Hi, I've been gone from the forums for a year or so now but it's time to return to the fold for some advice.

I'm installing a car computer (for you gadget nuts like me, check out www.mp3car.com, they're doing some amazing stuff these days) in my '06 convertible. It's in and working as proof-of-concept in the passenger footwell but with 6 USB devices plugged in plus power, there's a tangle of wiring and I want to relocate it to the trunk.

The smart power supply needs ground, a constant 12v+ and a switched 12v+. Currently (get it, current?) I've tapped the cigarette lighter and ran a wire straight back to the battery terminal but can't leave it like that.

So, my question is this: is there a switched 12v connection anywhere in the trunk area that anyone knows about? It needs to be live when the car is running and off when not.

Project photos to follow soon on the car computer and anyone wishing to contact me for more info is very welcome. You can get in cheap ($500 or so) and after that it's up to your imagination what you want to do with it. I have navigation, wireless for synching with the home network from my driveway, 7000 .mp3 files from my music library, dial-up networking over EVDO through my smart phone-modem connection, keyboard and mouse. There are some very cool skins and touch screen engines available, all open source. While online, I can check the weather and local gas prices. The only downside on a MINI install is space and where to put the touch screen monitor.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide -
Don in Alexandria
donald.j.davis@gmail.com

 

How about the cigarette lighter in the trunk? Look down and to the left when you open the tailgate.

 

Wow, I didn't know there was one there (nor those filters) but now I do!

Thanks a million, RKW! That should do the trick.

Regards-

Don