Where to get power for siren?

COSilver · October 18, 2004

I have a new 04 2500 HD 6.0 4x4, and being a volunteer firefighter, I need to install a siren, I got a new siren with the remote control panel. I plan to put the actual siren box under the driver's seat (the siren, not the speaker- that will go behind the grill). Question is... where is the best place to connect the power to? There are wires under the seat for the power seat adjustments... can I tap into this hot wire for power? I just don't want to hook up someplace where it'll screw something else up.

Thanks!

woyster_00z71 · October 21, 2004

I too am a volunteer firefighter. I just finished installing a siren, switchbox, and 4 911ep lightbars in my 2001 Tahoe. I don't know if the 2004's are the same as mine but for power, I ran a wire to the fusebox under the hood. If you take the cover off there are two auxilary studs that you can connect auxilary equipment to. I ran a power wire from the fusebox to a relay mounted under the hood that is switched on by the vehicle's ignition. This way when I turn the truck off all lights and sirens have no power (this saves running down your battery). Anyway, from the relay, I ran the power wire to a power distribution block under my center console and from there powered my siren and switchbox.

Where are you a volunteer at? So what kind of siren did you get? What type of speaker do you have and where are you mounting it? Do you have any lights/strobes? I have pictures of my setup but I don't have them on my website so I can't post them yet. Hopefully I get some strobes for Christmas and then I will be set.

Good luck.

B.J.

COSilver · October 21, 2004

Hey Woyster, I volunteer at Pueblo West Colorado. What I ended up doing was this... I ran the power lead to a little red box situated near the the Alternator. Into this box comes the main batter cable then continues on down to the starter. Anyway, also in this little red box is another cable that connects here to the alternator, which is bolted on, I connected the siren lead to this bolt and the ground wire just below the alternator to one of the screws that holds the bracket for the little red box.

This worked fine. I installed an on/off switch for the power at the remote console to shut off all power to the siren. The siren I got is a Galls Thunder with remote, and the speaker is a Galls low-profile speaker which I mounted behind the grill on the passenger side. The remote panel for the siren I placed on the drivers side midway down the dash, the actual siren I placed under the dash out of the way. Looks pretty good, although I may change the location of the remote panel to see if I can hide the wires a little better- the remote is not small enough to fit in one of the existing cubbies, but we'll see (since I just got the truck I'm still hesitant to start hacking away at the center console).

Sounds like you have a nice setup. My next project will be strobes, currently I just have the double-light that plugs into the cigarette lighter - not very effective. Also would like to get a light bar, but is not real high on my priority list right now since the dept provides those double-lights for free.

Albert