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electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:06 am
by bobngo
are there any spare fused positions on the fuse box near the right knee ????
i would like to run several gadgets and gizo,s where the electric supply is only "on" when the engine is running, and would like something not exceeding 10 amps available.
i don,t think the back of the ciggy lighter is man enough for my needs , although the fuse is rated at 10 amps !!!! the wiring looks too thin
also i would like to find somewhere which is "on " all the time to run haydens bmw clock.
can anyone please help.
btw although i can normally understand electric/electronic circuit diagrams ( one of my hobbies used to be building with electronics ) when i see a lush cicuit diagram , i totally lose it , i could interperate egyption helioglifics easyer, than read a lush diagram
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:35 am
by Wicker Man
You may find it easiest to run the clock from one of the radio cables. The feed for the radio backup should be permanently live, it'll be nice and close to the clock and easily accessible to connect.
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:13 pm
by francophile1947
Fuse box fact sheet makes it look as if there may be 2 unused sockets - no idea if they're live though

Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:30 pm
by thedogsbollox
When I fitted my liesure battery with the willinton kit, there was 4 live feeds that you plugged into the fuse box. These were pushed into where the fuse went for 4 of the circuits. This left me with 4 switched circuits that I used online fuses on to feed a low coolant alarm, a TM2 and a cruise control. If you are going to fit gadgets then if you are considering a liesure battery then do this.
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:48 pm
by 321Away
There are numerous power sources that are 'on' when the engine is running? do you want the wire to come live when ignition is in accessory position? stay live whilst cranking? there are very few cables in any vehicle capable of sustaing their fuse rated current, they arent meant to,fuse rating is there to protect the devices on that line and generally is well above what the maximum draw of all the devices being used at the same time would be. I personally pick up all connections and points on the back of the fuse box.
julian
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:24 pm
by g8dhe
I think you will find that there are no connectors for the two spare positions on the fuse box, so you would have to fashion your own.
The Bongo Wiring Manuals have nothing to do with Lush Projects - so I don't know if this link helps or not!
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=36657
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:12 am
by bobngo
thanks for all the answers everybody, i,ve taken note and looked at every option, and it seems that numbers 7 and 14 fuses on the bonnet fuse box should be ok , as they are for ABS , which i don,t have, and provided i down rate the fuses, at the moment they are 30 and 60 amps , should great.
but (why is there always a but ???) what i want is a power suppy which is ONLY ON , when the engine is running, do numbers 7 and 14 meet this reguirement ???????
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:21 am
by patnben
The only way you will get a supply when the engine is "Running" is to
buy yourself a cheap 30 Amp VSR and connect it directly to the battery
with an Inline fuse. Same principal as the tow bar electrics which supply
the caravan fridge when towing to a camp site. Works fine for cool boxes
in the Bongo, or anything else that might run the starter battery flat.
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:40 am
by g8dhe
The ABS fuses are not switched by the ignition, they are permanently connected

The only fuses I can spot that are switched by the ignition are the FOG lamp fuse,15 Amp under the bonnet here

and the two 15 Amp fuses top row right under by the drivers knee

Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 6:00 pm
by gasace
I wired my coolant alarm to a lead going to the wiper switch, I found locating the power supply the most difficult part of fitting the alarm, I think the cig lighter is live in accessory position, and the wire I used would not take the load. Your best bet is to wire direct to the battery with an in line fuse, then run it through a relay so it is only live when the engine is running. You could use "my" windscreen wiper lead for this.
Good Luck
Gasace
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:29 pm
by bobngo
thats great G8dhe ,but what are the two fuses you mention there for normally ????? they must do something ????
Re: electric supplies to gadgets and gizmo,s
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:02 pm
by g8dhe
They cover lots of things! Oh and yes the third from right fuse as well;
The furthest right covers;
- Cigar lighters
- Radio
- Navigations system
- Door Mirrors
- Galley
The second and third from right are for the blinds alone.
I suspect that so far you only have a Radio (5 Amps Max for a normal one), and the Door mirrors actually on the first circuit- assuming you have electrically driven mirrors!
There all on the ACC setting of the Ignition switch, so you might not actually have the engine running of course but the keys are in and turned to the first position.