Additional socket fuse help

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationA good few years ago I was the victim of an insurance fraud involving the car in front of me slamming his brakes on, so thought I'd take the opportunity to fit a dash cam.

To wire the camera up I tapped in to the existing cigarette lighter and it worked fine.

However, as the demand for charging stuff in the car has grown, with my son wanting to charge his phone while I've got the satnav plugged in, I thoght I'd go for a multi-socket like this:

That's where the problem began. It's now drawing too much power and only the dash cam works - satnav and phones won't charge as there's not enough power.

So the plan is to run a live and negative from the battery through the bulkhead into a block terminal, then take off separate wires from that to the dash cam and the multi-socket.

I'm guessing I'll need to fit fuses as per my diagram below, but not knowing much about electrics need advice on the size of fuses I'll need? Perhaps 15v for B and C as that's the size that the existing cigarette lighter has, but what about A, or does it need one here?

Your only problem there is that will be permanently live, So if you forget to unplug you may come back to a flat battery.
Ideally you need to run it through a relay switched by the ignition. As for fuses a 15 amp where a is will probably be fine.

Casey wrote: not knowing much about electrics need advice on the size of fuses I'll need? Perhaps 15AMP for B and C as that's the size that the existing cigarette lighter has, but what about A, or does it need one here?

I've just fitted the same in my Junior and I made connections to attach to the existing plugs (I've whipped off the existing one which was a bit manky) so I can restore the original cig lighter quickly (which I have removed along with the ashtray - yuck). I am a little surprised there isn't enough current as the wire that is supplied with the USB/3 socket is a really fine gauge and very fiddly for soldering. The USB is rated at 600mA and the three sockets 5A. My point being I am amazed the wire itself can take it!!




In your case I would possibly find a way to run just the dash cam from a separate supply as you would not be leaving that in situ so its being permanently hot won't matter.

yeh ... have the dashcam permanently live so you can leave it recording when the ignition is off,.

could be a useful trick from time to time, depending on the area you live in :S

I've a permanetly live socket in the back so I can use a tyre compressor without the need to switch the ignition on

I have run a 'Bluetooth' + Satnav + Dash-Cam from my socket now for two years without any issues ...

Thanks, I hadn't really thought through the permanently live issue. Doh!

Back to the drawing board I guess.