Installing another cigarette lighter socket

Scania · 30 Sep 2015 at 09:55

Antony101 said:
This is what I meant, putting a lighter socket in instead of just a wire is more work and asking for trouble to be honest. Those sockets can get extremely hot.

Had a small fire in my truck cab a while back, caused by an overheating 12V socket although I was running a Fridge, Laptop and TV from it.

Certainly better and advisable to direct wire it!

tres · 30 Sep 2015 at 10:39

Excuse my derpiness. Zero experience in this stuff.

Direct wiring sounds even better. Where would I wire it in to?
Perhaps I should just take the car somewhere to get it done. I'll end up electrifying the gearstick or something equally as derpy.

Burnsy2023 · 30 Sep 2015 at 10:45

I used one of these so you just run the cable to the fuse box and pick a circuit that powers on a the right time. I used the interior light circuit so as soon as I unlock the car the cameras roll.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Add-A-Circuit-Mini-Blade-Holder-20amp/dp/1550063227

sovietspybob · 30 Sep 2015 at 11:06

Burnsy2023 said:
I used one of these so you just run the cable to the fuse box and pick a circuit that powers on a the right time. I used the interior light circuit so as soon as I unlock the car the cameras roll.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Add-A-Circuit-Mini-Blade-Holder-20amp/dp/1550063227

That's well handy i never thought of looking for something like that, i've always spliced into the wiring instead! Need to get me a couple of those.

snapdragon69 · 30 Sep 2015 at 12:28

You can either take the small PCB out of the cigar adapter and put it in a project box, or just take it apart, remove the contacts and solder new wires onto the PCB where the + centre contact and - side contacts used to be wired to.

If the camera uses a USB cable to power it, then consider one of these...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311320284184
and one of these that piggy-backs existing fuses in the fuse box...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231359714815

Howard · 30 Sep 2015 at 12:31

Burnsy2023 said:
I used one of these so you just run the cable to the fuse box and pick a circuit that powers on a the right time. I used the interior light circuit so as soon as I unlock the car the cameras roll.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Add-A-Circuit-Mini-Blade-Holder-20amp/dp/1550063227

I did the same, and piggy-backed the fuse for my cigarette lighter, the power to which comes on when you unlock the car and goes off 15 minutes after you lock it.

soundb0y · 1 Oct 2015 at 22:21

I used a piggy back add a fuse thing recently for a phone holder which was very simple. For the dashcam I found it easier to connect it to a cable behind the light above the windscreen.