[Espo78]

Alright, I really like the SPOD and how easily it integrates into the Wrangler. I don't love the $435 price tag though. So I've been searching and I don't see why one of these police switch boxes couldn't be used instead.

600 Series Switch Box [ETSP6F] - $74.99 : Emergency Warning LED, Halogen and Strobe Lights, Flashers, Sirens, Speakers, Switch Panels, Controllers, Police, Fire and EMS Supplies

Am I missing something here or would this be a viable alternative for mounting lights and other accessories? I'm not sure it could handle onboard air, but other than that I dunno? The SPOD has built in relays in "the source" box right but seems like adding relays if needed wouldn't be that hard.

Found this PDF, from this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Signal-Vehicl...8-2&keywords=police+switch+box#productDetails

http://star1889.com/pdf/manuals/star-svp/pdf/1515.pdf

 

[MIURA]

Interesting idea... I'm in to see if anyone else is doing it

 

[Nuke83]

Unless I'm looking at this wrong, it's only half of the equation that SPOD provides.

An SPOD has all the connections and relays under the hood so that it cleanly simplifies the wiring process. You need three runs. A run from the switch to the relay, a run from the relay to the battery, and a run from the relay to the device to be powered. An SPOD basically has two of these three pre-wired for you. Ultimately, once the SPOD is installed, all you need to do is make the run from the SPOD to the device to be powered and you can rest assured that the pre-wired switch in the cabin will work to turn that device on/off.

All that this appears to do is pre-wire the switch to relay run (note that the relays aren't provided or wired). I effectively did the same thing with my A Pillar switch pod by installing all my switches and pre-wiring my runs, leaving them terminated under the dash so that I don't need to access the switches again. Others have made their own relay boxes, but even DIY tends to run above the $200 range to purchase the components.

The only thing this would replace in the SPOD configuration is their switch box in the cabin.

 

[Nuke83]

To your point in your OP. It isn't difficult at all to pre-wire in the cabin (and for less and nicer looking than the police box). I got the Rugged Ridge A Pillar housing and populated it with Daystar lighted rocker switches. I daisy chained all my switch wiring (supply side) and the ran the outputs of those out and terminated them with extra slack under the dash so that I can run them to their termination points as needed.

Under the hood, I simply purchase and add/mount a relay, connect to battery, switch and run to the powered device as needed. Not as clean as the SPOD as I mount the relays where I can find space, so it simply isn't as pretty, but provides identical functionality.

The RR A Pillar Switch Pod allows for 4 switches. I currently have two of them powering devices.

I purchased the Pillar Switch Pod for about $21 and the four switches for $12 each, so about $70 for that portion. 2 fewer switches than the box you reference above, but I do think it looks better installed than an obvious add-on box. The RR pod looks as though it came that way from the factory. Also puts the switches in a very convenient location (but that's purely personal preference).

 

[Comanche Scott]

Not jumping on the spod "bandwagon", but the sPod also has a low voltage cutoff, and diode protection on the loads.
So that all adds to the cost of the unit itself.
All of that can be done DIY if desired, but does raise the cost and complexity.

I don't have one and at this point have no desire to buy one, but if I was going to run a bunch of high dollar LEDs, or wanted to run electronics while in camp, and was too busy to build the correct system, I might reconsider.

 

[huk]

Depending on your loads you might be interested in what I am doing. I picked up a four relay board from the Internet and am wiring it to the apillar switches. The relays only handle ten amps so they aren't close to the spod capacity. It cost about twelve dollars and is very small. There are boards with any number of relays that you want.
I wont have the low voltage cutoff or 30
amp relays but it fits my needs.

 

[CovertJeep]

I am using a switching system designed for emergency vehicles. It is similar in operation to the SPOD.

The system I use is the D&R Electronics Protec 1300

There are 8 push buttons switches that can be customized. The first switch can function as a master and activate any other functions as well. For instance my master activates my visor LED lights, my front flashing lights and my rear flashing lights. I can also activate each one of them separately. In addition to my emergency lights I have LED lights on the bumper and A pillars. These lights are also activated by my system.

I paid around 200 dollars Canadian for the system and that includes the remote switch box and the "brain" which I mounted under the front passenger seat.

I have the remote box mounted on a Rugged Ridge A pillar pod.

 

[Espo78]

CovertJeep: Are there relays installed with that system?

I understand the police box isn't the same as an SPOD but it does solve half of the equation easily. I'm not sure if relays are needed though for most lights and stuff. I'm not really electronic savvy. The SPOD was designed for people like me but I'm also cheap so then I get resourceful. I'd rather learn something than buy something, I guess.

I also like Nukes solution with the RR pod. It would definitely look better in the cab.

 

[CovertJeep]

Yes there are relays in the box. 3 that are 20 amp and 6 that are 10 amp

D&R ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.

 

[ATG]

Along the same lines, does anyone know of a way to replace the blank switches in front of the shifter with custom ones?

I only use two of the switches in the bank, the rest are labeled invisibility mode and eject and such, but putting actual switches there seems like a clean approach.