Upfitter Switches, What are you using them for?

[Dented]

Damn...I completely missed the "always hot " aspect of placing the module in the bed. I'll be moving my connection to the #6 upfitter.

Of course, that means I move the "Girlfriend Mute" button to #5, but I'm certain it'll still function as well as it usually does.

 

[F450_on_44s]

So as a relative newbie around here how do you make this decision? Are there advantages to one switch or another? I thought I saw two of the switches can handle higher power than the others?

Here’s a list of what I’m planning to power, what would you put in which switch and why? Thank you in advance.

ARB twin compressor
Midland MXT575 50 Watt GMRS radio
Baja designs LP4 (2 of them)
Baja designs linkable bumper lights
Baja designs back up lights
Ford/ Warn factory winch

What order would you put these in? I haven’t looked at AMP draw but I assume the winch would be highest by far, second maybe the compressor?

Thank you in advance for guys help.

I don’t have my warn winch connected to an upfitter switch. It’s wired directly to the battery.

I’m assuming everyone else has done the same thing?

 

[DTX2023Tremor]

So as a relative newbie around here how do you make this decision? Are there advantages to one switch or another? I thought I saw two of the switches can handle higher power than the others?

Here’s a list of what I’m planning to power, what would you put in which switch and why? Thank you in advance.

ARB twin compressor
Midland MXT575 50 Watt GMRS radio
Baja designs LP4 (2 of them)
Baja designs linkable bumper lights
Baja designs back up lights
Ford/ Warn factory winch

What order would you put these in? I haven’t looked at AMP draw but I assume the winch would be highest by far, second maybe the compressor?

Thank you in advance for guys help.

In addition the the advice from others, keep in mind that different upfitter switches have different amp ratings, so you'll want to run things that have a higher draw of switches 5 and 6 and things that have a lower drawn on switches 1 through 4.

 

[Starwhitecclb]

I don’t have my warn winch connected to an upfitter switch. It’s wired directly to the battery.

I’m assuming everyone else has done the same thing?

I installed a solenoid for my winch power controlled by my upfitter. Reason for this is so I do not have a direct wire connection to the battery in case of a front end collision damaging the wire, shorting out and starting a fire. Another benefit is previously someone could have vandalized my vehicle or others using the winch if they had the same remote. I’ve heard of someone free spooling the line overtop the vehicle to the rear hitch and spooling in with their remote. Never confirmed that storey but the potential is there.

This picture is where I mounted it before I wired it. It fits great and can easily be moved for battery replacement.

 

[Maxx1776]

1. aux reverse lights
2. winch enable solenoid
remaining switches empty but thinking about High Idle for winching, still need to look into that

 

[GaryDE]

#2 Whelen under rear bumper lights
#3 12v outlet in bed

The rest are empty. Awaiting future upgrades. #1 going to be Diode Dynamics lights in the front.

 

[cntyguy]

Fwiw, my first four are lights from front to back (1 lightbar, 2 ditch lights, 3 a pillar lights, 4 backup lights). That way I can find them by feel if need be. Same for 5 (compressor infrequently on) and 6 (airhorn) easy to use without looking at it, just grab the rightmost switch. Cause when I want that one, I really want that one!

 

[2020Tremor]

#1Rigid D2 Driving lights
#2 Spare
#3 Spare
#4 BD S2 backup lights
(Below set to hot all the time)
#5 future winch/dump trailer relay trigger (on the hunt for a suitable contactor)
#6 transfer tank.

Used deutsch DPT (25A rated) connector for 1-4 and metripac 630 (46A rated) for 5, 6. Makes it very easy to swap things around down the road without having to re-crimp 1-4 and the same between 5,6; not so easy between the two groups.

 

[FuelMonger]

I installed a solenoid for my winch power controlled by my upfitter. Reason for this is so I do not have a direct wire connection to the battery in case of a front end collision damaging the wire, shorting out and starting a fire. Another benefit is previously someone could have vandalized my vehicle or others using the winch if they had the same remote. I’ve heard of someone free spooling the line overtop the vehicle to the rear hitch and spooling in with their remote. Never confirmed that storey but the potential is there.

This picture is where I mounted it before I wired it. It fits great and can easily be moved for battery replacement.

All they really need is a pair of pliers or even a paper clip and access the controller plug to make a mess.

 

[Modman]

All they really need is a pair of pliers or even a paper clip and access the controller plug to make a mess.

Well that would be unfortunate...

 

[Starwhitecclb]

All they really need is a pair of pliers or even a paper clip and access the controller plug to make a mess.

Thanks for posting this, very happy I installed the solenoid and I can not worry about this, even if it would not likely happen.

 

[schneesb]

Have not been able to successfully access the bottom of the relay box to wire in to the upfitter harness (23 MY SD Tremor). Any special trick/technique to unseat the relay box? Thanks