Wiring modification for Blinds etc.

Griffin · Post by **Griffin** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 6:30 pm

Hi, I want my blinds and lighter sockets to work without the engine being on. Having looked in the Bongo fusebox and then searched the postings I found the information courtesy of Pippin about the fuses and which feed wires do what but........

If I want to use the Red/White wire to feed the other fuses, what sort of connector and what size of wire should I get ? I was thinking about using one of those connectors that look a bit like a chocolate bar with the screws for each connection. Then I thought about using a crimping thing on the wire, then a junction box and then I thought I'd post a topic for help !

What do you think ?

With regard to the wire. although I'll only need a very small amount, I suspect I'll end up buying a load as Halfords etc likely sell only bythe spool. I don't want to get the wrong stuff, what amperage would be appropriate?

Finally, does it matter what colour I use? is red/white or red/black a universal positive switched/unswithched colour ?

All help appreciated, thanks in anticipation.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:00 pm

I hope I have got this right!

You can use a "chocolate block" connector but the screws can come loose in vibrating vehicles unless they are tightened up correctly.

As for the wire, use something of similar thickness to the wires to which you are connecting.
As for colour, immaterial.
You could find a piece of mains cable and strip out one of the wires and use that. Something of the thickness you would use for a kettle, heater or iron rather than the thinner stuff from a light.

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 6:09 pm

A 10 amp spindle should do everything you will be going near. Cheaper from a Motor factors rather than Halfrauds.

andyfb78 · Post by **andyfb78** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:33 pm

After hours of staring at the fuse box under the footwell, I conclude that all the functions are grouped. Ie power is fed to back of the fuses such that if you bypass the ignition key, all the ignition-on, or aux ancilliaries (depending on which is fed) would go live permanently?

Unlesss you remove the feed from the fuse box totally, you'll prolly feed power back through the curtain fuse if you then operate any of the other functions whilst ign-off??

Or have I gone mad after too many hours with a multimeter?

vic swan · Post by **vic swan** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:39 pm

I have found that each fuse is multi functional. So be careful

martnin · Post by **martnin** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:18 pm

I read somewhere that it does the electric motor no harm at all if you pull the blinds down manually.......I have been doing this for years with no adverse effects........martin

Griffin · Post by **Griffin** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 11:28 am

Hmmmm confusion reigns. I can live without the blinds (well in fact I can live without any modification

), I certainly don't want to damage anything. What I really wanted was a permanent feed to the cigerette lighters as I want my PDA and SatNav to be powered permanently.

Think I'll just run a new feed from somwhere and use an inline fuse.
Thanks All.

alphabetter · Post by **alphabetter** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:18 pm

The fuse allocation is documented on this site somewhere (I think it is in the members area though I could be wrong). As is pointed out some of the fuses are multifunction.

The main problem is that the input to the fuse box are bussed together on the back of the box. Therefore it is impossible to swap a single fuse from a switched input to an unswitched input. You will basically have to disconnect at the output of the fuse and insert a new fuse outside the fuse block.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:04 pm

Not strictly true, the best bet is to disconnect the input to a block of fuses and reroute that to your secondary battery.
I am not at home at the moment so cannot give you detailed info without the diagrams.

alant54 · Post by **alant54** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 4:05 pm

pippin wrote:Not strictly true, the best bet is to disconnect the input to a block of fuses and reroute that to your secondary battery.
I am not at home at the moment so cannot give you detailed info without the diagrams.

Are you at sea then Admiral...?.....

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 11:56 pm

I am always at sea, figuratively speaking!

Actually just arrived home after driving through torrential rain.

Watch this (or indeed any other) space!

jimsmimm · Post by **jimsmimm** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 12:23 pm

I to would love a permanant power supply to the cigarette lighter socket as every time i stop and have to restart the engine the kids dvd players switch off and have to be reset to the beginning through all the dros at the start which drives me insane....an idiots guide on how to wire them up wuold be invaluble

rwill19050 · Post by **rwill19050** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 1:39 pm

I'll go and have a look 'under the bonnet' to see if I can suggest a place to feed your outlet from.
Back soon

Colin Lambert · Post by **Colin Lambert** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:14 pm

The big black thing with two round terminals and two very thick wires coming from it (under the bonnet) is a very good place to start but do rememeber to use an in line fuseof the correct rating for whatever it is you wish to power.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:19 pm

OK guys and gals, here is how to do it.

The instructions are based on my new shape '99 AFT and are given without prejudice and with all the usual safety considerations regarding disconnecting the battery(ies).

Look at the fuse board by the drivers right knee.
Remove the fixing screws and wiggle it forwards so that the rear is visible.

Counting from top left to right the numbering goes 1 to 8.

Fuses 1 to 5 are fed by a thick white/red from fuse BTN under the bonnet, which is always live.
(the fuse, silly, not the bonnet!)

Fuses 6,7,8 are fed only when the ignition is on via the thick red/black wire.
6&7 are curtains L&R, 8 is cigarlighter & mirrors.

1] If you do not have a secondary battery:

You can either select just the cigarlighter/mirrors or probably easier and handier select those and the curtains so that you can operate them without the ignition on.

Cut the thick red/black wire going in a couple of inches from the rear of the fuseholder for 6,7,8. Insulate the end that comes out of the loom.
Use a short length of similarly sized wire to extend the end going into 6,7,8 and tap it into the thick white/red that feeds fuses 1-5.

If you want to select just fuse 8 for the cigarlighter/mirrors then you would have to identify the blue wire coming out of fuse 8, cut that and insulate the end coming out of the fuse 8. The blue wire going into the loom would then need an in-line 15A fuse fitting and then tapping onto the aforementioned thick white/red that feeds fuses 1-5.

2] If you have a secondary battery you may wish to feed things from that rather than from the engine battery.

The instructions above are modified only by disregarding tapping anything into the aforementioned thick white/red that feeds fuses 1-5.
Instead you would need to connect it/them into an appropriately fused wire connected to the secondary battery.

While you are at it you could also feed all the internal vehicle lighting from that source as well.
To do so, cut the blue/red wire coming out of fuse 1 and insulate the end coming out of the fuse. Fit an appropriate 10A inline fuseholder to the end disappearing into the loom and connect it to the secondary battery.

So, there you have it! If in doubt - ASK!

Wiring modification for Blinds etc.

Wiring modification for Blinds etc.

Permanant feed