ewenm Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Hi all, I want to wire a socket for my intercom power supply. The intercom came with the power adapter so all I need to do is wire it into the loom. I also want to be able to remove the intercom easily so need some sort of plug and socket arrangement on the power supply. Does anyone know what sort of connectors I need to buy 🤔 - I've been to the Maplin website but the choice is so vast and I don't know what I should be after. It's a simple live and earth setup, nothing complicated so I just need a 2 wire connector of some sort. Also, what circuit should I patch it into? I was thinking of using the headlights circuit for power as I always drive with the lights on and it would kill the power when the lights are off. Although thinking about it, I might want to have use of it when the ignition is off (phone/radio usage perhaps) Cheers, Ewen. 72396 miles and finally rising again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelico Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Ewan, if you still have the standard ignition barrel you can use the redundant 1st postion connector. This is the one on a tin top that switches the radio on on the first click of the key. On mine a standard spade connector works to connect the ignition barrel swtitch to the Autocom power lead. I used a 1A fuse in line. Admittedly mine is not moveable so you will need to fit some sort of plug and socket. Cheers Peter My Caterham owner's site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewenm Posted April 14, 2004 Author Share Posted April 14, 2004 I do have the standard barrel, so this could be a good idea. Where did you earth it to 🤔 (I know very little about these things so sorry for the obvious questions 😬) 72396 miles and finally rising again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelico Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 I think the best practice is to use the main earth point on the left of the dash (or drill a new earth point into the chassis somewhere). I did what is generally considered to be a bad thing 😳 and just used on of those blue 'tap in' connectors to attach to the nearest black wire I cound find behind the dask. It seems to work 😬 My Caterham owner's site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Pelico I did what is generally considered to be a bad thing and just used on of those blue 'tap in' connectors to attach to the nearest black wire I cound find behind the dash.Why is that a "bad thing"? I use that method a lot. If the black wire is a good earth, it's a good earth. Ewen You may need some filtering on the power supply line for the intercom or otherwise you may pick up ignition whine. This is a high pitched noise that varies with engine speed. I eliminated the whine on my intercom by connecting a 150 ohm resistor between the power supply lead and the intercom power input and then connecting a 100uF (100 microfarad) electrolytic capacitor between the intercom power input and earth. Result..... no whine at all. Chris Edited for a PS: re connector.... suggest maybe a 2.5mm plug and socket as per many "Walkman" type devices. 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 14 Apr 2004 12:07:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 I have no windscreen so used the redundant heated screen wiring. Just change the fuse in the fuse box to 5amps or lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 My experience of the blue Scotchlok devices are that they are as Chris says Ok. If it's an earth it's an earth. The snag is that in wet environments they can fall victim to corrosion. They can then be a bit unreliable. Bad earths as a result of corrosion account for a large proportion of car electrical faults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelico Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Chris....I stand corrected in the best possible way, I thought I was wrong, but I was right 😬 I guess what was on my mind was with so many electrical problems being due to a bad earth, then tapping into the already daisy chained existing earths behind the dash only serves to make problems later harder to diagnose. Funny, I am as poorly educated about electrics as I am about engines, but I am happy to work out electrical problems but terrified of getting anything wrong with the oily bits. My Caterham owner's site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelico Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Chris, interested in your 'whine elimination' idea. How do you physically connect the capacitor and resistor into the circuit. Do you just solder them on to a bit of wire and wrap with insulation tape or do you make up some sort of small boxed in circuit board ??? Ta. Peter Sorry Ewan, hope this is still keeping your thread on topic. My Caterham owner's site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewenm Posted April 14, 2004 Author Share Posted April 14, 2004 This is all good stuff - Pelico, don't worry about asking additional questions 😬 72396 miles and finally rising again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Pelico Because it was only the two components I physically soldered them in place, wrapped them in tape and hid them under the dash. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Re the "tap connectors". What can occasionally happen with them is that they pop open. I always tape them closed but use amalgamating tape not normal insulating tape. Insulating tape tends to go gooey and unravel after a few months. I wrapped the components for the whine elimination in amalgamating tape too. I try to avoid using normal insulating tape wherever posiible. Amalgamating tape has the additional property of being waterproof and forming a waterproof seal so it's ideal for the tap connectors. Maplin sell it inter alia. Once stretched and wrapped around an object it amalgamates into itself after some time to form a sealed cover. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelico Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Thanks Chris....and nice latin 😬 😬 😬 My Caterham owner's site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 semper paratus 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 FWIW, all of my kit (ACES shiftlights, Autocom intercom, 4-way lighter-socket bar for phones, GPS etc.) are all powered from the redundant heated screen output as well... Even if you've got the screen, this should be OK as you will be tapping in before the switch and so your gadgets will work even if your screen is off. To keep things tidy, I made myself two 'distribution boxes' - one for earth, one for positive using terminal blocks housed in plastic boxes (from B&Q) designed for just that job (they've a little spike/stud in them to dry-mount the terminal blocks). Works for me - although I probably *should* point out that somewhere in the system, I'm picking up some revs-related noise that I can occassionally hear in the intercom...) Keep BC free and open for ALL. Membership No. 43xx Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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