How to install the AC-1200 Switch Panel in a 97-'06 Jeep TJ Wrangler？

The Ledlightjeep AC-1200 switch panel installation process consists of several steps:

1. Mounting the control box

2. Powering the control box

3. Using the firewall to link the control box and switch panel

4. The switch panel is mounted in the cockpit.

Mounting the Control Box

The control box for the AC-1200 is quite large and can support 12 circuits. The inner fender on the driver's side is the ideal location for it in a TJ engine compartment. The Ledlightjeep mounting bracket is installed in the picture below; it is directly outboard of the cruise control and aft of the washer fluid reservoir.

Drilling a single new hole is necessary to mount the bracket. The pictures below:

1. The bracket was fastened just outboard of the cruise control. While not all TJs have cruise control, the bracket mounting is the same with or without it.

2. A hole already present in the fender is indicated by the left arrow. The right arrow indicates a fresh hole that needs to be drilled.

3. Because the inner fender isn't flat, a nylon spacer is inserted underneath the bracket on the side of the Jeep that faces the back. You can find nylon spacers at most hardware stores that carry them.

You may fasten the bracket in place by passing the bolts through the fender and placing nuts on the underside of the fender after you've found and drilled the second hole and have a spacer and bolts of the right length. It is advised to place washers between the fender sheet metal and the nuts.

Once the control box has been secured to the inner fender using bolts, it can be attached to the bracket.

Powering the Control Box

The control box has two power connections: increased current power to run any system-connected peripherals and switched power to run the box itself.

Ledlightjeep provides heavy-gauge wires to link the control box to the Jeep's battery so that system-connected accessories can be powered. Regretfully, the control box should be placed farther from the battery than the length of the included cords. It is necessary to utilize longer cords and cables that are heavy enough to support the 100 amps of electricity that the control box can send to accessories.

Beginning with a set of jumper wires is an innovative method to create new cables. Stores like Walmart provide reasonably priced jumper cables, which are a great way to get the necessary wire. This set includes a 4-gauge wire. If you take one of the clamps off the jumper cables, cut 6' of wire from the 20', and then put the clamps back on, you will have a 14' set of jumper cables and enough wire to connect the control box. Those cables are 20 feet long, but only about 6 feet will be needed to connect the control box to the battery.

Four ring terminals will also be required to finish each end of the six-foot wires. These ring terminals, which accept 4-gauge wire and have a 3/8" I.D. ring ideal for connecting to the control box and the battery, are available from auto parts stores like AutoZone and several electrical supply stores.

The cable shown in the picture below is an example of a finished cable that is produced from a portion of a set of jumper cables and connects the control box to the battery. To show which wire is the positive connection, red heat-shrink tubing has been attached to it. To protect the ring terminals, black heat-shrink tubing has also been stretched over them. Heat shrink tubing is not necessarily required, but it gives the cable a more polished appearance. The circuit breaker will be installed in the circuit at the break on the positive side of the cable, which has terminals on both ends, as seen in the picture on the right.

The system is powered by the additional power connection that is necessary. It can be used for switching power and the Jeep's fuse panel. Switched power is power that is only active when the ignition switch is in the on/run position to prevent the system from drawing power when the engine is not running, which could drain the battery. It can also attach straight to the battery's positive terminal, and a switch is provided to manage the system's power.

Supplying Operating Power to the Control Box

Two relatively short wires were included in the package to connect electricity to the control box. One piece has a plug for the control box, while the other piece consists of a fuse adaptor. The control box can quickly receive switched power thanks to the fuse adapter, but in practically all installations, an extra wire is needed to link the two components. Option 1 for wiring:

I was given a different wiring solution by Ledlightjeep when I visited with them at the SEMA Show. This one features a socket for the control box on one end, a switch in the middle to turn on or off power to the control box, and a ring terminal on one end for direct connection to the battery with an inline fuse. For the majority of installations, the cables are sufficiently long. For a camping or overland vehicle, when accessories may need to be powered at the campground while the car is not running, this method might be preferable. However, it is essential to remember to turn off the switch if the system is not to be utilized when the engine is not running. If the system isn't going to be used when the engine isn't running, the ring terminal can be taken off, and that end of the wire can be attached to a switched circuit. Choice 2 for wiring:

Both wiring schemes have advantages and disadvantages, but in the majority of implementations, anyone will function well.

