How to make 12v accessory ports permanently live?

[SolarBoy]

Hi Folks

I need to make my accessory ports permanently live. I have a dashcam that I want to leave running due to some unsavoury places I have to park up (aka school run).

I'm not concerned about a flat 12v battery, I'll have one of those mini 12v jump-start thingies with me.

I read somewhere that a dealer can swap a fuse or something ... if anyone has done it I'd appreciate the help?

Cheers

 

[jthspace]

I have installed a permanent one in the boot. Alternatively you have got to find a way thru the firewall to the fuse box and you can use a fuse doubler to take a feed off. I don't think anyone has found a route through though.

However, if you change the setting that leaves the internal lights untimed, you could change the bulb in the driver or passenger overhead light for one of these - I did consider it at one stage but never implemented it as I was worried about a flat battery.

Mind you, I did leave my rear pointing car camera in the boot switched on for four days by mistake and it did not cause a problem. I only noticed as the camera was warm enough to stop the rear screen freezing in a 25 sq cm area.

It may be easier to run a fused supply under the carpet to the front and tuck it under the trim to come out by the rear view mirror.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-DC-Con...467111?hash=item4adb199667:g:Pw0AAOSwQItT--d4

All you want from this one is the spring loaded bulb converter. Can't find this on its own.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fits-Chev...687503?hash=item3f2874decf:g:jg8AAOxy0P1SE5ym

Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[SolarBoy]

Hi jthspace thank you for taking the time to put together the reply and links.

It is food for thought, the vehicle is not mine, a company car, and I don't want to modify it too much...

I have installed a fuse tap in my other car, which works very well. I want both of the front accessory and the single rear accessory ports to be live so I can have front/rear cameras and keep my powerbank topped up. I guess connecting to the accessory battery for the rear camera via a fuse is an option.

Certainly running cables isn't an issue within the cabin, the trim is very accommodating.

 

[paa451843]

There is a light in the glove compartment thats works even if the car is in off mode.
Might be a way to solve it?

BR
Per-Anders

 

[jthspace]

Good tip on the glove box light, didn't know that!

Just a thought, Solarboy, you have a sexy new battery pack; can you run the cameras from that and recharge it when you are driving? May save some grief and also ensure the battery pack is always charged.

Jeff

 

[SolarBoy]

Good tip on the glove box light, didn't know that!

Just a thought, Solarboy, you have a sexy new battery pack; can you run the cameras from that and recharge it when you are driving? May save some grief and also ensure the battery pack is always charged.

Jeff

I can Jeff, though journeys are <20 miles a day (though the Mrs has started to grab it now I may need to buy her an Outlander) a similar pack I have in service for this when I remember to plug in/unplug takes ~6 hours to recharge.

 

[DAUK]

Hi,
I recently fitted a "hard wired" dash cam to the rear window, I fitted one to the windscreen as soon as I got the car. When I fitted the front one I used a piggy back fuse holder on fuse number 23 (Cigarette lighter/Accessory socket) behind the glove box and connected to the camera lead to that. This is live only when the power is on or in the accessories position - works exactly as it would if merely plugged into the accessory socket. When I fitted the second camera I thought that I would use fuse number 7 (described in the handbook as "Accessory socket") in the same fuse box. When I did this, again using a piggy back fuse holder I discovered it was permanently live, so had to double up on fuse 23 (they each only draw 1.5 amp and are protected by a 5 amp fuse).

Please excuse the long explanation, but the gist of it is to use a piggy back fuse hold and connect to fuse 7, or probably any other fuse in the box.

Derek

Model year 16 - but probably the same for pre facelift cars - check the handbook.

 

[jthspace]

Great information - thanks!

Jeff

 

[Yoran]

i dont understand the need for mods, i have an option in mmcs menu to make the ports live without a timeout?

 

[SolarBoy]

i dont understand the need for mods, i have an option in mmcs menu to make the ports live without a timeout?

Oh really? Whereabouts? Tks!

 

[Kim]

I used a "always live" terminal in the fusebox (lefthand steering, under the dashboard) and a cable from that fuse to the cigarette fuse terminal to give all lighter socets a permanent current.

I can take and post a pic of it later if you'd like.

 

[jthspace]

That would be useful.........

 

[SolarBoy]

She Who Must Be Obeyed™ has decreed that plugging into a portable USB battery bank whilst the car is parked is too much to remember.

So I'm going to tap into a live feed on the fusebox.

First issue was locating the fusebox, my car is righthand drive, and the manual said it was behind the glovebox. Much swearing later I managed to remove the soft-open thingy for the glove box then discovered that that the majority of the fuses were a mini-type. Much additional swearing later, ordered an add-a-circuit jumper of the mini style --> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01E3PQWUE/

Have got a cigarette lighter socket on order, and will find a suitable earth, move my USB charger from the centre console to the new permanent live ciggie lighter socket that I'm going to locate with the glove box. Will make the car a bit tidier.

Looking for a suitable fuse to tap, the hazard flashers look the best to tap from. I'll double check beforehand that the normal indicators continue to work.

Getting a new dashcam, one that has a time-lapse parking mode, will feel a lot more confident that I can identify anyone that damages the vehicle.

Will likely locate the existing dashcam to the rear screen, but have it running off the ciggie lighter in the boot space as it doesn't have a time lapse mode.

Will report back once it's all installed...

 

[DAUK]

Hi,

See my earlier post dated 29th June under this topic. This detailed a suitable permanently live fuse in the "glove box" fuse box. Easy solution with a piggy back fuse holder.

Derek

 

[SolarBoy]

Hi,

See my earlier post dated 29th June under this topic. This detailed a suitable permanently live fuse in the "glove box" fuse box. Easy solution with a piggy back fuse holder.

Derek

Cheers Derek, so sounds like fuse 7, "Accessory socket" is the one for me.

Might need to try and find out what "Accessory socket" actually feeds?

 

[SolarBoy]

I've decided to assume that accessory socket is the one for a towbar. Cheers for the help.

All done, the tricky bit was attaching the earth wire, eventually found a bolt to undo* and attach a spade connector.

(involved much swearing)

Changed the dashcam at the same time, I'm now sitting in my office watching a view from the bonnet via my smartphone

Happy days.

 

[Regulo]

SolarBoy, what dashcam did you fit, please? How does it transmit to your phone, via a data SIM? Intrigued!!!

 

[SolarBoy]

SolarBoy, what dashcam did you fit, please? How does it transmit to your phone, via a data SIM? Intrigued!!!

Dashcam is ddpai m6 plus, the stream is via WiFi, it's quite a powerful signal.

 

[Regulo]

Thanks for that. Seems a capable dashcam for the price. Not sure about the wifi connecting to the phone app - I always seem to get trouble with apps on my phone! Perhaps I should spend more than £30 on a phone!!

 

[SolarBoy]

Thanks for that. Seems a capable dashcam for the price. Not sure about the wifi connecting to the phone app - I always seem to get trouble with apps on my phone! Perhaps I should spend more than £30 on a phone!!

Works fine my £100 Android phone. Yes it's a good dashcam, you need the app to set it up as there are no buttons or controls on the actual device.