29 May 2006
Running the System Wires
)Published on May 29th, 2006 @ 02:14:40 pm, using 392 words, 913 views
The photos shown in this post represent work that was performed over the last few evenings, and are compiled here into one set which will be easier to follow. First, the rear seats were removed to provide access to the trunk, and to make running wires under the carpet an easier process.
The seat bottoms required over 100lbs of force to lift up, but once the pressure housing gave way they were easily lifted out and set aside...
The next step was to lift the seat back vertically until the brackets holding it in place came free and the seat back could be removed from the vehicle.
This image shows the rear of the vehicle sans seats.
This image shows some initial lengths of wire being run (yellow) to supply power to the OPUS120 in the trunk. The purple arrow points to the 8AWG power cable which has been run along the driver's side of the vehicle, from the battery and through the firewall. It is concealed beneath the carpeting of the driver's side.
This stage shows the flooring of the trunk having been removed as a mounting for the computer chassis was built. The distribution block can be seen in the rear left, and some preliminary wires emerging from the corner of the trunk on the right side.
Using the dremel to cut two narrow slots in the floorboards of the trunk provides an access point to slip a velcro fastener belt under the floorboard. The belt will be wrapped around the case, holding it in place.
The next two images show the trunk flooring reinstalled, and the belt protruding from the floor through a pair of nearly invisible slots which have been dremel'd into the flooring. A test-mounting of the case, sitting on a sheet of foam padding, proves that the case will be restricted from sliding around in the trunk while driving.
The installed distribution block is visible against the back wall of the trunk, and will help to monitor the 12v current coming from the vehicle battery and powering the car computer.
Read the second part of this article here:
Running the System Wires, Pt 2
or, What my speakers are currently pumping...
Bob Marley - Legend
This post is the creative work of Yours Truly and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
CarPC, Carputer, mini-itx, Acura, mobile computing, touchscreen, Opus 120, DC Power Supplies, electronics projects
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