse is likely to be the maximum fuse amp rating you can use for the new accessory. If the wire from the fuse tap is quite long, the maximum fuse amp rating may be reduced even further.

🔷If you need to add a high amp draw power circuit to supply power to a new accessory, you may want to consider using a fuse tap to supply power to a switched power relay (with a fuse in the relay or in the other power circuit where the relay gets the power for the new accessory). The fuse tap power (switched power or switched with RAP) can supply power to the control side of the new relay. When the fuse tap supplies power to the relay, the relay closes the circuit and the relay then supplies power to the new accessory from the power source the relay is connected to with an appropriately sized fuse and wire awg being used for that power circuit.

🔷At 5:43 in the video I mentioned that you need to have the ignition switch in the appropriate position to make sure it provides the required power type (switched, switched with RAP or unswitched). To find a switched power fuse socket, you must start off with the ignition switch off and locate the candidate fuse sockets that don't have power, then turn on the ignition switch to see if the fuse socket does receive power at that point. If you need a switched power with RAP capabilities fuse socket, you would need to turn off the ignition switch leaving the retained accessory power feature still active and then test the fuse socket again to make sure it was providing that type of power.

[zacharygillespie-rogers]

I watched about 6 videos trying to figure this out before coming here, yours is the one i needed, thank you.

[SilverAura]

This is literally the only video I could find that actually left me feeling confident by the end. The density of knowledge here spares no expense to the thoroughness of it. Thank you, you got me over a major hurdle here.

[johnkrew]

YES, this is the video!
To all of the people who had already watched several other tutorials on fuse tapping and still have questions.
This video will answer all of them👍

[pkennedy]

Finally someone who knows what they're talking about. All the other videos just tell you to slap the add a circuit in.

[jaycarpenter]

I have watched dozens of videos about fuse taps. Yours is the most concise, logical and easy to understand. Thank you for posting this excellent presentation.

[Threenineswonracks]

Damn, finally. I’ve been trying to figure out for days what to do with the lower portion of the fuse tap, since the fuse box socket had no original fuse. Thanks man, great work!

[SV]

I've never used a fuse tap and just assumed you would just plug it in and go but I never thought about orienting it for the power to always go through the fuse for the fuse to do its job. Makes perfect sense. I'm glad I watched this video.

[michaeleck]

I know this video is a year old now but I wanted to say thank you. I've hardwired many things in the past but never with a "tap a fuse". I hardwired a dash cam with motion sensor and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. I had one of the "tap a fuse" facing a different direction than the other for wire tidiness reasons. After seeing this video I slapped my forehead. Duh of course the power is only coming from one side or the fuses would be pointless. Thank you for saving my sanity.

[nicholaskolomiets]

Thanks for explaining the difference between tapping into a fuse that’s already there and tapping into a open slot that may have power and how not to put a fuse in the bottom of using a open slot. I couldn’t really find information on that.

[justinmorgan]

I too watched multiple videos and multiple web sites with no answer to my questions. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK
My questions were:
1. Which side is the hot side on a fuse tap. Others glossed over it. You were very precise with pictures and typed out what is what.
2. If I could use only one fuse for the cb add on I wanted to use.
3. That I could use on open slot. And how to use it.
Thanks again!

[Ratlins]

What a superb video. Great step by step explanations with detailed close ups of the procedures needed to perform this task. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This helped me.

[malikvon]

Excellent video, great instruction. Concise and complete. You obviously not only know your craft but also how to teach it. I wish more did.

[fabparks]

Amazing video. I think most of people (me included) thought the add-a-fuse could go either way while orientation is key. Otherwise you will have both devices on the lower fuse shoulders and likely to blow. My tip to check the orientation (might be easier). Plug the add-a-fuse ONLY with the top fuse inserted (leave the bottom slot empty). Plug it in. If you have 12 output from the red cable you are good. Otherwise you need to twist the add-a-fuse upside down. Once orientation is correct add the bottom fuse if needed. Should make sense.

[Iw]

Finally a professional, all of the other videos they’ll mention “ I’m no mechanic and I’m no electrician”

[hawaiiantimes]

Great tip on cutting the fuse in half so the multimeter can get a read.

[AbyssalTenacity]

Most helpful comprehensive video for my hardwire project!

[princetonjohnson]

Best video about this and it’s not even close! You’ve earned my like and subscription for prompt responses to ALL of your viewers you really are amazing

[TrainerDude]

FINALLY! Someone explained it and detailed it so I can understand! Thank you!

[mikeb]

This is the best tutorial l've ever seen on YouTube.