Hardwire Dash Cam Kits: The Fuse Box Dilemma?

[MarshRam]

So I bought a Rove and purchased the hardwire kit for my 2012 ST. It comes with the wired fuses w/ add a fuse. However, there is no fuse box inside the cab. If I want to use the provided fuses/wiring, I would have to drill a hole or two in my fuse box to get the wiring through, because the fuse box isn't going to close properly with wires running between the box casing and lid. I'm absolutely not doing that. So, is everyone tapping in somewhere else? I can purchase or fab fuse/wiring and find a place somewhere else, so no need for help there, but the fuse box would be preferred. I have more than enough tapping in going on around this truck. Seems what they provided is absolutely useless if you can't tap in inside the cab. Am I wrong here?

Edit 7/6/2026: I purchased two Red Wolf harnesses for $20 a pop to plug and play into my auxiliary power outlets. One needed to connect the constant power and the other for ignition power, both necessary if you want to use the cams full capabilities. The fuse location for the constant power in my truck will not hold the fuse adapters they provided in the hardwire kit. One way the lid is in the way, the other a much taller fuse is in the way. I might have drilled and grommet the fuse box otherwise. At the end of the day, got the Rove on sale for $100, hardwire kit for $30 and the two additional harnesses for $40.

 

[SitKneelBend]

So I bought a Rove and purchased the hardwire kit for my 2012 ST. It comes with the wired fuses w/ add a fuse. However, there is no fuse box inside the cab. If I want to use the provided fuses/wiring, I would have to drill a hole or two in my fuse box to get the wiring through, because the fuse box isn't going to close properly with wires running between the box casing and lid. I'm absolutely not doing that. So, is everyone tapping in somewhere else? I can purchase or fab fuse/wiring and find a place somewhere else, so no need for help there, but the fuse box would be preferred. I have more than enough tapping in going on around this truck. Seems what they provided is absolutely useless if you can't tap in inside the cab. Am I wrong here?

What has to run into the fuse box? DO you have pictures?

 

[MarshRam]

What has to run into the fuse box? DO you have pictures?

One cold and one hot, so one of each of these wired fuses they provided. I'm not going to smash those wires between the fuse box and fuse box lid just to get it closed. There is no other way to get it in there that I can see. I guess I'm stuck with making my own tap ins elsewhere or I could purchase two premade taps for the cigarette lighters at $20 a pop to tap into my cold and hot lighter outlets behind the panel. There are two cigarette lighter plug ins in my truck. I'll just make my own at this point, but really didn't want to tap more wires. I don't think I have a choice here to use these without a cab fuse box.

 

[DILLIGAF]

It's a dash cam tap into any key 12v source you don't need a fuse . Mine is tapped in right behind the radio

 

[Wild one]

One cold and one hot, so one of each of these wired fuses they provided. I'm not going to smash those wires between the fuse box and fuse box lid just to get it closed. There is no other way to get it in there that I can see. I guess I'm stuck with making my own tap ins elsewhere or I could purchase two premade taps for the cigarette lighters at $20 a pop to tap into my cold and hot lighter outlets behind the panel. There are two cigarette lighter plug ins in my truck. I'll just make my own at this point, but really didn't want to tap more wires. I don't think I have a choice here to use these without a cab fuse box.



View attachment 586195

Use a wire grommet to run wires into the fuse box. My battery was relocated to the rear corner of my box,and i had more then a few wires run into the fuse box.I also had a stand alone fuel cell in the box with it's own fuel pump,and a bottle heater on the nitrous bottle,so my truck had a pile of extra wiring,including what's generally called the "Big 3" wiring upgrade The ones that i didn't run up from the bottom of the fuse box,ran through a grommet in the side of the box. Sometimes you gotta think outside the box
Stand alone fuel cell is at the front,with it's own high pressure fuel pump,relocated battery in the back box,and my NHRA legal Master Disconnect switch in the rear bumper,which was wired to shut down the underhood fuse box,the only way you can shut down a late model Ram is also kill power to the fuse box,along with killing power to the battery. The big ole switch on the battery box killed everything,turning it off was equilevent to removing the battery,and if the truck was going to sit for anymore then a couple days,i flipped it.
The nitrous and gauge switches were in the console,and the master disconnect switches to kill those switches was under the flip up console lid,so you might say my truck had it's share of extra wiring, . I could turn the power off to the pillar gauges , as coming home at 2:00 in the morning after a long day at the dragstrip,i didn't want them lite up and staring me in the face on the 2.5 hour drive home from the dragstrip.
My 15lb nitrous bottle was behind the drivers seat,and easy to reach from the drivers seat to open the valve,and it was hid in plain sight,inside the suitcase. Many so-called nitrous guru's went over my truck looking for the nitrous system,and never found it,nobody ever thought to look inside a suitcase in an older guys truck,all the wiring and hoses under the hood were disguised to look like factory wiring and hoses

 

[EdGs]

Hidden in an old guys suitcase, you sneaky bassturd!!! Love it!

