Adding my add-a-circuit and wondering if the best place to ground is the screw (bolt) near the steering wheel? Is there a good place to ground w/o removing my parcel shelf?

I am a novice to this kind of stuff, but I have an understanding of what I am doing. I have the add a circuit with my device hooked in ready to go, so I need to ground it in the car and make it all work. I am hardwiring my new Roady XT, and once I do this I can finish hiding all my wires. Planning on tapping the circuit into the current cigarette lighter fuse, its switched power. (According to this thread it appears in this model to be 32, though I of course will check my fuse box diagram before pulling)

I have never modded a car or really anything, this is a lot of fun - but also intimidating. Installed the AUX port - drilled my first hole in a car. I have a feeling this is just the start.

thanks for the help, this forum has helped out a lot thus far!

The car: '06 Cooper CVT

 

Sorry I can't help. I'm watching this thread myself to see if someone answers your question so that I too can learn the answer.

Also, I wonder what the current thoughts are on the best fuse to tap into for constant on power. I'd like to add another lighter outlet, and would like for it to always be powered so that my cell phone or whatever can be charging overnight while the car is off. I was thinking the dome light??

I notice that you say that you would tap into the cigarrette lighter fuse. You may want to rethink that, since the add-a-circuit I have says that it's only good for up to 10A, and the lighter fuse is a 15A.

-- Jay

 

That's where I mounted mine, just left of the steering wheel. You don't really need to remove the parcel shelf, just the 2 screws and drop it down a little. Of course you'll have to fish the wire up to the bolt.

In my 02 I went with fuse #36, it's also switched in my 02 MCS.

Edit: More 02 fuse info (might be the same)

Some other locations you could use if you needed different amperage.
Switched:
F7 5A - Rain Sensor
F12 20A - Heated Seats

Unswitched:
F3 5A - Digital Clock
F14 10A - Interior/Reading lights
F22 15A - Nav system


Congrats on taking the mod plunge!

 

I did the same, I placed the groung right under the steering wheel. Just look under the dash by the pedals and you will see a bolt that attaches to the metal frame of the steering wheel. I have not had any issues with grounding there so far. No need to remove anything as all you have to do is get yourself on the floor and bolt the ground on that bolt.

Garrett

 

This was not so hard. I did have problems getting to a place to ground. Ended up using a gold colored screw on the left of the steering wheel column on the back of the panel. I tapped into fuse 36 I believe, a 5A fuse. I did take the shelf off - not a lot of room to work w/o doing it. Though it went back on real easily - when we installed the shelf, it seemed to be way more difficult. That was so much easier than I expected.

Tomorrow I'll be getting some RCA couplers and finish everything. I'll post some pics tomorrow of my installed XM when all my wires are hidden - I am so excited. And for anyone thinking of an XM portable unit - look into the Roady XT, it is so teeny and the orange backlighting matches the mini lights.

:smile: :smile:

 

Hey Sagworks,

Post a pic of where you grounded too if you can still see it with your camera.

 

Well today I went back and finished the install - by hiding all the wires. I tried to take pics as best that I could..

MrV here is where I grounded the power. Unscrewed the nut a bit - put the wire in and tightened it on the wire. It was blind photos here, not bad though - did not take the shelf off.



Now to put it in prespective this is on the back 'wall' of the drivers side pedal area. Its on the left of the steering wheel.

Check out the final install pics - I'm proud!!!!

 

None of the 10A circuits are switched in the MINI, all of them are constantly powered.

Honestly, I wouldn't leave a cell phone etc... charging in my car over night... If somebody sees the phone etc... It might tempt them to steal it. Plus if they break into your car and find the phone etc... they're even easier to steal than your radio since your charging electronic device isn't secured to the car, and quite possibly is easier to sell than your radio...

Should you decide you want a switched circuit, there are 5A circuits that are, and 5A can handle a cell phone and/or MP3 player with ease...

 

My car is garaged every night, so no worries there.

Sagworks....... your install looks GREAT! Thanks for the photos.

== Jay

 

OK, I was inspired to do my project after reading the thread. I had all the materials, just lacked the motivation.

I also haven't seen a decent, "all the information in one place" write up on this, so I figured that I would document it. You guys on this thread get an honorable mention.

http://www.jayandjennifer.com/circuit/circuit.html

A couple of my other write ups are here if you are interested (ignore the family stuff.....I'll get around to putting a Mini-only index page one day soon).

http://www.jayandjennifer.com/

 

If you use Fuse 32, the cigarette lighter fuse, it will give you always on power even though the lighter itself is switched. The switching happens after the fuse.

The Add-A-Circuit people are talking about the device or circuit that you are adding. Their device should only be powering a circuit that is 10A max. You would in fact be best to tap into any circuit that is 10A or greater for the Add-A Circuit. Technically you wouldn't want to use the Add-A-Circuit for a new 10A circuit by tapping into an existing 5A circuit cuz you would theoretically be possibly overloading the 5A circuit wiring that was never intended to have 10A of current flowing through it. In reality, the wires are way overspecced so this isn't really a problem. The bottom line is don't use the Add-A-Circuit for anything over 10A and you will be just fine.

 

^ +1. use a fuse that is more than what the circuit you are adding
asks for. like if you need 7.5A, use a fuse that is 10A or greater.

The add-a-circuit has 2 fuse slots for your original 5A fuse and your
new circuit fuse...you're still pulling 7.5A power (example) from the 5A
wiring.

 

No-No-No - Be Careful Here.

The Add-A-Fuse can be plugged into any fuse slot on a fuse block as the fuse block stabs are all rated the same (don't know the rating, but it will be at least as great as the largest fuse). What the manufacturer is implying when they say use fuses no larger than 10-Amps in the add-a-circuit is that the stabs in the add-a-circuit are only rated 10A each. Therefore, if you used in place of the Cig Lighter Fuse and put a 15 Amp fuse in it, it could fry the Add-A-Circuit.

Another option, would be to reduce the fuse size of the cig lighter to 10A if all you are using it for is power for your electronics (ie cell phone, ipod, etc.)

If it will help lend any credence to my statements above, I am a registered Electrical Engineer with quite a bit of experience with electrical equipment ratings and their meanings.

Phil

 

With the help from all the posts here, and taking into consideration pjshffer's cautionary comments, I installed my Streetpilot i3 on the lower left windshield beautifully. I opted to use the fuse slot for the rear windshield washer (left column...11th fuse down with a 5 amp fuse on an '05). This works exactly as it would if you plugged your gps directly to the cigarette outlet, which is what I wanted. It switches on the gps at the first click of the key. Ironically, tapping the cigarette lighter outlet fuse does not do the same thing (as many have stated here and other threads). Choosing the rear washer slot also keeps the power draw within acceptable limits, i.e. I did not have to replace original fuses with lower rated ones. Thanks for everyones help with this install . Oh, to address the original question of this thread, I loosened the large bolt behind the steering column, slipped the ground wire round head, then tightened it. I bought the add-a-circuit from auto zone for $5.99 and the outlet from radio shack for $7.49...all plus tax.