12v Socket(s)

[Phil N]

Probably a simple task for many of our club experts but I could do with a bit of help, for some reason my westfield doesn't have a 12v socket and with the amount of gadgets I have I desperately need 1, ideally 2.

I have searched on the wscc forum and people seem to wire them direct to the battery with a inline fuse like this-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-Waterproo ... 27ba8d09b7

I was hoping the westie loom would have one as standard to simply plug into but it doesn't look like it.

Is this the best way to do it or can I tap into the loom into a switched or constant supply behind the dash which would make neater wiring (bearing in mind the battery is in the nosecone)?

TIA

[graham b]

On my westie I had a permanent supply to one 12v outlet and a second one that had an illuminated switch on the dash this one was for the camera.....switch on and camera started recording.
Both were via the battery and in line fuse.
My htd jacket also had its own circuit via an inline fuse again direct from the battery.
Better , I think , than taking power from the loom.

[DJ.]

I have wired mine straight to the battery with an inline water proof fuse (best to buy one that takes the same fuses as your fuse box) because it is useful for attaching a battery conditioner.

I would fit one with two sockets. If is is direct to the battery, don't go for a built in USB as I believe they drain current when not being used.

I bought one like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Car-Parts/Id ... K0TENHG7YA

And mounted it on a bracket inside the bulkhead behind the battery with the fuse only a few inches from the battery terminal.

Hope this is of interest

[Matth93]

You could do it direct to the battery with a fuse inline would be ok. You could also pick up from a existing fuse on your fuse box to give a ignition fed feed or permanent, It depends on how much power drain you are going to have through it too as you don't want to damage the existing wiring
I've got one on permanent live and the others on with the ignition.

[steve m]

Phil

I used one of these, off ebay, easy to fit, and does what I want,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Dual-Car- ... SwzJ5Xc5if

steve

[andyf]

I would wire it directly to the battery with an in line fuse. Be careful when ordering the sockets as the marine ones are a different size and the car plugs won't all fit.

[Phil N]

thanks for all the responses.

[Fury1630]

Personally I'd always wire them via the ign - possibly a feed from the battery controlled by a relay switched by the ign. Doing it like that means you won't come back to you car after breakfast to find a fully charged satnav in a car that needs push starting

The neatest is to wire it into an unused "way" in the fuse box.

[andyf]

You can get fused relays as well to make the wiring neater if you don't have space in the fuse box

[Phil N]

Ha! Spent ages running the wires and making a really neat job of it, went to connect it up so removed the dash bolts, pulled it forward to find an unused connector with the words '12v socket' oh well you can never have, I'll install a usb socket too now.