Function Switches for Center Consoles of Overlanding Vehicles

Hello,
I have a law-enforcement style console in the interior of my Chevrolet Avalanche. Im trying to determine what rugged switches I should buy to control electrical outlets in the bed of the truck as well as monitoring the voltages of the house and starting batteries.

I’d like to find out what everyone else is doing out there. Hopefully this makes sense.
 

texasboy

New member
Carling V- series switches are probably what your console has knockouts for. Just search for rocker switches on Amazon and find the one at the price point you want.

As far as the voltage read out there's several options for that. I would probably find a usb outlet with a voltage readout on it and power it from your auxiliary battery.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
 
Thank you all for the responses. I should have provided a photo of the console. Here it is.
thumbnail_IMG_7507.jpg


I'm going to eliminate the 9V outlets and replace them with USB and USB-C outlets. I also will be replacing the Painless Wiring dual battery system with one by RedArc. I have to decide where to put the voltage gauge for that. As for now, the best candidates for switches look to be these toggles that I found on Amazon
61vT1vWidtL._SL1200_.jpg

Or the ones from OTRATTW.

There are no knockouts on the faceplates. Everything must be drilled. The next step is to make a plan of what functions I need to have control of at the console.View attachment 717109
 
Last edited:
Here's an update on my switches in case anyone out there is going through the same thing.
I bought a 3" plate for the RedArc dual voltage gauge. I think that same panel will hold a couple of Blue Sea USB outlets in both the A and USB-C type. Mounted at the top will be a Garmin Overlander that I can use while driving. My last trip to Mexico I used my cell phone. It would be really nice to have a bigger screen.

Closer to the bottom is a RedArc trailer brake controller. The panel with the red and green lights will be going. That's the Painless Wiring dual battery install.
The RedArc stuff isn't actually functional yet. I'm seeing where switches are going to go.
Durwin

thumbnail_IMG_8745.jpg
 
This has been a slow project. I had emailed OTRATTW back in November to have custom switches made for the ARB electrical outlet in the bed, another one to cut the dome light from coming on when the door is opened and a few others for a total of five. I wanted the switches to always be on with the headlamps and then white when the switch was pressed on to use the feature.

I called back in late December, they were going to call the supplier.
'm still trying to get the switches made. Is anyone else out there having a problem in getting custom-made parts built? The excuse used to be COVID, but it's now January.

I've looked at the Carling switches, but I really wasn't too crazy about the style of those. Does anyone else out there have a supplier?
Thanks, Durwinthumbnail_IMG_9390.jpg
 
Does anyone have suggestions on an external speaker for the Yaesu radio? You can see the main body of the radio inside the console in the photo that i posted.
I'd like to flush mount it maybe on the passenger-side of the console. There is a cut out for a cooling fan on the side. Perhaps something flat, connected with a cable.
Thanks, Durwin
 

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