How To Girl's Guide to Putting in an Extra 12 Volt Lighter
#1
Girl's Guide to Putting in an Extra 12 Volt Lighter
This was posted in another forum, but since it is really a DIY, I duplicated it here. I did this a few years ago when I wanted a separate outlet for my Garmin NUVI, but it comes in handy for other things, too - you can use it to charge your mobile, as well as other things. I recently got a Motorola T505 (a GREAT item that enables me to use my mobile phone, handsfree, via Bluetooth - best 50 bucks I ever spent!). It is kept on my visor, and needs to be periodically charged, so this extra outlet on the driver's side has been invaluable....
1) First, disconnect the ground lead on the battery. (I have a 2005 MCS Convertible and the battery is in the boot.)
2) I used a "tap a fuse" (same as an "add a fuse") at an autoparts store, although it was pricy (12 bucks, and I still had to buy the extra 5 amp fuse!)
3) The 12 volt cigarette lighter was purchased at Radio Shack. I got the one with a rubber cover because I was connecting it to an unswitched fuse, and it would always be "on". I didn't want to scorch anything that might fall into it...
4) I also bought a 1 inch hole saw and spent the extra $ on a hole saw guide, so that it would keep it centered. I didn't want to risk the saw skipping across the bolster and ruining it. I made a small starter nick with a scratch awl, then drilled a pilot hole as a starter for the hole saw guide. Because the diameter of the lighter was just a tiny bit larger than the hole, I filed the hole larger so that the lighter would fit snugly - and it worked out beautifully!
5) I could not locate a screw into the metal that was accessible enough or small enough to fit through the hole in the connector for the ground lead, so I just drilled a small hole directly into the metal frame behind the knee bolster and mounted the ground lead there. I connected the hot lead of the lighter to the hot lead of the add a fuse. I decided to use fuse #3 position which is an unswitched lead that operates the convertible top and side mirrors. I hooked up the battery again, and did exactly as the add a fuse suggested, first testing only one fuse (the one to the lighter). I had to turn the add a fuse so that the fuses were on top (which put the wire from it running away from the fuse block) in order to get the switch to work correctly. Then I added the second 5 amp fuse to verify that the 'vert top and side mirror control still worked. Everything did! I bundled the wires together with a tie and tucked them behind the bolster. The fuse door went back on even with the extra wire sticking out of it. It was a real kick to plug in my phone charger and see my phone charging!!!!
I must say, I am really pleased how it turned out - the lighter looks like it came with the car!
Here are a few pix:
This is behind the knee bolster. My finger is on the ground lead for the adapter, and you can see the ground screw tapped into the hole I drilled into the frame at the top center of the photo:
Here is a photo of the "tap a fuse" (same as an "add a fuse") circuit installed in fuse position #3 (note the wire runs away from the fuse block):
This is a photo of the completed project (I have driving lights, which were installed by a Mini technician at the dealership, and the switch for them is on the left). I decided to mount the lighter to the inside of it, because aesthetically, I felt it looked best there.
Thanks VERY much for the help from PJSchaffer, Coolcab, and my dear friend Willum - I had never attempted anything even remotely like this before, and your collective advice made the project practically a breeze! __________________
1) First, disconnect the ground lead on the battery. (I have a 2005 MCS Convertible and the battery is in the boot.)
2) I used a "tap a fuse" (same as an "add a fuse") at an autoparts store, although it was pricy (12 bucks, and I still had to buy the extra 5 amp fuse!)
3) The 12 volt cigarette lighter was purchased at Radio Shack. I got the one with a rubber cover because I was connecting it to an unswitched fuse, and it would always be "on". I didn't want to scorch anything that might fall into it...
4) I also bought a 1 inch hole saw and spent the extra $ on a hole saw guide, so that it would keep it centered. I didn't want to risk the saw skipping across the bolster and ruining it. I made a small starter nick with a scratch awl, then drilled a pilot hole as a starter for the hole saw guide. Because the diameter of the lighter was just a tiny bit larger than the hole, I filed the hole larger so that the lighter would fit snugly - and it worked out beautifully!
5) I could not locate a screw into the metal that was accessible enough or small enough to fit through the hole in the connector for the ground lead, so I just drilled a small hole directly into the metal frame behind the knee bolster and mounted the ground lead there. I connected the hot lead of the lighter to the hot lead of the add a fuse. I decided to use fuse #3 position which is an unswitched lead that operates the convertible top and side mirrors. I hooked up the battery again, and did exactly as the add a fuse suggested, first testing only one fuse (the one to the lighter). I had to turn the add a fuse so that the fuses were on top (which put the wire from it running away from the fuse block) in order to get the switch to work correctly. Then I added the second 5 amp fuse to verify that the 'vert top and side mirror control still worked. Everything did! I bundled the wires together with a tie and tucked them behind the bolster. The fuse door went back on even with the extra wire sticking out of it. It was a real kick to plug in my phone charger and see my phone charging!!!!
I must say, I am really pleased how it turned out - the lighter looks like it came with the car!
Here are a few pix:
This is behind the knee bolster. My finger is on the ground lead for the adapter, and you can see the ground screw tapped into the hole I drilled into the frame at the top center of the photo:
Here is a photo of the "tap a fuse" (same as an "add a fuse") circuit installed in fuse position #3 (note the wire runs away from the fuse block):
This is a photo of the completed project (I have driving lights, which were installed by a Mini technician at the dealership, and the switch for them is on the left). I decided to mount the lighter to the inside of it, because aesthetically, I felt it looked best there.
Thanks VERY much for the help from PJSchaffer, Coolcab, and my dear friend Willum - I had never attempted anything even remotely like this before, and your collective advice made the project practically a breeze! __________________
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