Can anybody give me any help or advise on fitting a 12v socket into the boot area of my fabia 2 hatchback. If you have any advise on routing wires etc that would be great.

I've asked this question in the past and got no reply

I think I'd be inclined to try and run it under the headliner on the near side. Up the A pillar and along then down into the boot and out of the plastic slats over the wheel. That's just my first thought. Some have gone under the headliner for adding a rear some light so maybe have a look at one of those threads? Also see what people have written about fitting a rear dash cam, wiring needed there too.

Depending on what you are using it for you can either use a permanent or switched feed from the fuse box using a piggy back holder.

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I've always routed downwards rather than upwards, under the hard plastic door sill trim, & under the rear seat. TBH, I've never thought about the headlining, as you have to go up then down.

Power source depends on whether you want permanent or switched live. For my dash cam, I also used a piggy back fuse bought via ebay, and chose a fuse in the fuse box under the dash

Malcolm

Edited 22 August, 201510 yr by Baxlin

I need it to power a large camping fridge we carry in the boot.

Are you not as well fitting a Split Charging Relay and a Leisure Battery with a decent Ah in the boot and charge that and run the fridge from it?

If its a large fridge running on a perminant supply (which the front one is by the way) isnt it just going to run your battery flat and leave you stranded?

How about splicing into the wires for the boot light?

How about splicing into the wires for the boot light?

Doesnt the light only come on when the boots open? And times out if you leave it open?

Doesnt the light only come on when the boots open? And times out if you leave it open?

Yeah comes on when boot is open but the positive may be a constant live so all you'll need is an earth?

Don't think it times out unlike the front light, pretty sure mine stayed on all the time I did my PDC install and that was a few hrs?

Mine times out, I remember because when I put my extra lights in the boot I thought they weren't working.

It will be a constant live but there will be a break in the circuit somewhere to allow it to go out. When the boot opens the circuit is completed so you would need a multimeter to see at what point the circuit is broken. If I had to guess then there will be a feed going from the fuses to the switch in the circuit and then on to the light unit. You would have to tap in before the break not between the switch and the light unit. As for the possible time out problem, if it does time out (iirc it's 5-6mins) then that will make it a non starter.

The tail light has a permanent live though, I say this because it will illuminate as a parking light without the ignition, that feed could be a potential source of power?

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Mine times out, I remember because when I put my extra lights in the boot I thought they weren't working.

It will be a constant live but there will be a break in the circuit somewhere to allow it to go out. When the boot opens the circuit is completed so you would need a multimeter to see at what point the circuit is broken. If I had to guess then there will be a feed going from the fuses to the switch in the circuit and then on to the light unit. You would have to tap in before the break not between the switch and the light unit. As for the possible time out problem, if it does time out (iirc it's 5-6mins) then that will make it a non starter.

The tail light has a permanent live though, I say this because it will illuminate as a parking light without the ignition, that feed could be a potential source of power?

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Exactly what i was thinking mate.

Must be a switch somewhere, buy i couldnt say where it is.

Exactly what i was thinking mate.

Must be a switch somewhere, buy i couldnt say where it is.

If I had to guess it will be somewhere where the boot closes against the car. When the boot opens a button rises to let the circuit complete. I'm guessing it has to be the same as a fridge setup

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If I had to guess it will be somewhere where the boot closes against the car. When the boot opens a button rises to let the circuit complete. I'm guessing it has to be the same as a fridge setup

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Yeah. It cant be on the hinge side because, it just isnt aha.

Maybe it is where the catch does.

No idea without looking.

But will it be a big enough wire to power a fridge pulling in 12v socket dya think? The light is only a 5w w5w. But im not an electrician so i dont know really aha.

I'm not sure the wire would be the correct gauge for a 12v feed but like you I'm not a sparky. the fuse would certainly need changed. I would still choose a feed direct from the fuse board and run a dedicated wire for it, either along the floor or up in the head liner.

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I'm not sure the wire would be the correct gauge for a 12v feed but like you I'm not a sparky. the fuse would certainly need changed. I would still choose a feed direct from the fuse board and run a dedicated wire for it, either along the floor or up in the head liner.

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From what i do understand of electrinical magic, the fuse protects the wire? So if the fuse is blowing, its too much load?

Yeah id want to do it like that too. But an auto electrician will sort it properly wont they (:

Do not use any existing feed in the boot such as lights etc to run a fridge.

 

Those fridges need about 5 to 6 amps which will likely damage the wiring and blow fuses. A 5w bulb in comparison only draws 0.4 amps.

 

To run a fridge you need to run a fused live wire straight to the battery. You then take your earth from a metal body part (use a bolt on the car etc).

 

If you want a switched live then you can use relay to do this.

 

Phil

Edited 24 August, 201510 yr by Phil-E

Sounds more like it! (:

Any idea of the best way to get the wite through the bulkhead so that it remains waterproof?

Any idea of the best way to get the wite through the bulkhead so that it remains waterproof?

Theres a place behind the steering wheel side thats plastic, just drill through and use a grommet.

Thats how my cruise control was done.

Thanks Phil. I was thinking that was the best option but not knowing the ins and outs of electrickery I wasn't sure. So even a feed from a spare fuse is not really that good an idea for the draw a fridge would need?

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Any pictures of the plastic under the dash and how accessible is it ?

Any pictures of the plastic under the dash and how accessible is it ?

No sorry, as you have to take the wiper arms off and that bit plastic below them to access it. Then feed it from below the dash, and fish it through a predrilled hole.

Also something else to consider is the wire you use.

 

You need something quite thick. Along the lines of what you get with a sub wiring kit for a car. Think you will need at least 10AWG wire (2.5mm diameter or thicker).

Thanks Phil. I was thinking that was the best option but not knowing the ins and outs of electrickery I wasn't sure. So even a feed from a spare fuse is not really that good an idea for the draw a fridge would need?


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It's not ideal. But you could get away with it if you don't have lots of extras like heated seats, auxiliary heating etc.

 

You could also use the supply to the current 12v socket as long as you don't have both used at the same time for big drain devices.

 

The best practice is to go straight to the battery.

 

Might be worth checking the label on the fridge as to the power requirement. The one I have is 5 amps @ 12 volts. Some of the bigger ones I believe can draw around 10amps or more.

 

Phil

Presumably the front socket would only be used for low draw stuff, like a sat nav and a phonecharger?

Would something like this make it easier?

http://www.hardwarexpress.co.uk/300-watt-power-inverter-modified-sinewave-3676-p.asp?gclid=CjwKEAjwpPCuBRDris2Y7piU2QsSJAD1Qv7BsHV7DJ0uSWY5yK4eH3VHWBoKRYsbW5HQFTDoc4XcOhoCPQ3w_wcB