Hello all; I am fairly new here, and I am still a bit unfamiliar with the electricals inside the Ranger. I am looking to hardwire a Thinkware X500 dash camera but I cannot find any switched accessory power to save my life so that the camera turns on and off with ignition. Any tips?

 

I have mine wired to the radio fuse circuit. Get an "add-a-fuse" adapter and just pop it in the radio fuse spot on the passengers side kick panel. I think its number 29. It is wired as accessory/ignition power only so it will turn off/on with the truck. I don't know your exact camera model but they draw minimal power so I have a 1 amp fuse on mine. (Note. Leave the original fuse on the radio side of the circuit!)

read your cameras directions carefully, most are wired for USB power (5 volts dc) NOT automotive power (12 volts dc) so be sure you have the proper transformer/adapter in line. If you send 12 volts to a 5 volt camera you will fry it instantly.

if you want I'll take pics of how I have my system wired in the morning.

 

I will make a second attempt when the new adapter comes in, as it appeared one of the leads broke inside its sheath and wouldn't supply the power to exit parking mode. It was set up the same way it was in my Silverado, granted I ran battery from under the hood fuses and I'd rather not tap through the interior this time. Also, (as far as I know) the fuse panel is on the driver's side of my truck, I haven't heard of a passenger side fuse panel. If you don't mind and its not too much trouble pictures would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

There are 2 "fuse panels" one under the hood called the power distribution box and one in the cab. At some point in the 2000's they did move the one in the cab from the driver's side dash to the passengers side kick panel. Same basic principle though you just want to tap a source that runs on accessory and ignition power. I just went and looked at mine and realized I didn't tap the radio circuit I used the windshield wiper module (#5 on my truck). The problem with using the power distribution box (the one under the hood) those fuses are basically all "live" high amp main circuits. They are the primary fuses straight off the battery before anything goes to a switch. Not a good place to tap switched low volt accessories into in my opinion.

 

1995 and up Rangers used a "central junction box"(CJB) and GEM module(body computer) thru 2003
CJB is the fuse panel in the cab and was under the dash on drivers side

In 2004 Rangers got the Smart Junction box(SJB), it was the fuse panel and "gem"(body computer) in one unit, located behind passenger side kick panel

 

The pre 2004 trucks still had the same setup for the power distribution box under the hood though correct?

 

Yes, all Rangers had engine fuse box until end of production, 2012