RT- Where to tap in for accessory power, removing instrument cluster

[jgwoods]

I have many of the panels off the RT and I have wired power and ground to my relay, now I need to tap into a 12v key on source and not interfere with can bus stuff I don't understand.

The relay will go on on to power my auxilliary fuse panel. From there I will add my GPS and later heated gear.

Questions
Where to draw accessory power- I did this on the RS I had, wired it to a line that stayed hot for about 30 seconds after I shut off. I don't really need that function but wouldn't mind it if I found it.
I don't have a manual.

Taking the instrument panel out- I see 4 torx around the gauges and 2 up on top of the dash panel- if I take them off can I get the instrument cluster out and free the upper dash panel so I can drill it for my ram mount?

So far the only fuses/ breakers I've seen are those under the seat on the right side.

I got lucky too- I was loosening the ground connection by that fuse panel and decided I would double check that the ground nut was welded in place- it isn't and it would be a bear to get it started again. I managed to get a wrench in there to tighten things up bu tit was tricky and a good thing I had a 10mm flex head wrench around.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[NancysToy]

:yikes: Not a good place to fly blind! One should never use the negative jumper terminal under the seat as a ground connection...go back to the actual battery terminal. You got very lucky! The standard fusebox is in the front trunk. This is explained in your owner's manual, but that is in the same place, so you may have missed it. If you need a switched wire in the back, and have anything but the base model RT, I would recommend using the Light Green/Gray wire feeding the light on the passenger heated grip switch. Up front, a non-essentail lighting wire, such as that for the gauges, would not be monitored. The four torx on the gauge panel allow removal of that panel. The control console can be removed as a unit, but the service manual has no instructions for taking it apart, so you will have to figure that out as you go along. Looking at the parts diagram, it appears that the windshield may have to be removed to remove the top panel...and that may also require removing the entire console to get at the nuts.