What is this??? [red wire]

mrm143

Original poster
Member
Feb 29, 2012
42
Was just about to clean my TB and when going to disconnect the battery I saw this...
Should this be connected to something?

View attachment 19203
 

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The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
Congratulations! You might be the first GMTN poster to ask this! :biggrin:

If you install it to the stud on the left of this picture, it feeds 30A of 12V to a designated pin on the trailer receptacle on the rear of the truck that will recharge a trailer battery as you drive. Most large trailers have this connection, but many smaller ones don't.

megafuse1-orig.jpg
 

mrm143

Original poster
Member
Feb 29, 2012
42
the roadie said:
Congratulations! You might be the first GMTN poster to ask this! :biggrin:

If you install it to the stud on the left of this picture, it feeds 30A of 12V to a designated pin on the trailer receptacle on the rear of the truck that will recharge a trailer battery as you drive. Most large trailers have this connection, but many smaller ones don't.

megafuse1-orig.jpg

AWESOME

So should I just leave unplugged
 

MichEnvoyGuy

Member
Dec 3, 2011
522
the roadie said:
Congratulations! You might be the first GMTN poster to ask this! :biggrin:

It was only a matter of time :biggrin:

I thought that red wire was for the flux capacitor? So Ive been hitting 88mph at every opportunity for nothing?! :rotfl:
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
It was only a matter of time. I can't believe we made it this long.
 

Mark20

Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Never knew that wire was a right of passage.

Going to a serious note; I put the 6mm (correct me if I'm wrong) on the post but did not connect the wire since I did not want to run the risk of draining the battery. I have connected it once to top off my camper'battery over a long weekend with no electrical hook ups. Yes, the Envoy was running at the time.

Silberados with the tow package have an 8mm stud for the same purpose.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
mrm143 said:
What's the deal with the wire lmao

With the wire itself, no big deal at all. :tongue: But somehow, on the OS anyway, a new thread would get started on a fairly regular basis asking what it is, since new members aren't familiar with the search feature just yet.
 

suburbs

Member
Jan 6, 2012
86
I am thinking the elitism around here is keeping a lot of lurkers from asking for help.

Made sense on the OS to persuade people into using the search function, but there just aren't many archived topics over here yet.
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
suburbs said:
I am thinking the elitism around here is keeping a lot of lurkers from asking for help.

Made sense on the OS to persuade people into using the search function, but there just aren't many archived topics over here yet.
Elitism? It is no where as bad as the OS was. I don't recall anyone telling him to use search to look it up. Someone just deferred it to roadie, since we all know he created the pic. We have had subjects put up as people do them or need assistance with it. I think a lot of the guys that know the answer may be waiting for someone to actually ask the question so that it can be answered.
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
the roadie said:
Congratulations! You might be the first GMTN poster to ask this! :biggrin:

If memory serves, they are. Sorry, you don't win anything but the pleasure of knowing you are first! :rotfl:
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
djthumper said:
..I think a lot of the guys that know the answer may be waiting for someone to actually ask the question so that it can be answered.
There's a lot of that. Until Google starts returning us higher in the search results for "trailblazer forum", we've got an excess of boy scouts just waiting to pounce on anybody needing help to cross the street.
 

Juicy K

Member
Feb 14, 2012
433
Indianapolis, Indiana
As soon as I read the title I knew Roadies pic would turn up. Same pic that learned me about the mystery red wire. :rotfl:
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
I left a hundred links to my old picture behind on the OS. But I control the hosting of that pic, and this is what people on the OS now see when they Google for the "red wire" or read one of the many Megafuse threads:

megafuse1.jpg
 

Juicy K

Member
Feb 14, 2012
433
Indianapolis, Indiana
the roadie said:
I left a hundred links to my old picture behind on the OS. But I control the hosting of that pic, and this is what people on the OS now see when they Google for the "red wire" or read one of the many Megafuse threads:

megafuse1.jpg

You are the man! :2thumbsup:
 

blazinlow89

Member
Jan 25, 2012
2,088
I wouldn't call it elitism, every person her would answer any question if they have the knowledge to do so. If someone gets butthurt for being told to use the search function, then they have other issues that need to be addressed.

Like stated though the os would have at least one thread a week started about that red wire.

Also if someone lurks to gather information :thumbsup:. If they cannot find the info they seek , then it is encouraged for that person to join to see if they find this info.
 

sevendj

Member
Dec 9, 2011
52
Kudo's to the picture change Roadie.

Perhaps we should have a "What is this red wire for?" sticky...
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas

NewfieEnvoy

Member
Jan 25, 2012
525
the roadie said:
I left a hundred links to my old picture behind on the OS. But I control the hosting of that pic, and this is what people on the OS now see when they Google for the "red wire" or read one of the many Megafuse threads:

megafuse1.jpg

Roadie I love it!!! Good work.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
I think that power stud is a nice spot for accessory stuff for those of us (most of us I suspect) that don't need that red wire hooked up. HID relay harnesses attach there perfectly!
 
