I have installed some LED strip lights under the head lights on my 03 Infiniti and I am looking for a source to power them. I will be running them all the time the ignition is on, but everything I have looked at on the fuse box near the battery is hot all the time, even with the ignition off. I know I can go to the inside fuse box and use something like the lighter wire, but was hoping to not have to go thru the firewall.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Randy

 

A spot that you could tap into under the hood is on one of the relays that are in front of the battery. The relay is one of the radiator fan relays and has 12 volts whenever the ignition key is in the ON or START positions. It would not have 12 volts when the key is in the ACCESSORY or OFF positions.

When you look at the relay box, there a 3 relays for the radiator fans. The cover has them labeled RAD FAN 1, RAD FAN 2 and RAD FAN 3. You want RAD FAN 1. It is the front row, the end towards the fender. You want to tap into a wire on the bottom of the relay socket, which means you will have to unbolt the relay box from its mounting bracket.

Of course you will want to disconnect the battery when you are doing this.

There are 6 wires on the bottom of the RAD FAN 1 relay socket. You want to tap into a solid brown wire. Be careful as there is also a brown with yellow stripe wire.

If you like schematics, click on the below link and go to page 514.

http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Infiniti/I35/2003/EC.pdf

 

Wow Dennis, thanks for the info. I will look at it in the morning. I will be pulling about 5 watts and will be putting an inline fuse after the connection. Do you have any idea what size fuse I will need for 5 watts?
Again, thanks for your help.
Randy

 

At 12 volts, 1 amp = 12 watts. Probably 5 amps is the smallest you can easily find and it would serve the purpose.

 

Thanks again. I used a 5 am fuse and I think it will do fine. I am real pleased with how these things turned out. I am a firm believer in being seen as I also dire a large motorcycle and have installed a set of these lights inside my headlight lens.
I will try to post a picture, but the last time I tried to add a picture, it would not let me.