Help needed with wiring an ARB button to the twin compressor

[evgenyvasenev]

Could someone explain to an electrical noob how to install a button near an ARB compressor? I saw 2 helpful videos. One is from @BroncoTPA and the second is from @justinbmcbride. I like the clean setup from Justin, but the video has just a few details on how to do it. The first video has more details, but they keep all harness parts and I don't think I need them. And they use a 360 camera fuse spot, which I need it.

I would really appreciate it. The videos for references:

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[RagnarKon]

Okay so off of the ARB compressor there are two plugs. One is a 5-pin plug. The other is a 2-pin plug. The plug that turns on/off that compressor is that 2-pin plug, and that's what you'll want to connect to a switch.

You'll also have three wiring harnesses. One will have a 5-pin plug with fuses on the other end—that is the power harness that goes to the battery. One will have a 4-pin connector, with connectors taped at the other end that say "Switch 1", "Switch 2", and "Isolation Switch". That is the switch harness... you don't need that harness at all—but you can rob it for parts if you want.

The third wiring harness will have a 2-pin connector, a 4-pin connector that has not been fully terminated yet, and another pair of 2-pin connectors. You only need the purple & black wires, and the 2-pin connector on that harness that goes to the compressor. (If you take off the tape on the harness it should take sense.) Everything else is intended for an air locker setup, can be cut out, and robbed for parts.

Then you have the switches. You obviously only need one of those switches. There are 5 pins on the back of the switches:

• Pin 2 — Input to the switch
• Pin 3 — Output of the switch
• Pin 6 — Backlight (not necessary)
• Pin 7 — Ground
• Pin 8 — Ground

Pin 3 of that switch should connect to the purple wire heading to the compressor. Pin 2 of that switch should connect to a 12V power source—that can be the battery, that can be an Aux switch in your Bronco, it could be something in the fuse box, or it can be something else entirely... up to you. Personally I would connect it to the Aux switches if you have them, if you don't... then I would use an add-a-fuse and connect it to some power source that turns on with the ignition. Pin 7 & 8 should connect the Black wire heading to the compressor.

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Hopefully that made sense?? Feel free to ask questions. I should mention there is a way to hook it up without cutting up the ARB harnesses, but then you'll have a ton of unconnected cabling related to air lockers that you'll need to figure out where to hide.

 

[contented]

I see you've watched Justin's video. IMHO, it's the best one. I watched it 4-5 times before I got the point about getting power to the switch for it to work. I struggled w/ that but finally stripped the red wire w/the diode (not certain what it does) out of the harness, lengthened it and ran it to the fuse box. It's the skinny red wire running from the switch and along a big bundle of wires against the firewall. I got a nosebleed figuring out fuse taps and their different sizes. Also had to teach myself about heat shrink crimpable connectors. Finally ordered what I needed from Amazon and hooked it up exactly as McBride did.

ARB's instructions clearly show you how to hook the compressor to the switch. What they leave fuzzy is getting power to the switch. Last pic is fuse tap which takes power to the switch, which like just Justin, I used swaybar disconnect fuse slot.

Now that I've done it once, I can say it's not all that difficult, but did have a learning curve for sure.

Hope this helps. Contented

 

[evgenyvasenev]

Thanks, it helps! Let me summary it:

1. I need to cut the 2 pin harness and connect the purple wire to Pin 3 on the button.
2. I need to create and run a long wire (probably take it from other harness) from Pin 2 to a fuse box (probably take the same 22 spot as in the video).
3. I need to take one black wire from the same 2 pin harness and connect it to 7 or 8

Is it correct?

 

[evgenyvasenev]

I see you've watched Justin's video. IMHO, it's the best one. I watched it 4-5 times before I got the point about getting power to the switch for it to work. I struggled w/ that but finally stripped the red wire w/the diode (not certain what it does) out of the harness, lengthened it and ran it to the fuse box. It's the skinny red wire running from the switch and along a big bundle of wires against the firewall. I got a nosebleed figuring out fuse taps and their different sizes. Also had to teach myself about heat shrink crimpable connectors. Finally ordered what I needed from Amazon and hooked it up exactly as McBride did.