Implementing wiring option 1:

The Jeep radio and switched power are powered by fuse position 14 in the TJ Wrangler. As part of the package, Ledlightjeep includes a fuse adapter. Take the fuse out of position 14 on the fuse panel (below the glove box), plug the fuse adapter into that location, and then put the fuse out of position 14 into the open slot in the fuse adapter, as seen in this picture:

On one end of the short red wire that Ledlightjeep delivers, there is a two-pin plug that inserts into a two-pin socket within the control box. Two requirements must be met in order for the other end of this red wire to attach to the loose end of the fuse adaptor that is mounted above:

1. Because of the limited distance between the fuse adapter and control box wires, an additional length of red wire is needed. Red 16-gauge wire is sold at auto parts stores.

2. From the engine compartment, the extra wire needs to be run to the fuse panel in the cockpit. The cable connecting the switch panel to the control box must also be routed from the engine compartment into the cockpit because the switch panel will also be located there.

Implementing wiring option 2:

The second wiring approach allows the switch to be installed anywhere on or beneath the dash. It involves connecting the ring terminal to the battery's positive terminal and routing the wires that link to the switch through the firewall, as explained below.

As seen with the option 1 wiring, the ring terminal end of the wire can also be run into the cockpit to the fuse panel below the glove box and linked to a switch circuit using a fuse adaptor if switched power is preferred for the system.

Connecting the switch panel to the control box through the firewall

Wires can pass through the Wrangler firewall in a number of locations.

1. A rubber plug is located in the firewall at the driver's side of the engine of a Wrangler with a manual transmission (arrow #1).

2. A clutch cylinder will not be present in a Wrangler with an automatic transmission (directional #2). This image shows a clutch cylinder on a Wrangler with a manual transmission; if it were an automatic, the clutch cylinder would be on a plastic block-off plate, through which the wires may be passed by drilling a hole. Before drilling, it is essential to take the plate off in case the drill should damage anything behind it.

3. In every TJ, a wire harness pass-through is located behind the clutch cylinder or block-off plate (arrow #3). If none of those above places works best for you, you can run the wires through the hole in the firewall where the wiring grommet is installed. There is enough room for more wires to pass through this hole.

Installing the Switch Panel

After the fuse panel and switched power wire have been connected and the switch panel cable has been installed in the cockpit, the switch panel mounting location must be determined.

It's a rather large panel with 12 oversized switch buttons that the driver of a TJ can reach.

Some people attach it to the trim panel beneath the steering wheel and instrument panel, but it can be challenging to see and could distract drivers, so that might not be the best place. (The AC-1200 instructions instructions, page 5, show a switch panel in this area.) The pictures below illustrate two other spots that work in the TJ: it can be installed on the center console directly in front of the shifter or on the windshield frame trim above the rearview mirror.

There are two additional choices for managing system-connected accessories.

One is to operate the remote control that is provided. The following picture shows the remote control in a mobile phone holder that is suction-mounted to the TJ's windshield. The only thing that is missing from this option is the labels on the keys, so you will have to learn what each button does. The remote can turn on or off any of the 12 circuits. You may remotely regulate the circuits, though, which is an extra benefit. For instance, if you have campground accessories connected to the Ledlightjeep system, you can turn them on or off while you're sitting by the campfire. Campsite lights are mounted on the Jeep's roof rack.

Alternatively, you can utilize your iPhone or Android device's Ledlightjeep Switch Panel app. This image shows the software running; the top half of the screen displays the 12 keys. You may set up the keytops using the same labels you may have applied to the actual switch panel. Additionally, the system is controllable from any location with a Bluetooth connection.