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© 2001 Directed Electronics, Inc. Vista, CA
making your wiring connections
Before making your connections, plan how your wires will be routed. For instance, the red 12V constant input
and the orange ground-when-armed output (for the starter kill relay) will often be routed together to the igni-
tion switch harness. In order to keep the wiring neat and make it harder for a thief to find, you may wish to
wrap these wires together in electrical tape or conceal them in tubing similar to what the manufacturer used.
Wire ties can be used to keep your harnesses neat and out of the way of any moving parts.
There are two acceptable ways of making a wire connection - solder connections and crimp connectors. When
properly performed, either type of connection is reliable and trouble-free. Regardless of whether you solder your
connections or you use mechanical-type crimp-on connections, ensure that all connections are mechanically
sound and that they are insulated.
Cheap electrical tape, especially when poorly applied, is not a reliable insulator. It often falls off in hot weather.
Use good-quality electrical tape or heat shrink.
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Never twist-and-tape the wires together without soldering.
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Never use “fuse taps”, as they can damage fuse box terminals.
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For watercraft, we recommend using solder connections and insulating them with heat shrink to avoid corrosion.
If you use tapping connectors such as 3M T-Taps (not to be confused with Scotch-Locks), avoid using them in
higher-current applications (constant 12V, ground, etc.). Some tapping connectors are inferior in quality and
should be avoided.
