DIY Switch Pod Mod!

[Geobloke]

Ok this is adapted from last year when I made this switch pod, but I thought since there are people on here with defenders they might be interested, maybe even series owners too!

This is an old style 3 gauge (52mm gauge) pod that I bought for a fiver off Ebay a little while ago with the intention to mount gauges in it above the dash in Eva, but it ended up obscuring the heater vent too much, bugger I thought!

I now have a plan to put the gauges in to the centre dash position, where the clock, rear wiper switch and fag lighter are in the pic. I have acquired a 3 gauge black plate off ebay to do this. Plan to put clock, volt and temp gauges there.

The problem then was where to put the fag lighter and rear wiper switch! After a while of thinking cubby box cubby box cubby box I decided that since I do not have one it was pointless excercise (for now anyway!). Then I remembered the pod and low and behold it is the perfect fit for the fag lighter and rear wiper switch and it also fits fantasically above the fuse box in front of the gear stick!

I have checked it and there is about 8mm clearance between the gear stick and the pod when it is in position, how perfect is that??

It will also be easy to route wiring to it to because the top of the fuse box isn't too far away and wires can be passed up through that to the pod! YAY!

And since the fag lighter and rear wiper switch do not take up all of the pod the rest of the space is perfect for an array of switches!

2x switches for the work lights, 1x switch for fog lights, 1x switch for mirrors, 1x switch for voltage, 3x switches for other stuff not yet installed. 8 in total, 2 banks of four!

I also plan to centralise all of my relays (used for auxilery lighting and stuff) to a relay and fuse box which I took from a rover 800! Is nice and watertight too!

a few more pics of the pod when split up and without the stainless steel plate!

Next step is to mark out the positions for the fag lighter and rear wiper switch, buy some switches and mark them out too, drill and fit!

See pics...

[Geobloke]

Ok I thought you might like to see the template too!

and

I have now got a load of switches and have drilled and filed the panel so they all fit nice and snug. Also fitted are the cig lighter and rear wiper switch.

Ok. the switch pod is in place now and I am well happy with it! After a little problem with the rear wiper switch connections all is well.

As you can see in the second and third pictures you can see that there is a good 1.5cm gap between the gear lever and switch pod.

As of yet only the rear wiper and cigi lighter are wired in.

Also you can see the beginings of the guage panel, metal plate is in place and volt guage as well. However the gauge is not wired in yet.

See Pics...

[Geobloke]

I have now swaped and moved the gauges around so that they are where I want them to be. I have added volt, clock and water temperature gauges to the centre dash above the new switch panel. I have also put the fuel, rev and boost gauges in to the main dash.

The clock, temp, fuel and boost gauge are fully operational. The volt and rev gauges are nearly there, just ran out of time to sort them out before it got stupidly dark! I need a garage!

Well what do you think?

I really like it, think it looks smart and functional too. Just have to wire up the switches now and find a suitable place to wire the volt gauge up to as well. I plan to have 2 batteries and to wire them both up through a switch to the volt gauge, so I can test both batteries with the one gauge.

Anyway, getting there!

and

For the most part all that has been going on is wiring up everything. I now have 4 of the original 8 switches working and have substituted one of the on/off switches with a mom/off/mom switch (the silver one). This switch is connected to the volt gauge and the 2 batteries so I can keep an eye on them. The switch imediately below the silver one is the splitcharge switch, I have wired up a 100amp relay instead of the halfrauds special which burnt out. So the split charge works manually, charge normally goes to the primary battery but when the switch is on the charge is split between the 2 batteries, the system is sooooo simple and works a treat. The other 3 working switches turn on the rear work lamp, roof spots and roof fogs.

3 switches to go. Ooo and I got a VDO volt gauge for 6 quid brand new too!

Have also got around to installing the outside inside thermometer too which is handy to have if a little tarty.

and a note on the manufacture;

The metal panel I made myself on my lap (I have no workshop or vice setup) with a junior hacksaw, bastard file, needle files, 10mm drill bit (or the switches, think you need a 12mm tho, I had to file out the hole a bit) and some wet and dry to tidy it up. The initial shape of the plate was found with a piece of card board, which I marked everything out on too.

As for difficulty it wasn't at all, would of been alot easier in a workshop tho! Time wise It took a couple of evenings to do. The wiring up took another evening and the wiring of the vehicle electrics took about a day or so on and off! I tend to do an hour or so when I come home from work!

If you have any more questions just ask!

And the pics!

All in all I have had this dash for about a year or so now and it is brilliant, everything is within reach of the driver. I can switch the roof lights, rear work light, split charge and check the situation of both batteries without taking my eyes off the road. The remainign other three switches are backups for now but there are plans for other kit like an inverter, winch light (which is next on the list) and onboard compressor for inflating tyres.

Oh and the silver connection block on the right of the switch pod is the in-car portion of the removable CB radio setup, speaker is up by the stereo head unit!

Like I said any questions please feel free to ask!

[DiscoPilot]

Wow that looks great! Eva is an amazing piece

[TerryS]

I did something similar, but mounted the two switches for the (1) roof tops, and (2) 4000s on front , in front of me.
I put 2 lighter sockets in the switch pod, one on either side. I don't use either for a lighter. One is live all the time, the other switched with the Ign.
I also used VDO in the center cluster.

[Geobloke]

Ok since there is talk of split charge systems on the forum at the moment I hope you'll find this helpful.

At the same time as installing the switch pod in to Eva I also installed a dual battery with manually operated split charge relay system and an auxillery fuse and relay box too.

As was said in another thread the reason for the auxillery box was because I was fed up with having fuses and relays dotted about the vehicle for all of the spot lights and stuff. So I centrallised them all in to this box. Have to say it was well worth the effort.

I have been a student for quite some time now and so cash flow is so much a torrent but a sporadic trickle once in a while! So when designing a split charge for Eva I went for a simple (and more importantly cheap) system involving a big relay which is activated manually by a switch on the switch pod.

Also at the same time I installed a volt guage with a 3 position switch (on/off/on) to keep an eye on the charge levels of the 2 batteries.

Now since most of you are RRC and Disco owners the exact system won't work for you but hopefully this will give you a possible solution which can be adapted to fit your vehicles.

[01001010]

Geo, that is ONE HEK of a job you did there! I've been thinking of doing something similar for the additional switches anc guages going in. GREAT POST!

[Geobloke]

Originally Posted by 01001010

Geo, that is ONE HEK of a job you did there! I've been thinking of doing something similar for the additional switches anc guages going in. GREAT POST!

Thank you very much JC. [Geo sits back and basks momentarily in his inflated ego!]

[afirover]

looks sexy