ARB's instructions clearly show you how to hook the compressor to the switch. What they leave fuzzy is getting power to the switch. Last pic is fuse tap which takes power to the switch, which like just Justin, I used swaybar disconnect fuse slot.

Now that I've done it once, I can say it's not all that difficult, but did have a learning curve for sure.

Hope this helps. Contented

Great, thank you! Yes, I want to do the same, the video just did not provide a lot of details. Which spot in the fuse box did you use? And what amp? 10?

 

[contented]

Now you have me confused. Here is a closeup pic of my switch and the wires going to it. The red one w/ yellow stripe brings power from the fuse box that I described above.

Hope this helps.

 

[JediMcMuffin]

I ALSO got a nose bleed trying to figure out fuse taps. Can someone please link me to the correct one? I had a trip coming up and gave up and used AUX3 instead, so now I have two switches, which isn't altogether a bad thing but I think over time I'll want that back.

 

[contented]

One more for reference.

 

[contented]

Nilight Micro 2 Fuse Tap from amazon

 

[evgenyvasenev]

I see you've watched Justin's video. IMHO, it's the best one. I watched it 4-5 times before I got the point about getting power to the switch for it to work. I struggled w/ that but finally stripped the red wire w/the diode (not certain what it does) out of the harness, lengthened it and ran it to the fuse box. It's the skinny red wire running from the switch and along a big bundle of wires against the firewall. I got a nosebleed figuring out fuse taps and their different sizes. Also had to teach myself about heat shrink crimpable connectors. Finally ordered what I needed from Amazon and hooked it up exactly as McBride did.

ARB's instructions clearly show you how to hook the compressor to the switch. What they leave fuzzy is getting power to the switch. Last pic is fuse tap which takes power to the switch, which like just Justin, I used swaybar disconnect fuse slot.

Now that I've done it once, I can say it's not all that difficult, but did have a learning curve for sure.

Hope this helps. Contented

Which fuse did you use? The second from the right or the 3rd?

 

[contented]

I believe it's easier if you use an Aux switch, but I didn't want to have to crawl in/out of the cab to turn compressor on/off. But I have no experience using Aux switches so take the last sentence w/ a grain of salt.

 

[contented]

Here you go. The middle one in the group of three. I'll just leave the hood up for a while.

 

[contented]

Just in case anyone is interested, here is the link I used to determine which fuse was for sway bar disconnect.

https://blownfuse.co/ford/bronco/2021-ford-bronco-fuse-box-diagram/

 

[evgenyvasenev]

Here you go. The middle one in the group of three. I'll just leave the hood up for a while.

Thank you! Is it ok to have 10 and 20 amp at the same time?

 

[evgenyvasenev]

I see you've watched Justin's video. IMHO, it's the best one. I watched it 4-5 times before I got the point about getting power to the switch for it to work. I struggled w/ that but finally stripped the red wire w/the diode (not certain what it does) out of the harness, lengthened it and ran it to the fuse box. It's the skinny red wire running from the switch and along a big bundle of wires against the firewall. I got a nosebleed figuring out fuse taps and their different sizes. Also had to teach myself about heat shrink crimpable connectors. Finally ordered what I needed from Amazon and hooked it up exactly as McBride did.

ARB's instructions clearly show you how to hook the compressor to the switch. What they leave fuzzy is getting power to the switch. Last pic is fuse tap which takes power to the switch, which like just Justin, I used swaybar disconnect fuse slot.

Now that I've done it once, I can say it's not all that difficult, but did have a learning curve for sure.

Hope this helps. Contented

I have a side question. What is the benefit of moving the hose to the side VS keeping it on the compressor?

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