12 volts, baby

[kubi]

All just how you word it. Any time you connect another wire to an existing wire you're splicing it. The connectors he is referring to are just a really simple way to tap into a wire without having to physically cut it. As long as you use butt connectors or the proper sized wire nut or a good job with electrical tape you'll be fine. Just be sure you don't leave any wire exposed or it might short out.

I knew I'd find the answers here, you guys know your stuff. Question:

what's the difference b/t splicing and cutting. When I said "splicing" above, I meant cutting the ignition wire and connecting the mirror wire to it.

Is there a substantial difference b/t cutting and splicing?

[xyntax]

I still think, to be on the safe side, you should splice or whatever on the cigarette plug connection. Ignition wire is too much of a risk to play with. Besides, if you mess up, you only end up blowing the cig plug fuse. That happened to me.

[Luc]

You blew your fuse because that wire wasn't made to supply the amount of current to whatever you were powering. Why would you want to tap a 22-/24-gauge wire when the ignition wire is 14-/16-gauge??? What do you think the cigarette wire is? It's the same as ignition, as it comes from the same source.

I'd suggest using a T-tap for the ignition as that's how new AD mirror came as, but make a small cut around the sleeve so the copper wire is exposed all around to ensure proper connection.

[krook]

Ignition wire is too much of a risk to play with. Besides, if you mess up, you only end up blowing the cig plug fuse.

actually, as long as you provide an extra fuse to the equipment you are installing, you should be okay to tap ignition. i'd recommend it, in fact.

tapping anything to ignition, is not too risky. usually if the wire you are using to tap ignition becomes grounded, it will most likely short out the wire you used, not the ignition wire b/c it is so thick.

[xyntax]

Yeah I blew a fuse coz while i was testing the circuit i accidentally touched both negative and positive nodes to the same place on the cigarette plug. Poof, fuse melted That was funny though.