But what if I want to turn it off?

While I was installing the amp, I began to wonder if there would ever be a situation where I would want to turn it off yet still listen to the rest of the stereo system. In such an instance, I would need to disconnect power at some point, either by removing the fuse from the holder at the battery, or by disconnecting the power or remote turn on lead from the amp.

To be honest, that's a lot of work even for the few times a year when I might actually turn the amp off. Putting a simple on/off switch on the remote turn on lead was a simple solution, so that was one of the reasons that I ran the RCA cables underneath the center console. (They have a wire between them that can and should be used as the remote turn on lead.)

Hooking it up was easy. First, I searched for a suitable location on the center console/dash area. Those of you who know me personally know that I like to keep things in "return to stock" condition where something I've modified can be easily reverted back to the way it was before I modified it, with little or no evidence that anything was done. In this frame of mind, screw holes make for excellent toggle switch locations.

The Legacy has a couple of screws next to the center console latch that secure the plastic cover over the parking brake. They are covered when the console lid is closed, yet there is room above the screws since the cover curves over them rather than laying flat on them. Perfect. Even better, the screws themselves go into a metal clip instead of the plastic itself so I can always put the screw back in if I want to.

I started by widening the screw hole to accomodate the new switch. A rotary tool is good for this, and I used an engraving tip for maximum control. Once I was sure that the switch fit into the new hole, I cut the remote turn on lead out from between the RCA cables. I used a strange tool to do this - a dull knife. Normally, a dull knife is unsafe and ineffective, but in this case it allowed me to gently cut the plastic between the wires without actually cutting through the insulation. Once I had separated all three wires, I cut the remote wire and attached wire crimp connectors.

The final result is better than I expected. Although I was unable to use a nut on top of the switch due to space limitations, I was able to use one below it, so the switch is secure. Also, I made the hole small enough that the threads on the switch "grip" the plastic of the parking brake cover, so everything fits perfectly.