I installed a Rebel Wire 9+3 kit in my project truck and like the kit. I have noticed though that it seems most of the circuits in the kit are always hot and wondered if most other manufacturers kits are this way. When I initially started installing my kit and realized the headlight circuit is hot even with the key out. I was a little surprised so I called Rebelwire and he confirmed they are built like this. I thought no biggie because it might be nice to be able to leave my lights on with keys out in certain situations. Last weekend I finally got my heater hooked up and found it odd that the circuit is also hot with the key out and thought that was probably asking for trouble since that would be much easier to forget to turn off than headlights. Is this just kind of universally how the kits are made or is it just the Rebelwire kit. I'm not sure I like the fact that the circuits are constant hot.
can you turn on the headlights on you late model daily driver with the ignition off? yes you can , and that's probably a good idea. the heater? bad idea
i always wire my main hot lead though the ignition switch so with the switch off the entire system is "dead". The main power lead that feeds the fuse panel.
This is my first complete wire job on a vehicle and I installed it based on the directions that came with the kit. I kind of wish they made note of this in the instructions.
There probably is a way to isolate some of those fuses so you can have switched power by cutting a jumper wire or bar. I've you can't tell post some close up pics.
Yep, headlights are hot 100% of the time on every car I have ever seen. But I need to reiterate and say that even the new cars that the headlights that come on when you turn the key on also have a way to turn the lights on with the key out of the ignition. The heater shouldn't be hot except when the key is on though. You could fix that with a relay connected to the ignition that controlled the power to the heater switch from the fuse. We have a couple of people involved with Rebel wire on here and maybe they will chime in with a solution.
I have used many brands of fuse box. My favorite is Centech, it has battery +, ignition, accessories, and a ground block. It also has the turn flasher, hazard flasher, and horn relay built into the printed circuit board. the whole thing is about 4"x9"
One of the things most HAMBers have praised is the good "over the phone" tech advice that Rebel provides and this makes for service after the sale that other companies lack these days,have you called Rebel?
You want the power to the heater to be off when the key is off. Doesn't your heater shut off on your wives car when the key is off? It should. Most likely you have the power to the heater connected to the wrong terminal. moving it to a terminal that is not hot all the time is what you want. I've never installed one of those universal fit all kits so I can't say where it should connect on your kit but a test light should tell you if it is controlled by the key.
I sell American Autowire and have it installed them and many other brands and headlights have always been a constant hot. The way all manufactured cars are. The heater should not be hot all the time, either you have it connected wrong or there is an issue in the harness
A friend installed a kit (not sure of brand) and plugged two plugs together that looked like they went together but where not suposed to and it caused this problem.
Anything safety related [headlites,tailites ,brakelites,horn,hazard flashers... should be hot all the time , anything else is your choice.. my .02.. dave
You do not have ignition switch wired correctly with key off The only hot circuits are horn, headlights, radio constant, hazard.
I've got a NW Autowire 12 ckt universal hotrod kit in my Austin, and only 4 of the 12 ckts. are wired to stay hot when the key is off.
I have a Rebel 9+3 kit in my 27 and NOTHING is hot when the key is off, except for the battery cable going to the starter solenoid. The lights, electric fan, and electric fuel pump all only come on if the ignition switch is on. That is the way I wired it up and wanted it wired up. I know the car makers wire headlights to be always hot, but when I shut the key off on my hot rods I want everything dead because they get stored for longer periods than my daily does. Simply a personal preference. All it takes to make yours work the same way as mine is to route the power wires from the relays to a "keyed hot" location as opposed to a "always hot" location. Don
What if you're on a busy road after dark and your fuel line develops a leak? I'd want hazard light function or at least parking lights.
Ron Francis IS-07 Pretty sure I have all leads per the instructions. pink/orange-IGN, brown-ACC I'll double check tomorrow.
You have done something wrong, the heater wire on Rebel kits is ignition controlled. I would think the wrong connection is at the ignition switch, sounds like you have the acc hooked up to the ign live
What he said......I always wire any Hot Rods I'm involved in that way (although some are that old they don't have hazard flashers) and to KILL all power when parked up for long periods ,I have a Kill switch on one of the battery cables. If battery is hard to get to I mount the kill switch near battery in an accesable,hidden spot......
I confirmed and my ign switch is wired per the instructions above. I will check what's hot and what's not this weekend. I only get to my shop on weekends right now Any other ideas what could be happening if it is wired per the instructions?
Checked it and found the battery and starter leads are hot with switch off. With ignition on the ACC lead is now hot, but my heater still comes on with the ignition off and I'm using the green heater lead to my heater switch just like the diagram shows. Is my harness bad or am I missing something else here. It's wired per the instructions.
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