Installing additional power sockets for accessories

[Calaber]

I have had a few problems over past months, because I have at least three accessories which require cigarette lighter type power sockets and the VY Berlina only has one.

I have been able to sort out a couple of ideas which might be of interest to others with similar problems.

The first is providing power for a rear seat portable DVD player used by my grand-daughter. She gets antsy if she is in the car for any length of time, so the player keeps her entertained.

The second is the mobile phone charger.

The third is the GPS

The fourth is a plug-in Bluetooth speaker for hands-free operation.

I don't like the extension lead set-ups or multi-socket plug in adaptors, because they tend to be very untidy and the standard plug, in the console bin, is awkward to use when driving.

So, here is my solution to each problem.

I have installed a second socket into the rear of the console, by removing the rear face of the console (2 screws), cutting down the small storage bin to about one third its original depth and installing a new rear face, then drilling a hole and installing the power socket in the recess. The socket is set inside the shortened storage bin, and easily accessed from the back seat. The DVD player can now remain plugged in to that socket.

The original socket will be used for the mobile phone charger.

The GPS will be installed in the front bin of the console, with its power feeding from the factory installed "smoker's pack" wiring, to which I will plug in a third socket.

The speaker will sit into a fourth socket, installed in the small recess at the rear of the power window switches. At present, this has a small rubber insert fitted, but I plan to lift that out, make up a plastic plate that sits flush in the recess, drill the hole for the socke and screw it in there if there is sufficient depth. That socket will need the small plastic cover fitted so that it can be covered when not in use. It will also look a lot neater.

My only concern is having four power sockets running from one power source - I think it might be overloading the circuit. I can probably pick up a separate power source for the speaker that is linked to the accessory circuit - can anybody suggest a convenient power take off point for the fourth plug? I think it will be safe to have the other three running from the one circuit, especially as the phone charger is not in constant or prolonged use.

I can provide photos of the work taken if anybody else is interested in this work.

[TVR-190]

albeit i dont have a vy, i had a similar issue

i bought a 1 into 4 splitter that had its own switchblock, i took the original connection and tapped into the cigarette lighter wires under the dash so i didnt have wires everywhere and have the switches next to the passenger seat so i can control which ones are on.

Works a treat, never had any problems with overloading or w/e

old pic of before i tapped into the under panel wires

[Calaber]

I haven't seen one of those splitters before. It looks like it might have been rubbing on your seat trim - did you leave it there or relocate it? How do the wires connect to and from it? I assume it takes its power from the existing power socket in your console, then splits it into four separate feeds. What sort of connections did you have on the end of each feed?

[TVR-190]

DealExtreme: $10.79 1-TO-4 Car Cigarette Lighter Splitter with Individual Switch

thats the item with pictures to show how its laid out.

[danja]

Worst case scenario if you draw too much power through the lighter socket(s) is that you'll blow the fuse under the dash (exactly what it's there for).

If you do hit that wall you'll probably need to run your own fused power source from the battery itself (a bit like what people do when wiring audio amplifiers).

[Calaber]

DealExtreme: $10.79 1-TO-4 Car Cigarette Lighter Splitter with Individual Switch

thats the item with pictures to show how its laid out.

TVR

It's an intriguing little device, but it still leaves me with the problem of wiring leading from all the appliances into the sockets, which is what I'm trying to avoid. I see it's a Hong Kong mob - what's the Aussie price?

Danja

I think the fact that you can run a setup like the one TVR has shown, indicates that as long as the appliances draw small loads, the circuit can take having all four running from one feed. As you suggest, any overload is simply going to blow a fuse.

[TVR-190]

its in USD Calaber. If i can be arsed tomorrow i will make a vid of my setup, mine powers GPS, Dash light and rear deck lights. but i dont like mess so all my wiring for all is hidden under the car trim.