May 22, 2012
117
the roadie said:
I left a hundred links to my old picture behind on the OS. But I control the hosting of that pic, and this is what people on the OS now see when they Google for the "red wire" or read one of the many Megafuse threads:

megafuse1.jpg



That is how I found this site. :smile:
 

AtlWrk

Member
Dec 6, 2011
674
Sparky said:
I think that power stud is a nice spot for accessory stuff for those of us (most of us I suspect) that don't need that red wire hooked up. HID relay harnesses attach there perfectly!

Agreed:thumbsup: Perfect place for my E-fan setup.
 

BINGA

Member
Jun 8, 2012
238
And to think instead of being clued in by MarkMC about the new site, i could've just asked 100 questions on the OS with no response...



:duh: (should've just bit the bullett and asked about that damn red wire!)
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR

BINGA

Member
Jun 8, 2012
238
sadly, now i've been on this site for what seems like 2 days straight, playing "catch-up". :coffee: My girlfriend is starting to look at me funny...
 

rwf

Member
Dec 17, 2012
7
I realize it is sort of an inside joke, but I appreciate y'all for posting the information. It answered a different question for me about the mega fuse. I actually never noticed the lug and unused red wire though, no I'm gonna look.

I'm digesting stuff on the site now, but will probably start a thread soon about my '06 that has no heat at all.
 

Denali n DOO

Member
May 22, 2012
5,596
rwf said:
I realize it is sort of an inside joke, but I appreciate y'all for posting the information. It answered a different question for me about the mega fuse. I actually never noticed the lug and unused red wire though, no I'm gonna look.

I'm digesting stuff on the site now, but will probably start a thread soon about my '06 that has no heat at all.

Welcome to GMTNation! Glad to hear you found some info you were looking for. I'm sure you'll get lots of help when you start your thread "06 that has no heat at all". When you have a moment fill in your vehicle info so we know what specific vehicle you have.
 

Darkrider_LS

Member
Jan 25, 2013
9,332
Found this thread in another members sig and i will prob add it to my sig after im done this post to help others as that member helped me.

Got a question about the stud that the "Red wire" connects to when it is used. Can this stud safely be used for hooking up other items besides the red wire and Hids? Was looking at using it to connect my off road lighting when i get to that stage. Is it a direct connection to the battery?
 

Magyver

Member
Apr 9, 2012
64
Darkrider_LS said:
Found this thread in another members sig and i will prob add it to my sig after im done this post to help others as that member helped me.

Got a question about the stud that the "Red wire" connects to when it is used. Can this stud safely be used for hooking up other items besides the red wire and Hids? Was looking at using it to connect my off road lighting when i get to that stage. Is it a direct connection to the battery?

If you have voltage with ignition off then yes. If its meant to charge a battery then it's probably only hot with ignition on.
 

Darkrider_LS

Member
Jan 25, 2013
9,332
Magyver said:
If you have voltage with ignition off then yes. If its meant to charge a battery then it's probably only hot with ignition on.

Im perfectly fine with it being Hot only when ignition is on. Good way to prevent me from leaving the off road lighting on by accident.
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
Darkrider_LS said:
Is it a direct connection to the battery?
It goes through a J-case (large body) fuse, but yes - it's connected directly to the battery.

Magyver said:
If its meant to charge a battery then it's probably only hot with ignition on.
It's meant to charge trailer batteries, but the REASON the ring lug is left off the threaded stud is that the best way to hook that up is through a relay (that you have to add) that's controlled by an ignition-on signal. RVers should always do this to avoid having a trailer battery connection being allowed to run down the tow vehicle's battery if left hooked up and connected at an overnight stop.

Darkrider_LS said:
Good way to prevent me from leaving the off road lighting on by accident.
As mentioned, you need to add a relay to get this behavior. It isn't designed into this circuit. Otherwise the entire power of the trailer connection would have to go through the ignition switch, which is already unreliable, or GM would have had to add a relay that only 2% (let's say) of the owners would ever use, and their bean counters say NO to those types of ideas. It *is* odd that they included the J-case fuse that feeds the stud as standard equipment, though.
 

Darkrider_LS

Member
Jan 25, 2013
9,332
the roadie said:
It goes through a J-case (large body) fuse, but yes - it's connected directly to the battery.

It's meant to charge trailer batteries, but the REASON the ring lug is left off the threaded stud is that the best way to hook that up is through a relay (that you have to add) that's controlled by an ignition-on signal. RVers should always do this to avoid having a trailer battery connection being allowed to run down the tow vehicle's battery if left hooked up and connected at an overnight stop.

As mentioned, you need to add a relay to get this behavior. It isn't designed into this circuit. Otherwise the entire power of the trailer connection would have to go through the ignition switch, which is already unreliable, or GM would have had to add a relay that only 2% (let's say) of the owners would ever use, and their bean counters say NO to those types of ideas. It *is* odd that they included the J-case fuse that feeds the stud as standard equipment, though.

So that stud is live when the truck is off, ok good to know! Still wary about cutting any wires to do a DRL killer for HIDs but at least i can use that stud for the off road lighting.
 

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