 

[Badger 13]

I drilled into the fuse box and used a rubber grommet for a couple of wires for other functions.

 

[MarshRam]

Thanks everyone. I'm debating. I may end up drilling and using a grommet. I didn't really want to do that, but I've already bastardized these trucks in so many places, so what's another one gonna hurt I suppose! Or, I might purchase two of these adapters, since I have two cigarette lighters, one that's constant and one that's not.

RED WOLF 12 Volt Power Adapter Wiring Harness

 

[SitKneelBend]

Thanks everyone. I'm debating. I may end up drilling and using a grommet. I didn't really want to do that, but I've already bastardized these trucks in so many places, so what's another one gonna hurt I suppose! Or, I might purchase two of these adapters, since I have two cigarette lighters, one that's constant and one that's not.

RED WOLF 12 Volt Power Adapter Wiring Harness

There is a spot made for this in the clutch delete plug above your pedals, no grommet necessary as you simply drill the plug there to the size needed.

 

[MarshRam]

There is a spot made for this in the clutch delete plug above your pedals, no grommet necessary as you simply drill the plug there to the size needed.

@SitKneelBend It's the fuse box I was wanting to avoid drilling into.

 

[Wild one]

@SitKneelBend It's the fuse box I was wanting to avoid drilling into.

Lift the fuse panel up,and you should be able to bring some wires up from the bottom of the box they sit in

 

[SitKneelBend]

@SitKneelBend It's the fuse box I was wanting to avoid drilling into.

Does the 2012 have the accessory lug like the 13+ trucks do?

 

[MarshRam]

Does the 2012 have the accessory lug like the 13+ trucks do?

Not on the 2012. However, I do see a couple extremely small rectangular openings inside the fuse box at the edge where I could potentially route them through from the bottom of the fuse box. I'm going to explore this option first, looks like it might work. Thanks

 

[MarshRam]

Lift the fuse panel up, and you should be able to bring some wires up from the bottom of the box they sit in

Thanks. I think I see where I can pull this off where there are a couple extremely small rectangular openings inside the fuse box at the edge where I could potentially route them through from the bottom of the fuse box.

 

[Wild one]

Not on the 2012. However, I do see a couple extremely small rectangular openings inside the fuse box at the edge where I could potentially route them through from the bottom of the fuse box. I'm going to explore this option first, looks like it might work. Thanks

Post a picture of your fuse box,as i think it still uses a main lug from the alternator to feed the fuses,which is what @SitKneelBend is referring to

 

[Grams]

So I bought a Rove and purchased the hardwire kit for my 2012 ST. It comes with the wired fuses w/ add a fuse. However, there is no fuse box inside the cab. If I want to use the provided fuses/wiring, I would have to drill a hole or two in my fuse box to get the wiring through, because the fuse box isn't going to close properly with wires running between the box casing and lid. I'm absolutely not doing that. So, is everyone tapping in somewhere else? I can purchase or fab fuse/wiring and find a place somewhere else, so no need for help there, but the fuse box would be preferred. I have more than enough tapping in going on around this truck. Seems what they provided is absolutely useless if you can't tap in inside the cab. Am I wrong here?

The “fuse box” is not “inside the cab”….because it is under the hood…. typically called the TIPM. That is where you source power.

 

[MarshRam]

Post a picture of your fuse box,as i think it still uses a main lug from the alternator to feed the fuses,which is what @SitKneelBend is referring to

@SitKneelBend @Wild one . Here ya go. Much appreciated!

 

[Wild one]

@SitKneelBend @Wild one . Here ya go. Much appreciated!

View attachment 586240

See that nut over in the upper left hand corner with the blue paint on it,that's the lug @SitKneelBend is referring to. It's a good one to get power from.Use an inline fuse if you tie onto it. You'll want to use a relay if you tie to it,as it's hot all the time

 

[Wild one]

Hidden in an old guys suitcase, you sneaky bassturd!!! Love it!

I started running nitrous systems way back in 1980 Ed,and i've gotten pretty good at hiding them over the years
The bottom was cut out of the suitcase,so it could be lifted off the bottle,but to open the valve i just unzipped the top,and could reach around behind me,while driving and open the valve,lol. The suitcase was lined with DEI's heat reflective tape,so the bottle heater was very efficient at bringing the bottle up to temp, all it needed was about 10 minutes at most to bring the bottle up to 1,000 psi

 

[Grams]

See that nut over in the upper left hand corner with the blue paint on it,that's the lug @SitKneelBend is referring to. It's a good one to get power from.Use an inline fuse if you tie onto it. You'll want to use a relay if you tie to it,as it's hot all the time

The Rove camera wants a HOT lead all the time.