[danja]

Yup, obviously depends what you're running. Some LEDs and a phone charger aren't going to draw much, whereas a 240v inverter and a microwave over probably will

From memory the fuse is 15A. Easy enough to look at the quoted current draw for all the bits you plan to plug in and do the math. If it came to it I see no reason why you couldn't upgrade the appropriate wiring and install a larger fuse

[sycvs]

i have lots running of my ciggie lighter it had a 10 amp fuse i put a 15 in it so it wasent so easy to blow i have the separate dvd screen gps fone power inverter neons and a ciggie plug wired to the rear of the car all of the 1 from the front and runs fine havent blowen fuse yet except when little bro touched two wires together

[bteq]

If it's the same as a VZ, then it's a 20A fuse, and also the "smoker's pack" ciggy light has a seperate 20A fuse. If you want to be sure just pull down the panel under the steering wheel and check. There's a fuse map in there to tell you which to look at (as well as in your car's manual).

[bteq]

PS - I'd be interested to see what you have done, particularly how you wired up the front ciggy lighter socket, as I'm about to do the same, but have no electrical experience whatsoever. I think I found the socket on the weekend when I pulled the centre console out to fix the accessory 12v socket, but I wasn't sure (turned out someone had simply unplugged the socket in the past, if it was ever plugged in).

[Calaber]

PS - I'd be interested to see what you have done, particularly how you wired up the front ciggy lighter socket, as I'm about to do the same, but have no electrical experience whatsoever. I think I found the socket on the weekend when I pulled the centre console out to fix the accessory 12v socket, but I wasn't sure (turned out someone had simply unplugged the socket in the past, if it was ever plugged in).

Hi bteq

So far, I have added a socket to the rear of the console, in the area originally occupied by a small storage shelf below the air con vents, another socket into the small change compartment behind the power window switches and have run the wiring and made up the connectors for a third (or fourth, if you include the original socket in the console bin) to power the GPS from the smoker's pack outlet below the radio.

I will take some pics this week and post them to explain better what I have done. Only have to install the fourth socket and it's all finished.

With this set up, the existing socket and the rear console socket work off one circuit and the coin change runs off the smokers pack outlet, so I have only two sockets running from each circuit.

[Pete_perth]

Does anyone know how to wire up the smokers pack? Any pics would be helpful.

[Calaber]

Just grabbed some pics. They might explain things more clearly. The socket behind the power window switches is used for a plug-in Bluetooth speaker for the phone.

The area under the radio might look a bit odd. I have removed the small hidden storage compartment with the stupid spring loaded door that was so useless, and fitted the facia panel from the factory GPS to fill the gap neatly. I still have to do a bit to fill the two small holes for the factory switches. The socket will fit inside that compartment, fixed directly under the radio, so that the compartment is still usefull for storage. As you can see, with the storage tray removed, that area is quite large and much easier to reach into. The wiring can be seen, tucked away at the moment, just waiting for the socket to be installed.

[danja]

Does anyone know how to wire up the smokers pack? Any pics would be helpful.

As far as I'm aware there is a wiring connector behind the area the smokers pack occupies, so it just plugs in?

[Lumps of cheese]

As far as I'm aware there is a wiring connector behind the area the smokers pack occupies, so it just plugs in?

You would be correct.

[orthaeeoul]

albeit i dont have a vy, i had a similar issue

i bought a 1 into 4 splitter that had its own switchblock, i took the original connection and tapped into the cigarette lighter wires under the dash so i didnt have wires everywhere and have the switches next to the passenger seat so i can control which ones are on.

Works a treat, never had any problems with overloading or w/e

old pic of before i tapped into the under panel wires

hey dude, where did u get that switch box from? im looking for something very similiar for my vy...

[Villan_au]

hey dude, where did u get that switch box from? im looking for something very similiar for my vy...

DealExtreme: $10.79 1-TO-4 Car Cigarette Lighter Splitter with Individual Switch

[orthaeeoul]

soz for the stupid question, didnt realise u had posted a link just below!