Wiring up electrical accessories

[neil.cavanagh]

I've for a number of 'toys' that need power in the Caterham (PDA, Origin B2, Autocom etc). At the moment the wiring is all a bit messy with leads coming together under the dash and very heath-robinson soldering of wired onto a cig lighter socket that is hanging lose. So I've decided to neaten it up.

I've just bought a small 'project box' from maplins that is just deep enough to mount the cig socket correctly in. I will then either run wires straight into the box or mount some other small power sockets on the box and put suitable plugs on the end of the leads from the origin & autocom. This box will then be mounted up under the dash, so bringing all the leads together, and making it easier to attach more toys later.

 

The question is, how best to do a neat reliable job of the wiring inside the box.

 

My first thought was to get a bit of breadboard and solder the +VE and earth supplies to it, and then solder on each accessory to its own pair of holes. BUT I don't thnk standard breadboard is designed to carry more than a few milliamps and might not therefore like powering the toys I have.

 

Does anyone have any good suggestions for connections in side the box? other than splicing wires together or using those nasty plastic 'choclate block' connectors.

 

thanks!! *thumbup*

[Myles]

Neil,

 

This is similar to the route I originally took - I had a single lighter-socket wired in (at extortionate cost my Millwoods) and then fitted a cheap Halfrauds 4-way lighter-socket extension (under the drivers-side scuttle).

 

This was OK, but I had trouble with the single plug/socket - I had to zip-tie the plug into the socket - but eventually, the single-socket failed internally.

 

Ended up buying some chocolate-bar terminal-strip from B&Q (along with a couple of small plastic enlosures designed to mount them) and created a distribution-box for both the live and earth connections.

 

Don't seem to have any pics on the site - I should have some offline somewhere though - in the meantime, you can see the single-socket and plug here

 

I still use the 4-way extension - but I cut the plug off and hard-wired it into the distribution boxes.

 

I don't see what's wrong with the choccy-bar connectors as long as they're hidden in an appropriate box...

 

Project Scope-Creep is underway...

 

Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™

 

Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com

 

Edited by - Myles on 4 Jan 2005 15:26:29

[Shaun_E]

Where is the best place to take the power from? I want to make a similar outlet for say 1 cigar lighter and a couple of power sockets and also run a connection to the boot for a couple of power sockets (to run a bullet cam of course). Is it best to take the feed direct from the battery (fused of course) or is there another place to take power from? Should each socket be individually fused or will one fuse suffice for the whole lot? As well as the bullet cam I want to power my Autocom and at some point may want to power a portable SatNav or speed camera detector.

Are the outlets you have hidden under the dash and if so was there a reason for that? I was thinking of actually having the sockets mounted in the dash. Would need some kind of cover for them but I have seen cigar lighters with a cover.

 

Yellow SL #32

For Sale: chrome headlights, sill protectors

[James Tricker]

I made something up along similar lines. Maplin project box used as here and here

 

Two power feeds into the box. One from ignition switch. One permanent from the battery - both fused with maplin waterproof fuse holders.

 

The internal connections within the power box are done using crimped Pre-insulated terminals. No Soldering at all. -

 

The idea behind two power sources is that some of the outputs are ignition switched for the road angel etc and others are permanent for optimate conditioner etc.

 

Additional outputs via Maplin battery connectors (eg from remote control cars) for other items such as Autocom are switched on the box itself.

 

All components rated upto 17amps but fused a lot lower

 

 

edited to add - I think I may have used a couple of choccy-bar connectors as Myles suggested inside the box.

James (1.8 SV)

 

edited to add second photo link

 

Edited by - James Tricker on 6 Jan 2005 13:43:28

[Myles]

I took my power from the heated-screen output (I run aeroscreens - and in any case had a plain-glass screen before that) - this is the only real weak-point in the system as ISTR using a nasty scotch-lok connector due to the confined-space and lack of power.

 

I run my autocom, ACES shiftlights, SPA dual oil/oil gauge and the 4-way adapter (road-angel and bullet-cam) from the same system - I don't need any permanently-powered accessories, so the screen-power outlet (switched) is fine.

 

Earth is to a bolt on part of the chassis under the scuttle.

 

Project Scope-Creep is underway...

 

Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™

 

Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com

[neil.cavanagh]

James, that looks like what I'm after.

 

Myles, sounds like your choccy bars might have it!! I have a picture in my head now of how to do it.

 

Shaun_E, I've run a nice red power cable down through the hole in front of the gear stick and then soldered a ring connectore to the end, and attached this straight to the battery. Then for an earth I used another ring connector and bolted it to an existing earth connection level with the a passengers left knee.

 

I've got a box from maplin to do the same as James have and a toggle switch with red cover 'aircraft' ('cos they look nice!!) which I'm going to mount on the dash as an on-off for the whole let. This way the big red cover being up should remind me to turn it off, or I can chose to leave it on if I'm charging the battery though a 12v socket.