18 replies to this topic

[dredpyrt]

Anyone out there ever wire in a 12v accessory plug? I was poking around the local auto parts store and found a few examples but they are seriously lacking in instructions. My car is a 94 Japanese spec 1.3SPi. Thanks!

[sambarnes]

I had one put in my a local gargae about 2 weeks ago, cost about £30 for them to get it and fit it. I will try get a couple picture in a bit.

sam

[mtsmini]

Are you asking a question about installing the plug in the dash or wiring it?

Installing is easy: Measure the hole size required then pick where you want to mount it and drill away.

Wiring is easier: Find a positive point (battery or fuse box) and then run a wire to that point - with a inline fuse where you are going to wire it into the system. Negative can run to ground (body) or to the battery.

Or did I misunderstand the question?

[dredpyrt]

Are you asking a question about installing the plug in the dash or wiring it?

Installing is easy: Measure the hole size required then pick where you want to mount it and drill away.

Wiring is easier: Find a positive point (battery or fuse box) and then run a wire to that point - with a inline fuse where you are going to wire it into the system. Negative can run to ground (body) or to the battery.

Or did I misunderstand the question?

Actually the wiring was my concern. I was poking around online and found a 2 receptacle unit with an inline fuse and plenty of extra wire that should do nicely. Thanks for the reply.

[Pooky]

I think I would run it from a switched live from the fuse box. This way it's only on when the ignition is on and you won't drain the battery because you've left your sat nav on charge...

[benb12]

I ran a feed from my fusebox, however it's easier for me as mine's an earlier car with two fuses - one controlled by ignition, and one not. I ran mine from the ignition controlled fuse, however I don't know which fuses this would be on the later cars. The other wire is bolted straight to earth on the dash rail.

Edited by benb12, 18 November 2009 - 08:20 PM.

[Nelson92]

hi i did this a few weeks ago.
got one of those 2-in-1 units from halfords, cut the plug off, wired the negative to an earth point at the back of the dash, put the + through into the engine bay fuse box onto a switched + that does the radio on my car (92) and then glued the unit onto the radio mounting in the passenger well. comes on and off with the ignition and i put an inline fuse on it to protect the car. it looks almost factory fitted and it's pretty easy to do. use good wire 'n good luck.

[dsgoody]

Pretty much as above really, get yourself some sort of socket. Wire it into the fusebox (if you have the 4 way box) and ground it local to the socket. If you want it on constantly put in on the same terminal as the Purple wire and if you want it to come on with your radio then put it on the same terminal as the Light Green/Orange wire. Below is a diagram to simplify it.



Make sure you use wire at least 1mm2 (use 2mm2 if you can) and install a 15A inline fuse, sine that's pretty much the total of what the sockets can take.

Dave

[Bungle]

what problems are you having with the guide in the FAQ section ?

[Min E]

"run a feed from the fusebox".....a bit of a sweeping statement that.

PLEASE DON'T JUST CONNECT TO ANY OLD RANDOM POINT ON THE FUSE BOX!!!!!

It must be remembered that the accessory socket that you are fitting will be drawing current, OK, a sat-nav doesn't need a lot but if you plug in a tyre pump or a 240v voltage inverter or a travel water boiler or a host of other things that you might use, the amperage could be very much higher.

The fuses that are fitted in your car are there for a reason and are rated wth different values to match with those reasons; i.e. putting an extra load on any of those fuses is likely to overload it.

You could be happily driving down the road when your sat-nav tells you to turn right, you flick the stalk and put your foot on the brake; the overload blows the well used, weakened old fuse, the poor guy in the 4X4 behind you doesn't know that you want to turn and your brake lights don't work....crunch.

So....

Idealy you will want a switched live so that when the ignition is off the circuit is dead. The best place to connect to is the brown wire on the side of the fuse box. This is the point that the power goes into the fuse so you will not be overloading it. Run the feed through an in-line fuse holder and use a 30A fuse. The feed is then taken to the centre contact on the back of the socket, the body of the socket must then be earthed, you will find several earth points on the car, basically look for black wires attached under a bolt, screw or nut.

If you want a permanantly live soket (which do have thir uses) you could take the feed via a connection from the brown wire at the starter motor, this will give voltage pre the ignition switch; again fit an in-line fuse holder with a 30A fuse.

Edited by MINY, 18 November 2009 - 11:15 PM.

[Min E]

Pretty much as above really, get yourself some sort of socket. Wire it into the fusebox (if you have the 4 way box) and ground it local to the socket. If you want it on constantly put in on the same terminal as the Purple wire and if you want it to come on with your radio then put it on the same terminal as the Light Green/Orange wire. Below is a diagram to simplify it.



Make sure you use wire at least 1mm2 (use 2mm2 if you can) and install a 15A inline fuse, sine that's pretty much the total of what the sockets can take.

Dave

Sorry to dissagree but I think you will find that no point on the fuse box is permanant live, they are all fed from the ignition switch. The purple wire is power post the fuse and attaching the socket there runs the risk of overloading it. Take the power from the brown wire, it's much safer.

15 or 30A will not make a lot of difference, either will blow if there is a fault but the higher rating will allow accessories that draw more current.

I agree with the comment about using 1.5 or 2mm wire.

Edited by MINY, 18 November 2009 - 11:34 PM.

[tadleysimon]

this fusebox stuff is irrelevant, the first post says its a 94 spec injection model so the fusebox is completly different

[dsgoody]

I'm not entirely sure about the exact year the big blade fuse boxes were introduced, but most 94 Mini's I have seen all have the 4 way fusebox. As my post says the fusebox might be different.

[Min E]

this fusebox stuff is irrelevant, the first post says its a 94 spec injection model so the fusebox is completly different

Fair comment, I hadn't noticed that and don't know that model but although the specific fusebox information may be irrelevant in this case the points I made about where and why to take power from in general are very important.

I would imagine that the injection model uses a brown wire as a main feed the same as other models and indeed most other makes of car, it being the international colour for live, and there must be a fuse box somewhere that it feeds.

Edited by MINY, 18 November 2009 - 11:45 PM.

[dsgoody]

Sorry to dissagree but I think you will find that no point on the fuse box is permanant live, they are all fed from the ignition switch. The purple wire is power post the fuse and attaching the socket there runs the risk of overloading it. Take the power from the brown wire, it's much safer.

15 or 30A will not make a lot of difference, either will blow if there is a fault but the higher rating will allow accessories that draw more current.

I agree with the comment about using 1.5 or 2mm wire.

No problem with disagreeing with me, we are all here to learn. Check the SPi wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, the Brown wire on the fusebox comes straight from the starter solenoid. All the wires on a Mini conform to British Standards which states that Brown wires in car electronics supply unfused, constant power. The Haynes manual also states that all accessories should be wired onto terminal 4, which is the Purple wire. EDIT: Note I also say to "put in on the same terminal as the Purple wire", not onto the Purple wire itself.

15A would be safer in my opinion, I have melted plugs before when drawing near 15A for long periods of time.

Edited by dsgoody, 18 November 2009 - 11:53 PM.